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Dollar spot, caused by Clarireedia spp. (formerly Sclerotinia homoeocarpa F.T. Bennett), is the most economically important turfgrass disease causing considerable damage on golf courses. While cultural practices are available for reducing dollar spot infection, chemical fungicide use is often necessary for maintaining optimal turf quality. Since the release of boscalid in 2003, the succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI) class has become an invaluable tool for managing dollar spot. However, resistance to this class has recently been reported in Clarireedia spp. and many other plant pathogenic fungi. After SDHI field failure on four golf courses and one university research plot, a total of six unique SDH mutations conferring differential in vitro sensitivities to SDHIs have been identified in Clarireedia spp. In 2018 and 2019, turf research plots were inoculated with sensitive, non-mutated isolates of Clarireedia spp., as well as resistant isolates harboring each unique identified mutation. Fungicide efficacy trials were conducted on inoculated plots to assess differential sensitivity to five SDHI active ingredients (boscalid, fluxapyroxad, isofetamid, fluopyram, and pydiflumetofen) across mutations under field conditions. Results indicate unique mutations are associated with distinct SDHI field efficacy profiles as shown in in-vitro sensitivity assays. Isolate populations with B subunit mutations (H267Y/R) were more sensitive to fluopyram, whereas isolate populations with C subunit mutations (C-G91R, C-G150R) showed resistance to all SDHIs tested. Mutation-associated differential sensitivity observed under field conditions indicates a need for a nation-wide survey and frequent monitoring of SDHI sensitivity of dollar spot populations on golf courses in the USA. Further, the information gained from this study will be useful in providing sustainable management recommendations for controlling site-specific resistant populations of Clarireedia spp.

Achieving well-defined multilayer structure is a key to improve device performance of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), especially in solution-processed OLEDs. Use of cross-linkable hole-transporting materials (HTMs) is therefore gaining much attention to achieve such multilayer structures. One of representative solution-processable HTM is TFB, poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-co-(4,4'-(N-(4-sec-butylphenyl)diphenylamine)], but it does not have any cross-linkable units in its chemical structures. In this work, we performed basic physical characterization of a new cross-linkable HTM, HL-X026, and we also investigated its OLED characteristics. Actual solvent resistance by varying the thermal curing temperatures was measured. The thermally cross-linkable HL-X026 showed better device performances than simple TFB with higher luminance and efficiencies.

Celastrol, a pentacyclic triterpene, is the most potent antiobesity agent that has been reported thus far1. The mechanism of celastrol’s leptin-sensitizing and antiobesity effects has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we identified interleukin-1 receptor 1 (IL1R1) as a mediator of celastrol’s action by using temporally resolved analysis of the hypothalamic transcriptome in celastrol-treated DIO, lean, and db/db mice. We demonstrate that IL1R1-deficient mice are completely resistant to the effects of celastrol in leptin sensitization and treatment of obesity, diabetes, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Thus, we conclude that IL1R1 is a gatekeeper for celastrol’s metabolic actions. IL1R1 is a gatekeeper for celastrol’s metabolic actions.

In this study, silicon dioxide contact holes were etched with C4F8 + CH2F2 + O2 + Ar gas plasmas, and the characteristics of the etching residue thereby generated inside the nanopatterns were investigated. The chemical composition of the etching residue formed on the sidewalls of the nano-contact patterns in the gas chemistry was investigated at various oxygen partial pressures by performing in situ Ar sputtering and X-ray photoelectron microscopy at different take-off angles. To investigate the effect of the plasma-active species (polymerizing radicals and charged species) on the formation of the etching residue, plasma diagnostics were conducted via optical emission spectroscopy and Langmuir probe measurements. It was found that as the oxygen content of the plasma increased, the thickness of the fluorocarbon (FC) polymer layer formed on the sidewalls of the nanopatterns decreased with a reduction in the FC polymer deposition rate of the plasma. In addition, at higher aspect ratios, the FC polymer layer showed a lower fluorine content.

A novel strategy for the low-cost, high-yield co-production of xylose and xylooligosaccharides together with no xylose inhibition was developed using a novel heterologous expression of XYN10Ks_480 endo-1,4-β-xylanase with a ricin-type β-trefoil type of domain and XYN11Ks_480 endo-1,4-β-xylanase with a CBM 2 superfamily from the Kitasatospora sp in an actinomycetes expression system. Xylose is the main building block for hemicellulose xylan. Our findings demonstrated high levels of expression and catalytic activity for XYN10Ks_480 during hydrolysis of the extracted xylan of bagasse, and three types of xylan-based substrates were used to produce xylose and xylooligosaccharides. However, hydrolysis by XYN11Ks_480 produced xylooligosaccharides without xylose formation. This study demonstrated how integrating sodium hypochlorite-extracted xylan and enzymatic hydrolysis could provide an alternative strategy for the generation of XOS from lignocellulosic material.

Sclerotinia homoeocarpa isolates were collected from golf courses in Japan and the United States (2016–2017). Japan isolates were collected during a monitoring study and the U.S. isolates were collected due to field failure. Five succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI) active ingredients (boscalid, fluopyram, fluxapyroxad, isofetamid, and penthiopyrad) were examined using in vitro sensitivity assays to determine cross-resistance. Sequence analysis revealed a point mutation leading to an amino acid substitution (H267Y) and a silent mutation (CTT to CTC) at codon 181 in the SdhB subunit gene. Isolates with the B-H267Y (n = 10) mutation were resistant to boscalid and penthiopyrad and had increased sensitivity to fluopyram. SdhB silent mutation 181C>T isolates (n = 2) were resistant to boscalid, isofetamid, and penthiopyrad. Sequence analysis revealed 3 mutations leading to an amino acid substitution (G91R, n = 5; G150R, n = 1; G159W, n = 1) in the SdhC subunit gene. Isolates harboring the SdhC (G91R or G150R) mutations were resistant to boscalid, fluxapyroxad, isofetamid, and penthiopyrad. A genetic transformation system was used to generate mutants from a SDHI sensitive isolate to confirm the B-H267Y and C-G91R mutations were direct determinants of SDHI resistance and associated with in vitro sensitivity assay results.

Metastasis is responsible for the great majority of deaths in cancer patients. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have critical functions in cancer metastasis. Especially, MMP-2 and MMP-9 play a major role in tumor-cell migration and invasion. Therefore, to first find out the inhibitory effect of eupatilin on expression of MMPs in SNU182 cells, we used quantitative real-rime PCR to measure MMP-2 and MMP-9 mRNA levels. Eupatilin suppressed transcription of MMP-2 in SNU182 cells more than did the corresponding controls. Also, eupatilin significantly blocked tube formation when treated with a concentration of 3.125 or 6.25 μg/mL on human umbilical vein vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). Eupatilin induced significant anti-angiogenic potential associated with down-regulation of hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and phosphorylated Akt expression. Thus, tube-formation inhibition and MMP-2-mediated migration are likely to be important therapeutic targets of eupatilin in hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) require both high efficiency and good long-term stability if they are to be commercialized. It is crucial to finely optimize the energy level matching between the perovskites and hole-transporting materials to achieve better performance. Here, we synthesize a fluorene-terminated hole-transporting material with a fine-tuned energy level and a high glass transition temperature to ensure highly efficient and thermally stable PSCs. We use this material to fabricate photovoltaic devices with 23.2% efficiency (under reverse scanning) with a steady-state efficiency of 22.85% for small-area (~0.094 cm2) cells and 21.7% efficiency (under reverse scanning) for large-area (~1 cm2) cells. We also achieve certified efficiencies of 22.6% (small-area cells, ~0.094 cm2) and 20.9% (large-area, ~1 cm2). The resultant device shows better thermal stability than the device with spiro-OMeTAD, maintaining almost 95% of its initial performance for more than 500 h after thermal annealing at 60 °C. Interfacial losses between device layers play a key role in determining characteristics of solar cells. Jeon et al. address this in perovskite solar cells by synthesizing a hole-transporting layer that is better matched to the surrounding layers, and show high-efficiency and high-stability devices.

Simple but exceptionally efficient 4-diphenylaminocarbazole host material, 4-DPACz, is presented and compared with its positional isomer, 1-DPACz. The shift of diphenylamino substituent from the 1-position to 4-position of carbazole resulted in an increase in the HOMO energy level as well as an increase in triplet energy level. Having a high triplet energy level (2.76 eV) and well-matched HOMO energy level (−5.61 eV), 4-DPACz showed reduced driving voltage and higher efficiencies for solution-processed green PhOLEDs compated to PVK as well as 1-DPACz. Maximum luminous, power, and external quantum efficiencies reaching to 47.9 cd A–1, 25.2 lm W–1, and 14.3%, respectively, were achieved with a device configuration of [ITO/PEDOT:PSS/4-DPACz:Ir(mppy)3/TPBi/CsF/Al]. Additional enhancement of efficiencies of 4-DPACz was verified when incorporating another dopant, Ir(Si-bppy)2(acac), resulting in 59.1 cd A–1, 29.5 lm W–1, and 15.8%. Furthermore, reduced efficiency roll-off was clearly observed for 4-DPACz compar...

Plants in the genus Acer include medicinal plants and deciduous tree species in which several bioactive compounds have been isolated. In this study, flavonoids were isolated from the aerial parts of Acer okamotoanum by open column chromatography and identified by spectroscopic analysis as afzelin, quercitrin, and isoquercitrin. Among these flavonoids, quercitrin and isoquercitrin exhibited potent aldose reductase inhibitory activity (IC50 value of 0.40 and 0.63 μM, respectively). Almost all studied tissues of Acer spp. contained high amounts of quercitrin. The leaf of A. mono had the highest amount of quercitrin (61.90 μg g−1). Our results demonstrated that Acer species contain high concentrations of flavonoids with promising aldose reductase inhibitory activity that could be utilized to develop novel therapeutics for diabetic disorders.

The objective of this study was to investigate the protective effect of esculetin against ethanol-induced liver injury in both HepG2 cells and mice. Treatment with esculetin significantly prevented ethanol-induced cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells by reducing the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). This protective effect was likely associated with antioxidant potential of esculetin, as evidenced by the attenuation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) production and restoration of the depleted glutathione (GSH) levels in ethanol-induced HepG2 cells. Esculetin also dramatically increased the nuclear translocation of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and antioxidant response element (ARE) reporter gene activity, which led to the upregulation of ARE-responsive enzymes. In animal studies, esculetin markedly prevented ethanol-induced liver injury by reducing GSH depletion, MDA production, and the lipid contents in liver. Moreover, esculetin lowered the levels of serum ALT, serum AST, and the content of serum lipids.

This study was conducted to optimize the extraction conditions of flavonoids from Cirsium japonicum var. maackii (ICF-1). The effects of sample material ratio, solvent concentration, extraction time, solid-to-solvent ratio, and number of extractions on flavonoid extraction efficiency were analyzed. Three flavonoids were specifically investigated: cirsimarin (1), hispidulin (2), and cirsimaritin (3). In single-factor experiments, each variable had a significant effect on the determination of content of compounds 1–3. The optimal conditions for extraction were found to be: mass, 15 g; ratio of spring and fall leaves, 4:1; extraction solvent, 70% ethanol; extraction time, 4 h; solid-to-solvent ratio, 1:20; and number of extractions, 1. The results of the study were used to maximize the potential of ICF-1 samples and optimize the efficiency of the extraction process.

The therapeutic activities of flavonoids from natural plant sources were investigated. The ethanol extracts from the aerial parts of Cirsium japonicum var. maackii (CJM) were tested for aldose reductase inhibition (ARI). Additionally, stepwise polarity fractions and flavonoids from CJM were evaluated for ARI. The ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction from CJM showed significant inhibitory effects. The compounds in the EtOAc fraction were identified as the flavonoids-cirsimaritin (1), hispidulin (2), and cirsimarin (3). Based on an ARI assay, the EtOAc fraction and hispidulin (2) exhibited good AR inhibitory activity (IC50 values of 0.21 μg/mL and 0.77 μM, respectively). An HPLC quantitative analysis of different parts of CJM showed that the aerial part collected in the spring season (CJL1) contains the highest total flavonoid content. These results serve as a basis for maximizing the flavonoid yield and for the efficient usage of various parts of CJM. Our results also suggest that CJM could be a useful ARI material for the treatment of various diabetic complications.

We studied the effect of ethyl acetate (EA) fraction from Acer okamotoanum on cognitive improvement and protective abilities in amyloid beta (Aβ)25–35 peptide-injected Alzheimer’s disease (AD) mice. EA was oral administration at 100 and 200 mg/kg/day during the 14 days. We studied the protective effect of EA against AD on the basis of behavioral tests including T-maze test, Novel object recognition test, and Morris water maze test. Control group injected with Aβ25–35 showed significant impairments in memory function. But the oral administration of EA (EA 100 and EA 200 groups) improved the cognition and memory function. In addition, EA against Aβ25–35 peptide has been shown to inhibit lipid peroxidation levels and nitric oxide production in tissues. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was elevated in the brain by Aβ25–35 peptide, whereas administration of EA (EA 100 and EA 200 groups) significantly decreased AChE level. Our results indicated that EA improves learning and long-term memory against Aβ25–35 peptide–caused deficit through attenuation of oxidative stress.

Lindera obtusiloba has been used in traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of blood stasis and inflammation. The leaves of Lindera obtusiloba have been reported to exhibit various physiological activities. However, there is little information available on their antiplatelet and antithrombotic activities. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of Lindera obtusiloba leaf extract (LLE) on platelet activities, coagulation and thromboembolism. In a platelet aggregation study, LLE significantly inhibited various agonist-induced platelet aggregations in vitro and ex vivo. Furthermore, LLE significantly inhibited collagen-induced thromboxane A2 (TXA2) production in rat platelets. In addition, oral administration of LLE was protective in a mouse model of pulmonary thromboembolism induced by intravenous injection of a mixture of collagen and epinephrine. Interestingly, LLE did not significantly alter prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). This study indicates that the antithrombotic effects of LLE might be due to its antiplatelet activities rather than anticoagulation. Taken together, these results suggest that LLE may be a candidate preventive and therapeutic agent in cardiovascular diseases associated with platelet hyperactivity.

A single layer of the bifunctional molecule 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane is shown to be remarkably effective at improving the stability of optically thin silver film electrodes towards spontaneous morphological change and oxidation by airborne sulfur. Inclusion of this layer in the novel transparent electrode; WO3 (30 nm) / silver (13 nm) / sol-gel ZnO (27 nm), at the silver / ZnO interface improves the efficiency of organic photovoltaic devices using this electrode by 20%, such that the power conversion efficiency is very close to that achievable using a conventional indium-tin oxide glass electrode; 9.6 % ± 0.2 % vs 10.0 % ± 0.3 %, with the advantage that the silver electrode has a sheet resistance one third that of the ITO glass (4 Ohms sq-1). The mercaptosilane monolayer is also shown to retard silver diffusion into the ZnO layer whilst imparting a favorable 400 meV reduction in electrode work function. In addition to its utility inside the device, this molecular layer is shown to be useful for improving the stability of the silver film electrodes in top-illuminated semi-transparent photovoltaics, since it can be deposited directly onto a completed device from the vapor phase.

Curcumin is a polyphenol compound derived from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa that exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antimicrobial properties. However, its low solubility in aqueous solutions, low absorption following oral administration, and rapid degradation limit its use as a functional food material. In this study, a hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-based solid dispersion of curcumin (DW-CUR 20) was prepared and its bioavailability was evaluated. In addition, its therapeutic efficacy as a hepatoprotective agent was investigated using the model of tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced hepatocyte damage. The rat plasma pharmacokinetic study showed that the oral curcumin bioavailability of DW-CUR 20 significantly increased compared to that of non-formulated curcumin. DW-CUR 20 showed a concentration-dependent hepatocyte protective effect on t-BHP-induced HepG2 cells. DW-CUR 20 inhibited the release of lactate dehydrogenase and decreased apoptosis-related proteins such as Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, cleaved caspase-7 and cleaved caspase-8 on t-BHP-treated HepG2 cells. These findings suggest that DW-CUR 20 could be a promising formulation for enhancing the therapeutic efficiency of curcumin and for improving the safety.

Gami-soyosan is a medicinal herbal formulation prescribed for the treatment of menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes and osteoporosis. Gami-soyosan is also used to treat similar symptoms experienced by patients with breast cancer. The incidence of breast cancer in women receiving hormone replacement therapy is a big burden. However, little is known about the components and their mechanism of action that exhibit these beneficial effects of Gami-soyosan. The aim of this study was to simultaneously analyze compounds of Gami-soyosan, and determine their cytotoxic effects on estrogen receptor (ER)-positive MCF-7 human breast adenocarcinoma cells. We established a simultaneous analysis method of 18 compounds contained in Gami-soyosan and found that, among the various compounds in Gami-soyosan, gallic acid (1), decursin (17), and decursinol angelate (18) suppressed the viability of MCF-7 cells. Gallic acid (1), decursin (17), and decursinol angelate (18) induced apoptotic cell death and significantly increased poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage and the Bcl-2-associated X protein/ B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bax/Bcl-2) ratio. Decursin (17) increased the expression of cleaved caspases-8, -9, -7, and -3. Decursinol angelate (18) increased the expression of cleaved caspase-8 and -7. These three components altered the different apoptosis signal pathways. Collectively, gallic acid (1), decursin (17), and decursinol angelate (18) may be used to inhibit cell proliferation synergistically in patients with ER-positive breast cancer.

Slab-like copper films with a thickness of 9 nm (∼70 atoms) and sheet resistance of ≤9 Ω sq−1 are shown to exhibit remarkable long-term stability toward air-oxidation when passivated with an 0. 8 nm aluminium layer deposited by simple thermal evaporation. The sheet resistance of 9 nm Cu films passivated in this way, and lithographically patterned with a dense array of ∼6 million apertures per cm2, increases by

In this study, we aimed to investigate the protective effect of three kinds of vegetable oils with different fatty acid compositions against cognitive impairment in an Alzheimer's disease (AD) mouse model. After intracerebroventricular injection of amyloid beta25–35 (Aβ25–35) into the brain of institute of cancer research mice, olive oil (rich in oleic acid, C18:1), corn oil (rich in linoleic acid, C18:2), and perilla oil (rich in α-linolenic acid [ALA], C18:3) were administered at the oral dose of 500 mg/kg/day for 14 days. The results revealed that Aβ25–35 induced learning and memory dysfunction according to the T-maze, novel object recognition, and Morris water maze tests. Among the three vegetable oils, however, the perilla oil group of mice showed marked attenuation of cognitive impairment, that is, a greater number of explorations on a new route/object than on an old route/object in the T-maze and novel object recognition tests. In the Morris water maze test, perilla oil decreased the time ...

We investigated the protective activities of quercetin (Q) and quercetin-3-β-d-glucoside (Q3G) under Aβ25–35-injected Alzheimer’s disease (AD) model mice. To induce an AD-like disease in an in vivo model, mice were injected with Aβ25–35 via the intracerebroventricular route. Q and Q3G were administered orally for 14 days at 30 mg/kg/day. Learning and memory functions were evaluated using behavioral experiments that comprise tests like T-maze, Morris water maze, and novel object recognition. The administration of Q and Q3G improved memory and cognitive function, compared with Aβ25–35-injected control mice in the T-maze and object recognition test. Q and Q3G administration decreased time in order to get to the platform during the Morris water maze test. The group administered Q experienced higher protective effects from long-term spatial memory and learning ability impairments than the group administered Q3G. Furthermore, lipid peroxidation and NO formation in the brain were significantly elevated in Aβ25–35-injected control mice, and this was inhibited by Q and Q3G. These results demonstrated that Q and Q3G improved Aβ25–35-induced memory deficits and cognitive impairment and promoted protection in the brain against oxidative stress.

Pectolinarin was isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of Cirsium setidens using open column chromatography and was analyzed using spectrometry. Pectolinarin content in Cirsium spp. was determined using HPLC/UV. Pectolinarin content in the aerial part of Cirsium spp. was higher than that in the root and pappus. Pectolinarin content was highest in the aerial part of C. chlorolepis (110.65mg/g extract). Consequently, the aerial part of C. chlorolepis has potential for use in new natural medicinal products, health supplements, and beverages.

Neurodegenerative diseases are often associated with oxidative damage in neuronal cells. This study was conducted to investigate the neuro-protective effect of methanolic (MeOH) extract of Perilla frutescens var. japonica and its one of the major compounds, rosmarinic acid, under oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in C6 glial cells. Exposure of C6 glial cells to H2O2 enhanced oxidative damage as measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance assays. The MeOH extract and rosmarinic acid prevented oxidative stress by increasing cell viability and inhibiting cellular lipid peroxidation. In addition, the MeOH extract and rosmarinic acid reduced H2O2-induced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) at the transcriptional level. Moreover, iNOS and COX-2 protein expression was down-regulated in H2O2-indcued C6 glial cells treated with the MeOH extract and rosmarinic acid. These findings suggest that P. frutescens var. japonica and rosmarinic acid could prevent the progression of neurodegenerative diseases through attenuation of neuronal oxidative stress.

Naturally occurring antioxidants, such as polyphenols are widely found in fruits, vegetables, wines, juices, andother plant-based dietary sources and are divided into several sub classes, including phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, stilbenoids, and lignans. As part of the our ongoing search for bioactive food ingredients, the antioxidant and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) formation inhibitory activities of the methanolic extract of the aerial parts of Cirsium setidens were investigated in vitro bioassay system. The antioxidant properties were evaluated through radical scavenging assays using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS+) radicals. In addition, the activity of C. setidens against diabetes complications was also tested via AGEs formation inhibition assay. The total phenolic contents were determined using a UV-VIS spectrophotometric method. All tested samples showed a dose-dependent radical scavenging and AGEs inhibitory activities. In particular, the n-butanol (BuOH)-soluble portion showed the most potent radical scavenging activities against DPPH and ABTS+ radicals with IC50 values of 24.3±1.7 and 25.0±3.3 μg/mL, respectively. Futhermore, the inhibition of AGEs formation by the n-BuOH-soluble portion (IC50 value; 46.0±1.5 μg/mL) was higher than that those of the soluble portions for the other solvent. The results showed that C. setidens could be considered as an effective source of natural antioxidants and other ingredients.

Organic photovoltaic Cells (OPVs) have been considered to be a next-generation energy source to overcome exhaustion of resources. Currently, OPVs are developed based on two types of donor material with polymer and small molecule. Polymeric donor materials have shown better power conversion efficiency (PCE) than small molecular donor materials, since it's easy to control the morphology of photoactive film. However, the difficulty in synthetic reproducibility and purification of polymeric donor were main drawback to overcome. And then, recently small molecule donor materials have been overcome bad morphology of OPVs film by using appropriate alkyl substituents and relatively long conjugation system. In this study, we designed and synthesized D-A-D-A-D type small molecular donor materials containing alternatively linked benzodithiophene (BDT) and diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) units. Also, we studied on the effect of photovoltaic performance of prepared small molecular D-A-D-A-D type donor with variation of thiophene links and with/without hexyl substituent. Our small molecular donors showed HOMO energy levels from -5.26 to -5.34 eV and optical bandgaps from 1.70 to 1.87 eV by CV (cyclic voltammetry) and UV/Vis spectroscopy, respectively. Finally, 3.4% of PCE can be obtained using a mixture of BDT(DPP)2-T2 and PCBM as an active layer with a Voc of 0.78 V, a Jsc of 9.72 mA/cm2, and a fill factor of 0.44 under 100 mW/cm2 AM 1.5G simulated light. We will discuss the performance of D-A-D-A-D type small molecular donor based OPVs with variation of both terminal substituents.

This study was conducted to investigate the purification methods for high-yield of α-linolenic acid (ALA) from Perilla frutescens var. japonica oil (PO). PO was treated with 2 g of urea, cooled for 24 h, and 81.75 % of ALA was obtained after gas chromatography–flame ionization detector analysis. Urea complexation at low temperature (refrigeration) is a prospective method for the extraction of unsaturated fatty acids in high yields. Our results suggest that urea treatment with cooling at 10 °C could be used for purification of ALA from PO. It will be enhanced for the development of nutritional, medical, and cosmetic value.

A coupling interaction between localised surface plasmon resonance of metal nanoparticles (NPs) and emitting materials has been shown to improve the internal quantum efficiency in organic light-emitting diodes. In this research, Ag NPs were introduced into blue polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs), which suffer from low efficiency. Ag NPs were attached to the indium tin oxide (ITO) surface through a ligand-exchange process, which guarantees well-dispersed Ag NPs, to maximise resonant coupling and to prevent optical and electrical side effects. Mercaptoacid molecules not only function as a coupling agent between ITO and Ag NPs, but also aid the transfer of holes by increasing the work function of ITO, as confirmed by tests on hole-only devices and by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. Maximum current efficiencies of blue PLEDs improved by 25% with thioglycolic acid (TGA) only and by 48% with 0.302 nM Ag NPs attached to TGA. We confirmed from time-resolved photoluminescence spectra and normalised electroluminescence spectra that the enhancement mechanism is the resonant interaction between Ag NPs and the blue light-emitting polymer, SPB-02T.

A series of novel carbazole-based materials, DPACz1 , DPACz2 and DPACz3 having diphenylamino moieties at 1- and 8-positions of carbazole have been synthesized and characterized for the first time. The introduction of diphenylamino substituents at 1- or 1,8-positions of carbazole resulted into increase of the band-gap compared with the previously reported 3,6- or 2,7-substituted ones. The HOMO levels increased from DPACz1 to DPACz2 with the addition of one additional diphenylamino unit, and further increased in case of DPACz3 , a dimer of DPACz1 having a benzidine moiety. The materials have high triplet energy levels of 2.68, 2.60 and 2.45 eV, respectively. Based on suitable HOMO levels and high triplet energies, the newly synthesized diphenylaminocabazoles were investigated for their potential as solution-processable host materials for green phosphorescent OLEDs with the device configuration, [ITO/PEDOT:PSS/Emitting layer/TPBi/CsF/Al]. All the devices emitted typical green light with high luminance and had low turn-on voltages along with good luminous efficiencies which were further improved by adjusting charge balance using PBD, as a co-host. The basic characteristics and the preliminary OLED results showed the usefulness of our new materials, and this kind of 1-/1,8-substitution of carbazole would open a new way of materials design.

Background Panax ginseng has been used as Korean medicine for various diseases. It has antioxidant, hypotensive, sedative, analgesic, and endocrine activities. Dammarane-type triterpenes from the plant have various beneficial effects. Methods A dammarane-type triterpene saponin was isolated from P. ginseng root through chromatography such as repeated column chromatography and medium pressure liquid chromatography. Results and conclusion New dammarane-type triterpene saponin was isolated for the first time from nature. The structure was elucidated as ginsenoside Rg12 ( 1 ) based on spectral data. There may be good materials from P. ginseng for the development of industrial applications such as nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and cosmeceutical purposes.

Phytochemical constituents were isolated from Sedum sarmentosum leaves using open column chromatography and medium-pressure liquid chromatography. Their structures were identified as 2,4-pyrimidinedione (1), N-methylhydroxylamine (2), 5H-purin-6-amine (3), uridine (4), l-tyrosine (5), and l-prolyl-l-tyrosine (6) using mass spectrometry and 1H- and 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic analysis. Among them, compound 3 (5H-purin-6-amine) was isolated for the first time from a natural source.

In this work, modified-release solid dosage forms were fabricated by adjusting geometrical properties of solid dosage forms through hot-melt 3D extrusion (3D HME). Using a 3D printer with air pressure driving HME system, solid dosage forms containing ibuprofen (IBF), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), and polyethylene glycol (PEG) were printed by simultaneous HME and 3D deposition. Printed solid dosage forms were evaluated for their physicochemical properties, dissolution rates, and floatable behavior. Results revealed that IBF content in the solid dosage form could be individualized by adjusting the volume of solid dosage form. IBF was dispersed as amorphous state with enhanced solubility and dissolution rate in a polymer solid dosage form matrix. Due to absence of a disintegrant, sustained release of IBF from printed solid dosage forms was observed in phosphate buffer at pH 6.8. The dissolution rate of IBF was dependent on geometric properties of the solid dosage form. The dissolution rate of IBF could be modified by merging two different geometries into one solid dosage form. In this study, the 3D HME process showed high reproducibility and accuracy for preparing dosage forms. API dosage and release profile were found to be customizable by modifying or combining 3D modeling.

Dithieno[3,2-b:2',3'-d]thiophene (DTT) has emerged as an important building block in the synthesis of a wide variety of optoelectronic materials. Two new DTT containing conjugated polymers, poly(dithieno[3,2-b:2',3'-d]thiophenevinylene-alt-9,9-diethylhexyl-2,7-fluorenediyl vinylene) (FLU-DTT) and poly(dithieno[3,2-b:2',3'-d]thiophenevinylene-alt-2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-p-phenylenevinylene) (MEH-DTT), were designed and synthesized. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of FLU-DTT and MEH-DTT in film exhibit maximum emission peaks at 538 and 602 nm, respectively. The MEH-DTT polymer film showed far more red-shifted maximum electroluminescene (EL) emission at 650 nm. The photovoltaic device was also fabricated using MEH-DTT and PC71BM as active layer and it showed power conversion efficiency (PCE) for the polymer solar cell (PSC) as 0.59% under AM 1.5 G (100 mW/cm2) conditions.

The addition of enzymes that are capable of degrading hemicellulose has a potential to reduce the need for commercial enzymes during biomass hydrolysis in the production of fermentable sugars. In this study, a high xylanase producing actinomycete strain (Kitasatospora sp. ID06-480) and the first ethyl ferulate producing actinomycete strain (Nonomuraea sp. ID06-094) were selected from 797 rare actinomycetes, respectively, which were isolated in Indonesia. The addition (30%, v/v) of a crude enzyme supernatant from the selected strains in sugarcane bagasse hydrolysis with low-level loading (1 FPU/g-biomass) of Cellic® CTec2 enhanced both the released amount of glucose and reducing sugars. When the reaction with Ctec2 was combined with crude enzymes containing either xylanase or feruloyl esterase, high conversion yield of glucose from cellulose at 60.5% could be achieved after 72 h-saccharification. Xylanase and feruloyl esterase produced by actinomycetes that cotanined in culture supernatants could enhance sugarcane bagasse hydrolysis with low loading commercial CTec2 enzyme.

The present study aimed to quantify the content of trans-cinnamic acid (CA) in Cinnamomum japonicum, C. loureirii, and C. camphora and the commercial application of CA using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A C18 column was used, with water/methanol as the mobile phase gradient. The highest content of CA was observed in the bark of C. loureirii (16.97 mg/g) and cinnamon powder A (47.60 mg/g). The lowest content of CA was observed in leaf and heartwood of C. japonicum (0.10 and 0.10 mg/g, respectively) and cinnamon powder C (22.87 mg/g). This result could be utilized as a guideline for the analysis of the commercial applications of Cinnamomum.

Nonthermal plasma is a promising technology to improve the safety and to extend the shelf-life of various minimally processed foods. However, research on plasma-induced systemic degradation related to changes in chemical structure and biological activity is still very limited. In this study, the enhancement of biological activity and the mechanism of degradation of the most common type of flavonol, quercetin, induced by a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma were investigated. Quercetin is dissolved in methanol and exposed to nonthermal DBD plasma for 5, 10, 20, and 30 min. The quercetin treated with the plasma for 20 min showed rapidly increased α-glucosidase inhibitory and radical scavenging activities compared to those of parent quercetin. The structures of the degradation products 1-3 from the quercetin treated with the plasma for 20 min were isolated and characterized by interpretation of their spectroscopic data. Among the generated products, (±)-alphitonin (1) exhibited significantly improved antidiabetic and antioxidant properties compared to those of the parent quercetin. The antidiabetic and antioxidant properties were measured by α-glucosidase inhibition and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assays. These results suggested that structural changes in quercetin induced by DBD plasma might be attributable to improving the biological activity.

In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects and mechanisms of cirsimaritin isolated from an ethanol extract of the aerial parts of Cirsium japonicum var. maackii Maxim. using RAW264.7 cells. The extract and its flavonoid cirsimaritin inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in RAW264.7 cells. Cirsimaritin inhibited interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and NO production in a concentration-dependent manner in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. From a western blot study, pretreatment with cirsimaritin inhibited phosphorylation/degradation of IκBα and phosphorylation of Akt in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Moreover, cirsimaritin suppressed activation of LPS-induced transcription factors, such as c-fos and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), in RAW264.7 cells. Collectively, these results show that cirsimaritin possesses anti-inflammatory activity, which is regulated by inhibition of c-fos and STAT3 phosphorylation in RAW264.7 cells.

Ramie (Boehmeria nivea) is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the family Urticaceae. It was used in folk remedies for diuretic or anti-pyretic purposes and as an hepatoprotective, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammation agent. In this study, we investigated the composition of free sugars, amino acids, fatty acids, organic acids, and total polyphenol contents in parts of ramie (root, stem, and leaf) and different harvest areas (10 areas). Overall, free sugars were found as sucrose, glucose, fructose, and galactose at concentrations ranging from 24.5 to 1173.8 mg/g. Amino acids lysine, threonine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, and histidine were detected at concentrations of 33.8 to 3735.3 mg/g. Major fatty acids were linoleic acid, palmitic acid, and linolenic acid at concentrations of 7.3 to 364.4 mg/g. In organic acids, the concentration of malic acid was highest of all with 672.2 mg/g. The content of free sugars, amino acids, fatty acids, organic acids, and total polyphenol was higher in leaves than in roots and stems. In contrast, the total polyphenol content was higher in roots with 33.7 - 219.4 mg/g than in leaves or in stems. As seen in collecting region, the contents of free sugars, amino acids, fatty acids, organic acids, and total polyphenol of Bn-33, 39, 55, 65, and 90 were higher than other samples. Chemical compositions of different parts of ramie are important factors to consider in manufacturing functional foods. The results of this study provide fundamental information on the chemical compositions of ramie parts and would help develop new functional foods from ramie leaves or the whole plant.

Two novel thieno[3,4-b]pyrazine-based copolymers of the donor-acceptor type, poly[4,8-bis(2-ethylhexyloxy)benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b’]dithiophene-alt-5,7-(2,3-bis-(4-octyl-oxy-phenyl)-thieno[3,4-b]pyrazine)] (P1) and poly[4,8-bis(5-((2-ethylhexylthiophene)-2-yl))benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b’]dithiophene-alt-5,7-(2,3-bis-(4-octyloxy-phenyl)-thieno[3,4-b]pyrazine)] (P2), designed and synthesized by Stille polymerization for use in polymer solar cells. The synthesis, thermal stability, as well as the optical and photovoltaic properties of these polymers are systematically investigated. The polymers were thermally stable up to 290°C, and readily soluble in common organic solvent. Conventional polymer solar cells (PSCs) with the configuration ITO/PEDOT:PSS/polymer:PC71BM/Ca/Al are fabricated. Under optimized conditions, the polymers display power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) for the PSCs in the range 0.28–1.46% under AM 1.5 illumination. Among the studied thienopyrazine-based copolymers, P2 displays a PCE of 1.46% with a short ...

The performance of solution processed bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs) has been remarkably improved during the past two decades. Most of BHJ OPVs were produced using polymeric donor materials, since the polymeric donor materials can provide the advantage of easily tailoring the morphology of photoactive films of BHJ OPVs. However, the difficulty in synthetic reproducibility and purification of polymeric donor was main drawback to overcome. In this study, we designed and synthesized A-D-A type small molecular donor materials (BDT(IId)2) containing alternatively linked benzodithiophene (BDT) and Isoindigo units. Also, we investigated the effects of the substituent and alkyl chains of on the efficiency of OPVs. Finally, 2.46% of power conversion efficiency (PCE) can be obtained using a mixture of synthesized small molecular donor and PCBM as an active layer with a Voc of 0.99 V, a Jsc of 6.82 mA/cm2, and a fill factor of 0.36.

Thermal transformation of the (+)-catechin (1) with heating processing afforded a new oxidation product, gambiriin D (2), along with catechin [6'-8]-catechin (3), and (+)-epicatechin (4). The structure of a new catechin dimer with C-C linkage was determined on the basis of spectroscopic data interpretation. The catechin dimers 2 and 3 exhibited significantly improved inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase, with IC50 values of 0.16±0.2 and 0.14±0.2μM, respectively, when compared to parent (+)-catechin. Kinetic analysis showed that the two effective compounds 2 and 3 have noncompetitive modes of action.

A set of three N,N-di-p-methoxyphenylamine-substituted pyrene derivatives have successfully been synthesized and characterized by (1)H/(13)C NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis. The optical and electronic structures of the pyrene derivatives were adjusted by controlling the ratio of N,N-di-p-methoxyphenylamine to pyrene, and investigated by UV/vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The pyrene derivatives were employed as hole-transporting materials (HTMs) in fabricating mesoporous TiO2/CH3NH3PbI3/HTMs/Au solar cells. The pyrene-based derivative Py-C exhibited a short-circuit current density of 20.2 mA/cm(2), an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.886 V, and a fill factor of 69.4% under an illumination of 1 sun (100 mW/cm(2)), resulting in an overall power conversion efficiency of 12.4%. The performance is comparable to that of the well-studied spiro-OMeTAD, even though the Voc is slightly lower. Thus, this newly synthesized pyrene derivative holds promise as a HTM for highly efficient perovskite-based solar cells.

A series of quinoxaline (Qx)-based copolymers, poly[2,7-(9,9-bis(2-ethylhexyl)dibenzosilole)-alt-5,5-(5′,8′-di-2-thienyl-2,3-bis(4-octyloxyl)phenyl)quinoxaline] (P1), poly[4,8-bis(2-ethylhexyloxy)benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-alt-5,5-(5′,8′-di-2-thienyl-2,3-bis(4-octyloxyl)phenyl)quinoxaline] (P2), and poly[4,4′-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-dithieno[3,2-b:2′,3′-d]silole-alt-5,5-(5′,8′-di-2-thienyl-2,3-bis(4-octyloxyl)phenyl)quinoxaline] (P3), were synthesized and characterized for use in polymer solar cells (PSCs). We describe the effects of the various donor segments on the optical, electrochemical, field-effect carrier mobilities, and photovoltaic characteristics of the resulting Qx-based copolymers. The results indicated that the donor units in the copolymers significantly influenced the band gap, electronic energy levels, carrier mobilities, and photovoltaic properties of the copolymers. The band gaps of the copolymers were 1.71–2.03 eV. Under optimized conditions, the Qx-based polymers showed power conversion efficiencies for the PSCs of 0.87–2.15% under AM 1.5 illumination (100 mW/cm2). Among the studied Qx-based copolymers, P2, which contained a benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene unit, showed a power conversion efficiency of 2.15% with a short circuit current of 7.06 mA/cm2, an open-circuit voltage of 0.67 V, and a fill factor of 0.46, under AM 1.5 illumination (100 mW/cm2).

Development of new materials for solution-processable organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) has been gaining much attention recently. Although many results have been reported about new OLED materials, most of them are aiming for vacuum-deposition. The OLED materials developed for vacuum-deposition cannot be easily applied to solution processing due to their limited solubility and processability. We therefore designed and synthesized two kinds of iridium complexes, Ir(Si-bppy) 2 (acac) and Ir(bppy) 2 (acac), with similar chemical structures but with or without silyl substitution. From the optical and electrochemical characterization, Ir(Si-bppy) 2 (acac) showed an emission maximum at 537 nm ( E T1 = 2.33 eV) and HOMO energy level of −5.13 eV, while Ir(bppy) 2 (acac) showed an emission maximum at 531 nm ( E T1 = 2.31 eV) and HOMO energy level of −5.14 eV. While the optical and electrochemical properties are almost the same, we found out that OLED device performance can differ pretty fair. The emitting layer of our OLEDs consists of PVK, TPD, PBD and the iridium complexes. With the configuration of [ITO/PEDOT:PSS/emitting layer/CsF/Al], the maximum current efficiency of Ir(Si-bppy) 2 (acac) reached 24.5 cd/A, while that of Ir(bppy) 2 (acac) was 18.0 cd/A. This enhancement is attributed to the existence of the trimethylsilyl substituents at the pyridine ring of the ligand, which increased solubility and processability of the compounds, and reduced intermolecular interaction.

After the success of commercialization of the vacuum-evaporated organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), solutionprocessing or printing of OLEDs are currently attracting much research interests. However, contrary to various kinds of readily available vacuum-evaporable OLED materials, the solution-processable OLED materials are still relatively rare. Hole-transporting layer (HTL) materials for solution-processed OLEDs are especially limited, because they need additional characteristics such as cross-linking to realize multilayer structures in solution-processed OLEDs, as well as their own electrically hole-transporting characteristics. The presence of such cross-linking characteristics of solutionprocessable HTL materials therefore makes them more challenging in the development stage, and also makes them essence of solution-processable OLED materials. In this work, the structure-property relationships of thermally crosslinkable HTL materials were systematically investigated by changing styrene-based cross-linking functionalities and modifying the carbazole-based hole-transporting core structures. The temperature dependency of the cross-linking characteristics of the HTL materials was systematically investigated by the UV-vis. absorption spectroscopy. The new HTL materials were also applied to green phosphorescent OLEDs, and their device characteristics were also investigated based on the chemical structures of the HTL materials. The device configuration was [ITO / PEDOT:PSS / HTL / EML / ETL / CsF / Al]. We found out that the chemical structures of the cross-linking functionalities greatly affect not only the cross-linking characteristics of the resultant HTL materials, but also the resultant OLED device characteristics. The increase of the maximum luminance and efficiency of OLEDs was evident as the cross-linking temperature decreases from higher than 200°C to at around 150°C.

The increasing global prevalence of obesity and its associated disorders points to an urgent need for the development of novel and effective therapeutic strategies that induce healthy weight loss. Obesity is characterized by hyperleptinemia and central leptin resistance. In an attempt to identify compounds that could reverse leptin resistance and thus promote weight loss, we analyzed a library of small molecules that have mRNA expression profiles similar to that of celastrol, a naturally occurring compound that we previously identified as a leptin sensitizer. Through this process, we identified another naturally occurring compound, withaferin A, that also acts as a leptin sensitizer. We found that withaferin-A treatment of mice with diet-induced obesity (DIO) resulted in a 20-25% reduction of body weight, while also decreasing obesity-associated abnormalities, including hepatic steatosis. Withaferin-A treatment marginally affected the body weight of ob/ob and db/db mice, both of which are deficient in leptin signaling. In addition, withaferin A, unlike celastrol, has beneficial effects on glucose metabolism that occur independently of its leptin-sensitizing effect. Our results show that the metabolic abnormalities of DIO can be mitigated by sensitizing animals to endogenous leptin, and they indicate that withaferin A is a potential leptin sensitizer with additional antidiabetic actions.

Reinforcing transparent electrodes with a nanowire mesh brings solar cells that can wrap around objects one step closer to production. Indium tin oxide (ITO) is a rarity among metal oxide crystals – it is optically transparent and conductive enough to serve as electrodes in flat-panel displays and solar cells. Byeong-Soo Bae from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and co-workers have now discovered how to make ITO into 10-nanometre-thin, flexible electrodes using a resin embedded with metal nanowires. Normally, the high temperatures needed to produce ITO crystals degrade flexible polymer substrates. But the nanowires impart sufficient mechanical strength to keep the electrodes pliant after ITO heat treatment. Depositing perovskite-type crystals onto the electrodes enabled the researchers to fabricate bendable solar cells with power conversion efficiencies of 12-14%.

Here, we demonstrate that chemical reduction of oxide layers on metal nanostructures fuses junctions at nanoscale to improve the opto-electrical performance, and to ensure environmental stability of the interconnected nanonetwork. In addition, the reducing reaction lowers the adhesion force between metal nanostructures and substrates, facilitating the detachment of them from substrates. Detached metal nanonetworks can be easily floated on water and transferred onto various substrates including hydrophobic, floppy, and curved surfaces. Utilizing the detached metal nanostructures, semitransparent organic photovoltaics is fabricated, presenting the applicability of proposed reduction treatment in the device applications.