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It is highly important to design and develop appropriate insoluble anodes for industrial Cu electroplating to lower the amount of organic additives that this process consumes. Conventionally, this rapid consumption of additives (e.g., brighteners, suppressors, or levelers) is known to be due to the active radical species (e.g., OH) formed during oxygen evolution. In this study, we found that trace amounts of chloride ions present in the electroplating bath are the source of the active chlorine species that accelerate the breakdown at the insoluble anode. A sacrificial, perfluorinated polymer coating effectively decreased the emission of active chlorine species from the electrode, thereby lowering the consumption of the brightener. This study reveals that the suppression of chlorine evolution at the anode can be an effective approach for decreasing brightener consumption during Cu electrodeposition.

In this study, we fabricated nanocrystalline CuAg foils with a thickness of 40 µm using an electrodeposition method, and evaluated its structure and properties. Using an appropriate combination of organic additives and a continuous Ag+ supply system, compact and bright nanocrystalline CuAg foils were obtained. The as-deposited CuAg foil consisted of supersaturated CuAg crystals with a mean diameter of ~13 nm, and exhibited high ultimate tensile strength (993 MPa), high electrical conductivity (66.7% IACS), and moderate ductility. With mild annealing at 100 °C, both the strength and the conductivity were improved further (1043 MPa and 68% IACS, respectively), achieving properties comparable to those of the state-of-the-art deformed CuAg of greater thicknesses. Upon annealing at ~200 °C, Ag atoms that segregated at the grain boundary began to precipitate and grow, thereby destabilizing the Cu nanograins. This resulted in grain growth, decreased strength, and increased conductivity.

Numerous reports have elucidated the importance of detecting of NO3− and Ca2+ ions for monitoring their levels to optimize crop growth. Herein, we prepared a reduced graphene oxide aerogel (rGOA) as a promising solid-contact material for manufacturing a highly stable solid contact ion-selective electrode (SC-ISE) for monitoring to NO3− and Ca2+. The rGOA was synthesized through self-assembly of graphene oxide via heat treatment. Cyclic voltammetry and chronopotentilmetry were employed to demonstrate the fast charge transfer and large double layer capacitance of the rGOA layer modified electrode. The sensor comprising rGOA exhibited excellent Nernstian responses (59.1 mV/log [NO3−] and 28.4 mV/log [Ca2+]) and ion detection limits (759 nM for NO3− and 186 nM for Ca2+) due to its outstanding electrical conductivity and large surface area of rGOA. The Ag/AgCl electrode with a polyvinyl butyral (PVB) film was used as the reference electrode. Water layer tests and potentiometry confirmed that the long-term stability of the electrode improved owing to the hydrophobicity of rGOA. Furthermore NO3− and Ca2+ ions were detected in perilla leaf using the proposed ion-selective sensor, which was in agreement with the results of ion chromatography and inductively coupled plasma analyses. Thus, the proposed sensor provides an excellent sensing platform for the detection of inorganic ions in plant sap.

Periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory periodontal disease that develops from gingivitis, is caused by periodontal pathogenic bacteria such as Porphyromonas gingivalis. Recent studies have focused on the antioxidant, anti–human immunodeficiency virus, anticarcinogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties of gomisins. However, the anti-inflammatory activities of gomisin plants through heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signals remain poorly defined. We found that gomisins' anti-inflammatory activity occurs via the induction of HO-1 expression. Gomisins G and J inhibit the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6 and also block nuclear factor-κB activation in Raw264.7 cells stimulated with P. gingivalis lipopolysaccharide. Furthermore, pro-inflammatory cytokine production is inhibited through the induction of HO-1 expression. HO-1 expression is induced by all gomisins, but their anti-inflammatory activity via HO-1 signaling is observed with gomisins G and J, and not A. We found that gomisins G and J extracted from Schisandria chinensis can inhibit the P. gingivalis lipopolysaccharide induced-inflammatory responses in Raw264.7 cells.

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) is a common Maillard reaction product; the reaction occurs during heat-processing and the preparation of many types of foods and beverages. Although 5-HMF has been proposed to have harmful effects, recently, its beneficial effects, including antioxidant, cytoprotective and antitumor effects have become increasingly apparent. It was found recently that a chloroform extract of aged black garlic shows antiinflammatory properties when administered to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). This study investigated the antiinflammatory potential of 5-HMF purified from the chloroform extract of aged black garlic in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-stimulated HUVECs. Treatment of HUVECs with 5-HMF strongly suppressed TNF-α-induced cell surface and total protein expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) as well as their mRNA expression. In addition, 5-HMF significantly inhibited TNF-α-induced reactive oxygen species formation, and markedly reduced THP-1 monocyte adhesion to TNF-α-stimulated HUVECs. Furthermore, 5-HMF significantly inhibited NF-κB transcription factor activation in TNF-α-stimulated HUVECs. The data provide new evidence of the antiinflammatory properties of 5-HMF in support of its potential therapeutic use for the prevention and management of vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis through mechanisms involving the inhibition of VCAM-1 expression and NF-κB activation in vascular endothelial cells.

맥문동(Liriope platyphylla)은 한국과 중국에서 전통적으로 당뇨, 비만, 뇌신경질환, 천식 등의 치료를 위해 사용 해온 치료제이다. 최근에 이들 맥문동으로부터 새로운 치료제를 개발하려는 노력이 활발히 진행 중이지만 아직도 유력한 치료후보제는 확보되지 않았다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 맥문동의 새로운 추출물을 이용하여 당뇨치료 제로서의 가능성을 평가하기 위하여 새로운 방법으로 10가지 후보물질을 추출하고 이들의 독성과 효능을 평가하였다. 그 결과 10가지 추출물 중에서 LP9M80-H가 인슐린 분비를 가장 많이 촉진하였고 다음으로는 LP-H, LP-M, LP-E과 LP9M80-C 등의 순서로 촉진을 하였으나 나머지는 인슐린 분비를 촉지하지 못하였다. 그러나 이들 물질은 인슐린 분비를 촉진하는 농도에서 강한 세포 독성을 나타내었다. 따라서 이들 물질 중에서 가장 효능이 좋은 LP9M80-H의 치료용 최적농도를 설정하였으며, 대략 100-25 ug/ml가 최적농도로 결정되었다. 이러한 결과는 맥문동 추출물 중에서 LP9M80-H가 췌장 $\beta$ -세포의 인슐린 분비능을 유도하는 새로운 당뇨치료 후보물질로서 향후에 사용될 가능성을 시사하고 있다. 【Liriope platyphylla has traditionally been used in Korea and China as a therapeutic drug for the treatment of coughing, sputum, neurodegenerative disorders, obesity, and diabetes. In an effort to assess the functions of a novel extract from Liriope platyphylla in diabetes therapy, the insulin secretion abilities of 10 extracts were screened via measurements of insulin concentration in the culture supernatant using an Insulin ELISA kit. The results of this assay showed the highest levels of insulin in the LP9M80-H treated group, followed by the LP-H, LP-M, LP-E and LP9M80-C treated groups, whereas other extracts did not induce insulin secretion in the HIT-T15 cells. However, the extracts capable of stimulating insulin secretion simultaneously evidenced high apoptotic activity as compared with other extracts. Therefore, one of these extracts, LP9M80-H, was initially selected as the optimal candidate for a therapeutic drug and its optimal concentration was determined. The results of the ELISA and MTT assay demonstrated that a concentration of approximately 100-125 ug/ml of LP9M80-H was optimal with regards to cell viability and insulin secretion in the HIT-T15 cells. These results suggest that LP9M80-H could be considered as an excellent candidate for a diabetes-therapeutic drug that could induce insulin secretion in pancreatic $\beta$ -cells.】

We compared the pro-apoptotic effect of two dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans, gomisin A and gomisin N, isolated from Schizandra chinensis Baill, in U937 human promyelocytic leukemia cells in vitro. Gomisin N, but not gomisin A, inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner, which was associated with the induction of apoptosis. The increase in apoptosis that was induced by gomisin N was correlated with down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 expression, a decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and a release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol. Furthermore, gomisin N induced the proteolytic activation of caspase-9 and -3 and a concomitant degradation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. However, caspase-8 was not activated and cleavage of Bid was not observed in gomisin N-treated U937 cells. The cytotoxic effects and apoptotic characteristics induced by gomisin N were significantly inhibited by z-DEVD-fmk, a caspase-3 inhibitor, demonstrating the important role that caspase-3 plays in the process. We conclude that gomisin N induces the apoptosis of U937 cells through a signaling cascade of mitochondria-mediated intrinsic caspase pathways and gomisin N may be a useful chemotherapeutic agent.

A novel alpha-iso-cubebenol, which has anti-inflammatory effects in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 macrophages, was isolated from the fruits of Schisandra chinensis. alpha-iso-cubebenolinhibited LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) production. Consistent with these findings, alpha-iso-cubebenol also reduced the LPS-induced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 at the protein and mRNA levels in a concentration-dependent manner. alpha-iso-cubebenol also inhibited LPS-induced nuclear translocation of the NF-kappaB p65 subunit. Furthermore, alpha-iso-cubebenol suppressed the phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, and p38 kinase induced by LPS. Since the novel alpha-iso-cubebenol blocked the production of several pro-inflammatory mediators induced by LPS in macrophages, the molecule can be useful material for the development of anti-inflammatory agents against bacterial infections or endotoxin.

Background: An increase in the obese adolescent population is being recognized as a serious medical and social problem. The present study aimed to examine the association between neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) and obesity in Korean adolescents based on total available resources and local social inequality models. Methods: The present study used data from the 2013 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey in analyzing 72,438 Korean adolescents aged 12–18. The analysis investigated obesity odds ratio (OR) according to neighborhood SES adjusted for age and individual SES indices, which included family affluence scale (FAS), education level of parents, cohabitation with parents, and weekly allowance. Obesity OR was investigated according to neighborhood SES by FAS, and according to FAS by neighborhood SES. Results: After adjusting for age and individual SES variables, there was no significant association between neighborhood SES and adolescent obesity for either boys or girls. However, girls in the high FAS group showed a pattern of lower neighborhood SES being associated with a significant increase in risk of obesity; in the high neighborhood SES group, boys showed a pattern of higher FAS being associated with a significant increase in risk of obesity, whereas girls show a pattern of decrease. Conclusion: Although limited, the present study demonstrated that some girl groups exhibited a pattern of lower neighborhood SES being associated with an increase in risk of obesity, as well as a gender-based difference in risk of obesity by individual SES. Therefore, measures to prevent adolescent obesity should be established with consideration for differences in risk according to individual and neighborhood SES.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Lithospermum erythrorhizon has long been used in traditional Asian medicine for the treatment of diseases including skin cancer. In this study, hexane extract from the roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon (LEH) was chemically characterized and its anticancer activity was tested against the most aggressive form of skin cancer. Materials and methods The in vitro anticancer studies viz. cell growth, cell cycle and apoptosis, and the expression of tumor regulating proteins were analyzed against B16F10 melanoma cells. In addition, C57BL/6 mice models were used to evaluate the in vivo anticancer potential of LEH. Mice were intraperitoneally injected with LEH at doses of 0.1 and 10 mg/kg every 3 days. The tumor inhibition ratio was determined after 21 days of treatment and the histopathological analyses of the tumor tissues were compared. Further, LEH was purified and its active compounds were structurally elucidated and identified by NMR spectra and quantified by HPLC analyses. Results LEH effectively inhibits the growth of melanoma cells with an IC50 of 2.73 μg/ml. Cell cycle analysis revealed that LEH increased the percentage of cells in sub-G1 phase by dose dependent manner. LEH exhibited down regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins and up regulation of apoptotic Bax protein expression. Importantly, LEH induced cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and activated the caspase cascade (caspase 3) with this cleavage mediating the apoptosis of B16F10 cells. LEH treatment at a dose of 10 mg/kg for 21 days in experimental mice implanted with tumors resulted in significant reduction of the tumor growth (43%) and weight (36%). Histopathology analysis of LEH treated tumor tissues showed evidence of increased necrotic cells in a concentration dependent manner. Meanwhile, five naphthoquinone compounds [Shikonin (1); Deoxyshikonin (2); β-Hydroxyisovalerylshikonin (3); Acetylshikonin (4) and Isobutyrylshikonin (5)] were purified from LEH and responsible for its anticancer activity. Conclusion LEH induced apoptosis in B16F10 cells by activation of caspase 3 and inducing sub-G1 cell cycle arrest. LEH exhibited both in vitro and in vivo anticancer activity. Shikonin derivatives in the LEH are responsible for the anticancer activity.

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a potent anti-inflammatory molecule that regulates pro-inflammatory mediators. Several studies have indicated that HO-1 expression is induced by a variety of stimuli such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), cytokines, oxidative stress, and antioxidant phytochemicals. In this study, we assessed the anti-inflammatory effects of a novel α-iso-cubebenol isolated from dried fruits of Schisandra chinensis in human macrophage THP-1 cells and investigated the involvement of HO-1 signaling. We first observed that α-iso-cubebenol induced HO-1 mRNA and protein expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner via activation of erythroid-specific nuclear factor-regulated factor 2 (Nrf2). We also found that α-iso-cubebenol induced phosphorylation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK) in a time-dependent manner. Furthermore, treatment of THP-1 cells with inhibitors and siRNA specific for PI3K/Akt and ERK decreased the expression of HO-1. These results suggested that α-iso-cubebenol induced HO-1 expression through the activation of PI3K/Akt, ERK, and Nrf2 signaling. Next, α-iso-cubebenol strongly inhibited Porphyromonas gingivalis LPS-stimulated pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and IL-12). Moreover, we observed that α-iso-cubebenol treatment inhibited nuclear levels and activity of NF-κB in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, treatment with tin-protoporphyrin (SnPP), a selective inhibitor of HO-1, reversed the α-iso-cubebenol-mediated inhibition of P. gingivalis LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines. Hence, α-iso-cubebenol might induce anti-inflammatory effects on P. gingivalis LPS-stimulated human THP-1 macrophages by mediating the activation of PI3k/Akt and ERK that leads to over-expression of HO-1 and Nrf-2. These findings suggest that α-iso-cubebenol may be considered as a novel therapeutic agent to ameliorate periodontitis.

The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Porphyromonas gingivalis is thought to induce periodontitis. In this study, we isolated Schisandrin from the dried fruits of Schisandra chinensis and examined the anti-inflammatory effect of Schisandrin in macrophages stimulated with LPS from P. gingivalis. First, Schisandrin inhibited LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. And Schisandrin suppressed the nuclear translocation and activity of NF-κB and phosphorylation of IκBα in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Next, the presence of a selective inhibitor of HO-1 (SnPP) and a siRNA specific for HO-1 inhibited Schisandrin-mediated anti-inflammatory activity. Furthermore, Schisandrin induced HO-1 expression of RAW 264.7 cells through Nrf-2, PI3K/Akt, and ERK activation. Therefore, these results suggest that the anti-inflammatory effects of Schisandrin on P. gingivalis LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells may be due to a reduction of NF-κB activity and induction of the expression of HO-1, leading to TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 down-regulation.

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) is a common Maillard reaction product; the reaction occurs during heat-processing and the preparation of many types of foods and beverages. Although 5-HMF has been proposed to have harmful effects, recently, its beneficial effects, including antioxidant, cytoprotective and antitumor effects have become increasingly apparent. It was found recently that a chloroform extract of aged black garlic shows antiinflammatory properties when administered to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). This study investigated the antiinflammatory potential of 5-HMF purified from the chloroform extract of aged black garlic in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-stimulated HUVECs. Treatment of HUVECs with 5-HMF strongly suppressed TNF-α-induced cell surface and total protein expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) as well as their mRNA expression. In addition, 5-HMF significantly inhibited TNF-α-induced reactive oxygen species formation, and markedly reduced THP-1 monocyte adhesion to TNF-α-stimulated HUVECs. Furthermore, 5-HMF significantly inhibited NF-κB transcription factor activation in TNF-α-stimulated HUVECs. The data provide new evidence of the antiinflammatory properties of 5-HMF in support of its potential therapeutic use for the prevention and management of vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis through mechanisms involving the inhibition of VCAM-1 expression and NF-κB activation in vascular endothelial cells.

The goal of our research is to develop a smart context-aware self guided tour assistant as a context- aware real world application. As a context-aware tourist guide application, we have been developing a PDA-based location-aware tourist guide application for the old palace Deoksugung in the center of Seoul. It will guide visitors to the palace with information about: current location, attractions nearby, and details about specific buildings. Rich multimedia support has been incorporated into the system to provide extra features to enhance the self-guided tour.

In this paper, we propose a face extraction method based on edge and color information. In proposed method, first, we detect the candidate face region using edge orientation information. Second, we select the final face region using template which is constructed from average face. And then, we find the skin color range in the face region, and using it, process the thresholding procedure for the initial face shape. Finally, we improve face shape using the radius histogram of face shape and face model information, and then, we extract the face images. The experimental results show that the extraction performance of the proposed method is 90% of correctness.

The argument that the American army’s crossing of the 38 th parallel compelled China’s intervention has been widely accepted in the West. From the early 1980s, however, Chinese scholars began to argue that Mao Zedong, believing that a Sino-American military confrontation was unavoidable, prepared proactively to send troops to Korea since the war broken out. Recent documents showed that Mao Zedong had a passive attitude toward intervention before the Korean War. However, the U.S move severely aggravated the political and ideological foundations of the CCP regime, therefore, Mao Zedong wished to send troops to assist North Korean’s quick victory but not realized because of Stalin’s negative attitude. However, after the landing of UN forces at Inchon, Mao switched to a peaceful solution through negotiations with the UN or “bluffing,” aiming at preventing American forces from crossing the 38th parallel. The Chinese attitude shows that Mao’s overriding concern was not whether U.S. forces crossed the 38 th parallel, but whether their dispatch helped to solidify the CCP regime and whether the preconditions for victory existed.

Background The relationships of total and regional body fat percent with bone mineral density (BMD) in Korean adolescents were examined using the Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES V-1), 2010. Methods Body fat percent at whole body (WBFP), trunk (TBFP), and extremities (both upper and lower extremities fat mass/body weight, EBFP), ratio of trunk fat mass to extremities fat mass (TEFR), and BMD at whole body, total femur, and lumbar spine were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry in a population-based sample of 433 boys and 362 girls, aged 12 to 18 years. The analyses were conducted using linear regression analysis with complex sampling design. Results After adjusting for confounders such as age, height, weight, serum 25-(OH) vitamin D concentration, energy intake, calcium intake, physical activity, and menarche status for girls, WBFP, TBFP, and EBFP were inversely associated with whole and regional BMD in both sexes (P < 0.05). TEFR was positively associated with whole and regional BMD in boys after adjusting for confounders, while it was negatively associated in girls (P < 0.05). However, the associations were non-significant when bone mass-free lean mass was adjusted instead of bodyweight except for a positive association between TEFR and BMD in boys. Conclusion In Korean adolescents, total and regional body fat percent is not independently associated with BMD after adjusting for bone mass-free lean mass but higher fat in trunk as compared to extremities may be protective for BMD in boys.