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Cordyceps species have been traditionally used for the enhancement of sexual function, however, there is few direct evidence to prove this. We investigated the spermatogenic effect of Cordyceps militaris (CM) by supplementation with CM mycelium to subfertile boars. Seventeen Duroc and 12 Landrace boars (29 to 40 months old) were selected to feed with regular diet (control groups, n = 8 and 6, respectively) or diet supplemented with CM mycelium (treatment groups, n = 9 and 6, respectively) for 2 months. Semen was collected once a week. The quality of fertile sperm (normally greater than 62% of motility and 70% of normal morphology) and the quantity (semen volume, and total sperm number) were compared in these boars. The result showed that sperm production was enhanced significantly at the end of first month (p < 0.05), peaked at the second month (p < 0.01) of supplementation with CM and was maintained for 2 weeks after stopping the treatment (p < 0.01). Plasma cordycepin concentration was detected in boars supplemented with CM but not in the controls. More importantly, the percentages of motile sperm cells and sperm morphology were also improved significantly in most of treated boars during the second month of supplementation (p < 0.01) and 2 weeks after the treatment (p < 0.05) as compared to their initial values. These results indicate that supplementation with CM mycelium improves sperm quality and quantity in subfertile boars and may partly support the role of Cordyceps in sexual enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new type of single-faced superposed shear wall system is proposed based on the single-faced superposed shear wall structure. The nonlinear finite element analysis of a new splicing form of single-faced superposed shear wall components is carried out by using the method of combining experimental research and ABAQUS finite element software analysis. The impact of noncolumn on the connection performance of vertical seam is studied. The analysis shows no significant difference in the effect of eliminating concealed column on the hysteretic performance and bearing capacity of the single-faced superposed shear wall with the joint. The single-faced composite shear wall with two different splicing forms presents bending-shear failure. The single-faced composite shear wall model without concealed column design can also maintain good overall performance and seismic behavior., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Gao-Ni Fang et al.)

Selective, sensitive fluorescent probes for ClO(-) are desirable due to the importance of ClO(-) in biological processes. Herein, a readily available turn-off fluorescent probe for ClO(-) is reported, which displays highly selectivity and sensitivity over other common anions and reactive oxygen/nitrogen. Moreover, it is able to detect ClO(-) in Ramos cells via cellular imaging.

Spirulina has proven to be effective in treating certain cancers, hyperlipidemia, immunodeficiency, and inflammatory processes. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of Spirulina on memory dysfunction, oxidative stress damage and antioxidant enzyme activity. Three-month-old male senescence-accelerated prone-8 (SAMP8) mice were randomly assigned to either a control group or to one of two experimental groups (one receiving daily dietary supplementation with 50 mg/kg BW and one with 200 mg/kg BW of Spirulina platensis water extract). Senescence-accelerated-resistant (SAMR1) mice were used as the external control. Results showed that the Spirulina-treated groups had better passive and avoidance scores than the control group. The amyloid β-protein (Aβ) deposition was significantly reduced at the hippocampus and whole brain in both Spirulina groups. The levels of lipid peroxidation were significantly reduced at the hippocampus, striatum, and cortex in both Spirulina groups, while catalase activity was significantly higher only in the 200 mg/kg BW Spirulina group than in the control group. Glutathione peroxidase activity was significantly higher only in the cortex of the 200 mg/kg group than in that of the SAMP8 control group. However, superoxide dismutase activity in all parts of the brain did not significantly differ among all groups. In conclusion, Spirulina platensis may prevent the loss of memory possibly by lessening Aβ protein accumulation, reducing oxidative damage and mainly augmenting the catalase activity.

Bromelain has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. However, the anti-inflammatory mechanism of bromelain is unclear. Therefore, we investigated the effect of bromelain on cytokine production from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and monocytic leukemia THP-1 cells. The result showed that bromelain (50-100 microg/ml) significantly and reversibly reduced tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha interleukin- (IL)-1beta and IL-6 from LPS-induced PBMC and THP-1 cells. This effect was correlated with reduced LPS-induced TNF-alpha mRNA and NF-kappaB activity in THP-1 cells. In addition, bromelain dose-dependently inhibited LPS-induced prostaglandin E(2), thromboxane B(2) and COX-2 mRNA but not COX-1 mRNA. Importantly, bromelain degraded TNF-alpha and IL-1beta molecules, reduced the expression of surface marker CD14 but not Toll-like receptor 4 from THP-1 cells. Taken together, the results suggest that the suppression of signaling pathways by bromelain's proteolytic activity may contribute to the anti-inflammatory activity of bromelain.

Besides cancer prevention, the hypolipidemic effects of tea have been well studied in animals and humans. Recently, statin has been identified in Pu-erh tea extract. Clinical trials have confirmed that statin decreases the incidence of major coronary and cerebrovascular events and this may be due to its hypolipidemic and antiinflammatory effects. Since a good Pu-erh tea needs longer storage (10 years or more) of fermentation to enhance the flavor and fragrance, we screened microorganisms from two Pu-erh teas, 20 and 25 years old. Species of fungi and bacteria strains that contributed to a good taste of Pu-erh tea were isolated. The effect of fermentation was investigated by inoculating fresh tea leaves with individual strains of isolated microorganisms. Results showed that statin, total polyphenol content, and the scavenging activities of alpha,alpha-diphenyl-beta-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals increased during fermentation. Tea leaves inoculated with Streptomyces bacillaris strain R9 had the highest polyphenol content (3.3 mg/100 g) and scavenging ability to DPPH radicals (92%). Streptomyces cinereus strain Y11 was equally good for polyphenol content but yielded the highest amount of statin (1012 ng/g) after 42 days of fermentation. Interestingly, the statin content of fresh tea leaves fermented with strain R9 or Y11 after 180 days was much higher (4- and 8-fold, respectively) than that of the 25-year-old Pu-erh tea (513 ng/g) as measured by the HPLC method. Similarly, these two strains also increased the content of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) 5.7- and 4.7-fold in tea fermented for 180 days as compared with the fresh leaves (1270 microg/g) and that were higher than that of the Pu-erh tea (4900 microg/g). Taken together, the present results indicate that tea short-term fermented with S. bacillaris or S. cinereus enhances the color and content of statin, GABA, and polyphenols.

Sesamin and sesamolin, abundant lignans found in sesame oil, have been demonstrated to possess several bioactivities beneficial for human health. Excess generation of nitric oxide in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated rat primary microglia cells was significantly attenuated when they were pretreated with sesamin or sesamolin. The neuroprotective effect of sesamin and sesamolin was also observed in vivo using gerbils subjected to a focal cerebral ischemia induced by occlusion of the right common carotid artery and the right middle cerebral artery. Repeated treatment of sesamin or a crude sesame oil extract containing both sesamin and sesamolin significantly reduced the infarct size, visualized via 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining, by approximately 50% when compared with the control group. These results suggest that sesamin and sesamolin exert effective neuroprotection against cerbral ischemia.

Substance P (SP), a neurotransmitter, may play an important role in neurogenic inflammation. Ginseng has been used extensively in traditional medicine; however, few studies were focused on their anti-allergic effect. Therefore, the effect and mechanism of ginsenoside Rb1 on the SP enhancement of allergic mediators were explored. In this study, SP and dinitrophenyl-bovine serum albumin (DNP-BSA) were used to activate rat basophilic leukemia (RBL)-2H3 cells. The cultured supernatants were assayed for histamine, leukotriene C(4)(LTC(4)) and interleulin-4 (IL-4) production. The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signaling pathway was determined by Western blotting analysis. We found that IgE/DNP-BSA, SP, ginsenoside Rb1, or MAPK specific inhibitors had no effect on cell viability and cytotoxicity. SP (30 microM) alone, did not induce histamine and LTC(4) release, but it enhanced allergen-induced histamine and LTC(4) release. In addition, SP significantly induced and enhanced allergen-activated IL-4. Ginsenoside Rb1 dose-dependently inhibited these effects. SP enhanced the allergen-activated ERK pathway in RBL-2H3 cells, and Rb1 effectively inhibited the ERK pathway activation. Although MAPK specific inhibitors suppressed LTC(4) and IL-4, only U0126 inhibited the SP enhanced histamine release. These results demonstrate that Rb1 dose-dependently inhibited SP enhanced allergen-induced mediator release and its mechanism was through the inhibition of the ERK pathway.

Bromelain has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. It has been cross-linked with organic acids and polysaccharides by gamma irradiation. The cross-linked (CL)-bromelain preparation resisted an acidic environment of pH 3 for 2 h and preserved 80% of its enzyme activity. Pretreatment of rats with CL-bromelain intragastrically for 7 days significantly reduced serum cytokine production induced by injected i.p. with 2.5 mg/kg of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Bromelain significantly reduced serum glutamate-oxalacetate transaminase induced by LPS. The anti-inflammatory effect of CL-bromelain was correlated with reduced LPS-induced NF-kappaB activity and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) mRNA expression in rat livers. In addition, CL-bromelain dose-dependently inhibited LPS-induced COX-2 mRNA and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in BV-2 microglial cells. CL-Bromelain also suppressed the LPS-activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). In conclusion, the anti-inflammatory effects of the CL-bromelain preparation in vivo and in vitro suggest its therapeutic potentials.

Hydroxyhydroquinone or 1,2,4-benzenetriol (BT) detected in the beverages has a structure that coincides with the water-soluble form of a sesame lignan, sesamol. We previously showed that sesame antioxidants had neuroprotective abilities due to their antioxidant properties and/or inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibition. However, studies show that BT can induce DNA damage through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Therefore, we were interested to investigate the neuroprotective effect of BT in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that instead of enhancing free radical generation, BT dose-dependently (10-100 microM) attenuated nitrite production, iNOS mRNA and protein expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine BV-2 microglia. BT significantly reduced LPS-induced NF-kappaB and p38 MAPK activation. It also significantly reduced the generation of ROS in H2O2-induced BV-2 cells and in H2O2-cellfree conditions. The neuroprotective effect of BT was further demonstrated in the focal cerebral ischemia model of Sprague-Dawley rat. Taken together, the inhibition of LPS-induced nitrite production might be due to the suppression of NF-kappaB, p38 MAPK signal pathway and the ROS scavenging effect. These effects might help to protect neurons from the ischemic injury.

The alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (KGDHC) is a mitochondrial enzyme in the TCA cycle. Inhibition of KGDHC activity by alpha-keto-beta-methyl-n-valeric acid (KMV) is associated with neuron death. However, the effect of KMV in microglia is unclear. Therefore, we investigated the effect of KMV on BV-2 microglial cells exposed to hypoxia or oxidative stress. The results showed that KMV (1-20 mM) enhanced the cell viability under hypoxia. KMV dose-dependently reduced ROS and LDH releases from hypoxic BV-2 cells. KMV also reduced ROS production and enhanced the cell viability under H2O2 but failed to reduce the SIN-1 and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) toxicity. KMV also reduced caspase-3 and -9 activation under stress. These results suggest that KMV protects BV-2 cells from stress and acts by reducing ROS production through inhibition of KDGHC.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been proposed to play a pathogenic role in neuronal injury. Sesame antioxidants that inhibit lipid peroxidation and regulate cytokine production may suppress ROS generation. In this study, we focused on the effect of sesamolin on H2O2-induced neurotoxicity and ROS production in the murine microglial cell line BV-2. Results indicate that the H2O2 elicited BV-2 cell death in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. ROS generation in BV-2 cells was time-dependently increased by the H2O2 treatment. Sesamolin reduced ROS generation in BV-2 cells. p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and caspase-3 were also activated in BV-2 cells under H2O2 stress. Sesamolin was able to inhibit H2O2-induced p38 MAPK and caspase-3 activation and cell death. In addition, sesamolin preserved superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in BV-2 cells under H2O2 stress. In conclusion, sesamolin protects microglia against H2O2-induced cell injury and this protective effect was accompanied by its inhibition of p38 MAPK and caspase-3 activation and ROS production.

Sesame seed oil increases the survival after cecal ligation and puncture in mice and the increased IL-10 levels with non-lethal lipopolysaccharides (LPS) challenge. We showed that sesamin and sesamolin, major lignans of sesame oil, regulated LPS-induced nitric oxide production in the murine microglia and BV-2 cell line. In this study, we studied the effect of sesamin on cytokine production by LPS stimulation. The result showed that sesamin significantly inhibited LPS-stimulated IL-6 mRNA and protein, and to a lesser degree TNF-alpha, in BV-2 microglia. Sesamin and sesamolin also reduced LPS-activated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB activations. Furthermore, SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38 MAP kinase, specifically inhibited LPS-induced IL-6 production. These results suggest that sesamin inhibited LPS-induced IL-6 production by suppression of p38 MAPK signal pathway and NF-kappaB activation.

Sesamin and sesamolin were tested for their ability to protect BV-2 microglia from hypoxia-induced cell death. These antioxidants dose-dependently reduced hypoxia-induced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and dichlorofluorescein (DCF)-sensitive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Their effects on signaling pathway mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and caspase-3 in hypoxia-induced cell death were further examined. Extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases (ERK1/2), c-jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 MAPKs were activated during hypoxia. The sesamin or sesamolin reduced caspase-3 and MAPK activation correlated well with diminished LDH release in BV-2 cells under hypoxia. Furthermore, they preserved superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities in BV-2 cells under hypoxia. Taken together, these results indicate that the mechanism of sesame antioxidants involves inhibition of MAPK pathways and apoptosis through scavenging of ROS in hypoxia-stressed BV-2 cells.

Three peptide amides, HPRK(Py)(4)HPRK-NH(2) (PyH-12), HPRK(Py)(3)HPRK-NH(2) (PyH-11) and HPRK(Py)(2)HPRK-NH(2) (PyH-10), incorporating two HPRK motifs and various 4-amino-1-methylpyrrole-2-carboxylic acid residues (Py) were synthesized by solid-phase peptide methodology. The binding of these three peptides to a 5'-32P-labeled 158-mer DNA duplex (Watson fragment) and to a 5'-32P-labeled 135-mer DNA duplex (complementary Crick fragment) was investigated by quantitative DNase I footprinting. On the 158-mer Watson strand, the most distinctive DNase I blockages seen with all three peptides occur around positions 105-112 and 76-79, corresponding to the sequences 5'-GAGAAAAT-3' and 5'-CGGT-3', respectively. However, on the complementary Crick strand, only PyH-12 strongly discriminates the 5'-TTT-3' site around positions 108-110 whereas both PyH-11 and PyH-10 have moderate binding around positions 102-112 comprising the sequence 5'-ATTTTCTCCTT-3'. Possible bidentate and single interactions of the side-chain functions and alpha-amino protons of the peptides with DNA bases are discussed.

Sesame antioxidants have been shown to inhibit lipid peroxidation and regulate cytokine production. In this study, we focused on the effect of sesamin and sesamolin, on nitric oxide (NO) induction by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in the murine microglial cell line BV-2 and rat primary microglia. The results showed that sesamin and sesamolin significantly inhibited NO production, iNOS mRNA and protein expression in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells. Sesamin or sesamolin significantly reduced LPS-activated p38 MAPK of BV-2 cells. Furthermore, SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38 MAP kinase, dose-dependently inhibited NO production in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells. Taken together, the inhibition of NO production might be due to the reduction of LPS-induced p38 MAPK signal pathway by sesamin and sesamolin.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important mediators of a variety of pathological processes, including inflammation and ischemic injury. The neuroprotective effects of sesame antioxidants, sesamin and sesamolin, against hypoxia or H2O2-induced cell injury were evaluated by cell viability or lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity. Sesamin and sesamolin reduced LDH release of PC12 cells under hypoxia or H2O2-stress in a dose-dependent manner. Dichlorofluorescein (DCF)-sensitive ROS production was induced in PC12 cells by hypoxia or H2O2-stress but was diminished in the presence of sesamin and sesamolin. We evaluated further the role of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and caspase-3 in hypoxia-induced PC12 cell death. Extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) 1, c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 MAPKs of signaling pathways were activated during hypoxia. We found that the inhibition of MAPKs and caspase-3 by sesamin and sesamolin correlated well with the reduction in LDH release under hypoxia. Furthermore, the hypoxia-induced apoptotic-like cell death in cultured cortical cells as detected by a fluorescent DNA binding dye was reduced significantly by sesamin and sesamolin. Taken together, these results suggest that the protective effect of sesamin and sesamolin on hypoxic neuronal and PC12 cells might be related to suppression of ROS generation and MAPK activation., (Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

A chimeric gene encoding a precursor polypeptide of sesame 2S albumin, a sulfur-rich seed storage protein, was expressed in transgenic rice plants under the control of the glutelin promoter with the aim of improving the nutritive value of rice. Rice grains harvested from the first generation of ten different transformed lines inherited the transgene, and the accumulated sesame 2S albumin was presumably processed correctly as its mature form in sesame seed. This transgene was specifically expressed in maturing rice seeds with its encoded sesame 2S albumin exclusively accumulated in the seeds. The crude protein content in rice grains from five putative homozygous lines was increased by 0.64-3.54%, and the methionine and cysteine contents of these transgenic rice grains were respectively elevated by 29-76% and 31-75% compared with those of wild-type rice grains.

A technique was developed to protect lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus) against simulated gastrointestinal conditions by encapsulation of bacterial cells within artificial sesame oil emulsions. Purified sesame oil bodies consisting of approximately 99% oil, 0.5% phospholipid, and 0.5% protein were decomposed by heating at 70 degrees C for 1 h. The bacteria cultured in nonfat milk were encapsulated in artificial oil emulsions constituted with decomposed sesame oil bodies and excess sesame or vegetable cooking oil. Viability of bacteria in storage at 4 degrees C for 16 d was substantially elevated from 0.023 to 5.45% after encapsulation. Compared with free cells, the entrapped bacteria demonstrated a significant increase (approximately 10(4) times) in survival rate when subjected to simulated high acid gastric or bile salt conditions. The results indicate that artificial sesame oil emulsion may serve as an effective biocapsule for encapsulation of bacteria in dairy products.