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Graphene-enhanced Raman scattering has been studied as an optical technique related to the selective electron transfer from graphene to the valence band of the contacted molecule, inducing a pileup of electrons within the conduction band and a “photogating effect” for subsequently illuminated light. Herein, we studied the Raman spectroscopy of CsPbI3 nanorods sandwiched between two layers of graphene, revealing that weak coherent lasing also occurs. The photoluminescence intensity of α-phase CsPbI3 nanorods drastically decreased with increasing graphene coverage, particularly on the top, leading to Raman modes at the first (~241 and ~312 cm−1) and second (~640 cm−1) overtones of polymeric iodides, as well as at ~3492 cm−1. First-principle calculations reveal that the ~3492-cm−1 mode originates from the stimulated coherent light emissions of the highly populated electrons accumulated in the CsPbI3 conduction band, which form because of the electronic resonance induced in the Pb and I degenerate states.

We investigated the effect of galangin, a natural flavonoid, on osteoclastic bone destruction in collagen-induced arthritis and examined the molecular mechanisms by which galangin affects osteoclastogenesis in bone marrow derived macrophages. In mice with collagen-induced arthritis, administration of galangin significantly reduced the arthritis clinical score, edema and severity of disease without toxicity. Interestingly, galangin treatment during a later stage of collagen-induced arthritis, using mice with a higher clinical arthritis score, still significantly slowed the progression of the disease. Extensive cartilage and bone erosive changes as well as synovial inflammation, synovial hyperplasia and pannus formation were dramatically inhibited in arthritic mice treated with galangin. Furthermore, galangin-treated arthritic mice showed a significant reduction in the concentrations of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-17. We found that galangin inhibited osteoclastogenic factors and osteoclast formation in bone marrow-derived macrophages and osteoblast co-cultured cells, and increased osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels in osteoblasts. Galangin and NF-κB siRNA suppressed RANKL-induced phosphorylation of the c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), but not AKT and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2). Also, the JNK inhibitor SP600125 and p38 inhibitor SB203580 reduced RANKL-induced expressions of phospho-c-Jun, c-fos and NFATc1 genes during osteoclast development. In addition, galangin suppressed RANKL-induced phosphorylation of NF-κB, phospho-IκBα, inflammatory cytokines and osteoclast formation in bone marrow-derived macrophages. Our data suggest that galangin prevented osteoclastic bone destruction and osteoclastogenesis in osteoclast precursors as well as in collagen-induced arthritis mice without toxicity via attenuation of RANKL-induced activation of JNK, p38 and NF-κB pathways.

Ethnopharmacological relevance The dried flowers of Lonicera japonica Thunb and dried roots of Anemarrhena asphodeloides BUNGE have been used for the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases in traditional Korean medicine. Objective The aim of the study is to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of WIN-34B, a new herbal medicine, in fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) obtained from patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Materials and methods WIN-34B is isolated from the n-butanol fraction of dried flowers of L. japonica and dried roots of A. asphodeloides. The anti-inflammatory effects of WIN-34B on cell viability, the production and release of inflammatory mediators, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), aggrecanases, tissue inhibitor of matrix proteinases (TIMP) is compared with celecoxib in IL-1β-stimulated human OA FLS. Furthermore, the effect of WIN-34B on inhibitory kappa B-α (IκB-α) phosphorylation and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) in the IL-1β-stimulated OA FLS was also evaluated. Results WIN-34B significantly inhibited the IL-1β-induced cell viability in human OA FLS without cytotoxicity. Compared to celecoxib, WIN-34B exhibited similar or better anti-inflammatory effects through significant suppression of inflammatory mediators (IL-1β, TNF-α, PGE2 and NO), MMPs (MMP-1, MMP-3 and MMP-13) and aggrecanases (ADAMTS-4 and ADAMTS-5), and enhancement of TIMPs (TIMP-1 and TIMP-3). Moreover, WIN-34B reduced the phosphorylation of IκB-α, ERK1/2, p38 and JNK1/2 in IL-1β-stimulated OA FLS. Conclusions WIN-34B exhibited similar or better anti-inflammatory properties in IL-1β-stimulated OA FLS compared to celecoxib. The anti-inflammatory effects of WIN-34B are due to inhibition of inflammatory mediators (IL-1β, TNF-α, PGE2 and NO) and regulation of MMPs, ADAMTSs and TIMPs via the inhibition of IκB-α and MAPK phosphorylation in IL-1β-stimulated OA FLS.

Introduction Whiplash-associated disorder (WAD) is a general after-effect of motor vehicle collisions or sporting accidents. Acupuncture is a common intervention for pain conditions such as musculoskeletal disease. We conducted a pilot trial to determine the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for patients with WAD. Methodology Forty participants were randomly allocated to an acupuncture group or a waiting-list group. The acupuncture group received acupuncture treatment three times per week for 2 weeks. Symptoms were evaluated before random allocation and after 2 weeks. The primary outcome measure was pain intensity. Secondary outcome measures were the SF-36, cervical range of motion (ROM), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and the Cornell Medical Index (CMI). Results The results demonstrated that the change in visual analogue scale (VAS) in the acupuncture group was −1.85 [−2.67 to −1.02], compared to −0.40 in the waiting-list group [95% CI: −1.18 to 0.38] (p = 0.001). VAS significantly improved from 4.59 [3.67–5.48] at baseline to 2.74 [2.08–3.37] at the endpoint (p Conclusions Acupuncture treatment was associated with a significant alleviation of pain. This pilot study provided preliminary data on the efficacy and safety of acupuncture treatment for WAD. A full-scale randomized controlled trial is required to provide firm evidence of the effectiveness of this intervention.

Ethnopharmacological relevance The dried flowers of Lonicera japonica , also known as Japanese honeysuckle, and the dried root of Anemarrhena asphodeloides , the component herbs of WIN-34B, are traditionally used in Eastern medicine to treat various inflammatory conditions including arthritis. Objective To study the acute and chronic toxicities of WIN-34B and to compare its effects on gastric mucosa with those of diclofenac, a widely used NSAID, and celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor. Materials and methods To investigate acute toxicity, we orally administered a single dose of 5000 mg/kg WIN-34B to rats. To investigate chronic toxicity, we orally administered 500, 1000 or 2000 mg/kg WIN-34B to rats daily for 13 weeks. To assess its effects on gastric mucosa, rats received either a single dose or repeated doses of WIN-34B (400, 1000, or 2000 mg/kg), diclofenac (10, 40, or 80 mg/kg), celecoxib (100 or 1000 mg/kg), or vehicle, after which samples of gastric mucosa were assessed grossly and histologically. We also measured tissue activity of myeloperoxidase and synthesis of eicosanoids, including prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) and leukotriene B 4 (LTB 4 ). To further assess its effects, we administered WIN-34B to rats either intraperitoneally or orally, measured gastric injury scores using a rat model of diclofenac-induced gastric injury, and measured eicosanoid synthesis. Results WIN-34B showed no signs of acute or chronic toxicity in terms of general behavior, gross appearance of the internal organs, blood chemistry, or mortality. WIN-34B did not cause significant gastric mucosal damage after single or repeated doses. In contrast, diclofenac and celecoxib both caused gastric damage. In terms of eicosanoid synthesis, WIN-34B significantly suppressed LTB 4 synthesis while both diclofenac and celecoxib increased LTB 4 synthesis. WIN-34B slightly reduced PGE 2 production, while both diclofenac and celecoxib significantly reduced PGE 2 production. In a rat model of diclofenac-induced gastric injury, WIN-34B significantly suppressed LTB 4 synthesis and restored PGE 2 release. Conclusions These results demonstrate that WIN-34B did not cause acute or chronic toxicity in male or female rats. In addition, WIN-34B did not cause significant gastric mucosal damage, instead appearing to protect the mucosa from diclofenac-induced gastric damage through the regulation of PGE 2 and LTB 4 .

Cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosin), a specific polyadenylation inhibitor, is the main functional component in Cordyceps militaris, one of the top three renowned traditional Chinese medicines. Cordycepin has been shown to possess many pharmacological activities including immunological stimulation, and anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-tumor effects. However, the mechanisms underlying its anti-cancer mechanisms are not yet understood. In this study, the apoptotic effects of cordycepin were investigated in human leukemia cells. Treatment with cordycepin significantly inhibited cell growth in a concentration-dependent manner by inducing apoptosis but not necrosis. This induction was associated with generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial dysfunction, activation of caspases, and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase protein. However, apoptosis induced by cordycepin was attenuated by caspase inhibitors, indicating an important role for caspases in cordycepin responses. Administration of N-acetyl-l-cysteine, a scavenger of ROS, also significantly inhibited cordycepin-induced apoptosis and activation of caspases. These results support a mechanism whereby cordycepin induces apoptosis of human leukemia cells through a signaling cascade involving a ROS-mediated caspase pathway.

The manufacturing process of vegetable oil based biodiesel was introduced in experimental manner. Ultrasonic energy was irradiated to induce the transesterification of the vegetable oil. The ultrasonic irradiation had two effects, those were heating and mixing of the reactants. We performed the experiment under various manufacturing parameters, viz. the ultrasonic irradiation time, sonic power, and irradiation type at constant reaction temperature, 55 °C. The ultrasonic irradiation biodiesel synthetic process reduced the reaction time by 30 min or more comparing to existing processes. The ultrasonic energy densities (Ua) were calculated from the experimental data. The highest yield and methyl ester content were observed at an ultrasonic power of more than 450 W. The reaction conditions were also adjusted to stabilize the reaction media temperature.

Biodiesel has been recommended as an environmentally benign alternative fuel because it emits a comparatively small amount of air pollutants. Biodiesel can be processed from canola oil, which has a low liquefaction temperature owing to its high unsaturated fatty acid content, which also limits its engine-clogging effects. In this study, optimum conditions such as the amount of methanol, the alkali catalyst, and the reaction temperature were determined for production of biodiesel from canola oil. A maximum biodiesel yield was shown at an oil/methanol mole ratio of 1:6. The optimum amount of catalyst was 1 wt% of potassium hydroxide. The biodiesel yield and the methyl ester content were high when the reaction temperature was 55 °C. The consolute temperature for determining the maximum biodiesel yield was proposed in consideration of the boiling point of methanol. The energy density was analyzed for the final products of biodiesel in comparison to the raw canola oil and other plant oil based biodiesels.

Ethnopharmacological relevance : Lonicera japonica Thunb and Anemarrhena asphodeloides BUNGE have been used for the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases, cold and infective diseases in many countries, including Korea and China. Aim of the study : This study aimed to assess the anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of n-butanol fraction (WIN-34B) prepared from dried flowers of Lonicera japonica and dried roots of Anemarrhena asphodeloides as potential novel treatment of osteoarthritis. Materials and methods : Anti-nociceptive activities of WIN-34B (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o.) were measured using acetic acid-induced writhing response, formalin-induced paw licking, hot plate, radiant heat tail-flick, carrageenan-induced paw pressure, and Hargreaves tests, respectively. Anti-inflammatory activities of WIN-34B (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o.) were assessed using acetic acid-induced vascular permeability, carrageenan-induced paw edema, and croton oil-induced ear edema. Anti-osteoarthritis effect of WIN-34B was analyzed using monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced osteoarthritis animal model. Results : WIN-34B exhibited better anti-inflammatory activity than that of celecoxib in carrageenan at the dose of 200 mg/kg and croton oil-induced paw edema and ear edema at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg. WIN-34B exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effects on vascular permeability. WIN-34B also exhibited significant anti-nociceptive activities in the late phase of formalin-induced paw licking and writhing response model in mice. In radiant heat tail-flick and carrageenan-induced paw pressure tests, WIN-34B at the dose of 400 mg/kg and at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg presented similar activities to indomethacin and celecoxib. Compared to indomethacin WIN-34B at 400 mg/kg showed similar or better anti-nociceptive activities after 1 and 2 h of theraphy in the hot plate test and better anti-nociceptive activity than that of celecoxib in Hargreves test. In the MIA-induced osteoarthritis animal models, WIN-34B at 400 mg/kg exhibited similar or better anti-nociceptive property than that of celecoxib throughout the pain measurement periods. Conclusion : When compared to celecoxib, WIN-34B exhibited similar or better anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities in osteoarthritic animal models, which may become a potential novel treatment for osteoarthritis.

Bee venom (BV) treatment is the therapeutic application of honeybee venom (HBV) for treating various diseases in Oriental medicine. In the present work, the authors investigated the functional specificity of BV as an angiogenesis inhibitor using in vitro models and in vivo mouse angiogenesis and lung metastasis models. BV significantly inhibited the viability of Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells but did not affect peripheral blood mononuclear lymphocytes (PBML) cells. BV also inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced proliferation, migration and capillary-like tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Western blotting analysis showed that BV inhibited AKT and MAPK phosphorylation in LLC cells and HUVECs and down regulated expression of VEGF and VEGFR-2 of LLC cells and HUVECs. Also, BV effectively disrupted VEGF-induced neovascularization in Matrigel plugs in our in vivo angiogenesis assay. When given subcutaneously, BV also significantly suppressed tumor angiogenesis through inhibition of VEGF and VEGFR-2 in LLC model. Mice bearing subcutaneous LLC tumors were treated with 1mug/ml or 10mug/ml of BV. They showed reductions ranging between 49% and 62% in primary tumor volume and reduction of spontaneous pulmonary metastasis occurrences. Furthermore, BV treatment in the spontaneous lung metastases model after primary tumor excision prolonged their median survival time from 27 to 58days. These results suggest that the tumor-specific anti-angiogenic activity of BV takes effect during different stages of tumor progression by blocking the tyrosine phosphorylation of VEGFR-2, and validate the application of BV in lung cancer treatment.

Because tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is well-known to induce inflammatory responses, thus its clinical use is limited in cancer treatment. Rosmarinic acid (RA), a naturally occurring polyphenol flavonoid, has been reported to inhibit TNF-alpha-induced NF-kappaB activation in human dermal fibroblasts. However, the precise mechanisms of RA have not been well elucidated in TNF-alpha-mediated anti-cancer therapy. In this study, we found that RA treatment significantly sensitizes TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis in human leukemia U937 cells through the suppression of nuclear transcription factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Activation of caspases in response to TNF-alpha was markedly increased by RA treatment. However, pretreatment with the caspase-3 inhibitor, z-DEVD-fmk, was capable of significantly restoring cell viability in response to combined treatment. RA also suppressed NF-kappaB activation through inhibition of phosphorylation and degradation of IkappaBalpha, and nuclear translocation of p50 and p65. This inhibition was correlated with suppression of NF-kappaB-dependent anti-apoptotic proteins (IAP-1, IAP-2, and XIAP). RA treatment also normalized TNF-alpha-induced ROS generation. Additionally, ectopic Bcl-2 expressing U937 reversed combined treatment-induced cell death, cytochrome c release into cytosol, and collapse of mitochondrial potential. These results demonstrated that RA inhibits TNF-alpha-induced ROS generation and NF-kappaB activation, and enhances TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis.

We have used Pd–Pt alloy as the catalyst in the hydrogen sensor thin film. Palladium and platinum were co-sputtered on top of a tungsten oxide layer grown by reactive sputtering. Both the sensitivity and the durability were dramatically improved over the case of a palladium single-component catalyst. The fractional change in the optical absorption on exposure to 1% hydrogen gas was increased by a factor larger than 2, and the fractional change decreased only a little after more than 1000 cycles of repeated exposure to 1% hydrogen and air. Moreover, the sensor film exhibited good selectivity to other organic vapors.

Telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein that plays an important role in neoplastic immortality, is up-regulated in approximately 85% of cancers, especially in leukemia. The polyphenol, butein, has potent effects against various types of cancer cells, but its effects on telomerase activity have not been well characterized. In this study, we show that butein causes a down-regulation of hTERT gene expression and a concomitant decrease of telomerase activity. Butein also suppresses expression of c-Myc at the transcriptional level and down-regulates DNA-binding activity, regardless of cell type specificity, in leukemia cells. DNA-binding activities of c-Myc to the hTERT core promoter were decreased in butein-treated cells, as seen by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Treatment with butein also suppressed the activation of Akt, thereby inhibiting hTERT phosphorylation and translocation into the nucleus. In this process, butein also up-regulated the surface expression of CD11b in leukemia cells. Inhibition of telomerase activity by butein was followed by loss of proliferative capacity, induction of apoptosis, and differentiation. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of butein at inhibiting telomerase activity by down-regulating hTERT gene expression in human leukemia cells.

KHBJ-9B has been formulated by n-butanol fraction from 2 herbs known to have cartilage protection and anti-inflammatory effects. We elected to determine the osteoarthritic efficacy and mechanism of KHBJ-9B on human osteoarthritis cartilage explants culture and in a rabbit model of collagenase-induced osteoarthritis (CIA). The major chemical composition and quantification of KHBJ-9B was determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The efficacy of KHBJ-9B and its major compounds on cartilage protective effects such as inhibition of GAG release and type II collagen degradation, and their cytotoxicity in IL-1beta-treated human cartilage culture were examined. The mechanism of action of KHBJ-9B and its major compounds were evaluated by measuring inflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta and TNF-alpha) and matrix proteinases (ADAMTS-4, ADAMTS-5, MMP-1, MMP-13 and TIMP-3) in IL-1beta-treated human cartilage cultures. Also, the therapeutic effect of KHBJ-9B was confirmed using a collagenase-induced osteoarthritis (CIA) rabbit model. KHBJ-9B and 3 combined triterpenoids potently inhibited the release of proteoglycan and type II collagen in a dose dependent manner without cytotoxicity in IL-1beta-treated human cartilage explants culture, whereas its single major compounds (betulin, pimaradienoic acid and betulinic acid) and COX-2 inhibitor (NS398) showed little inhibition even at high concentrations. KHBJ-9B and the combination of 3 triterpenoids markedly inhibited the level of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha, and down-regulated the level of aggrecanases, ADAMTS-4, ADAMTS-5, MMP-1 and MMP-13, and up-regulated TIMP-3 in human cartilage explants culture. However, standard compounds and NS398 do not much affect the level of TNF-alpha, aggrecanases, and TIMP-3 in cartilage explants culture. In in vivo studies, KHBJ-9B significantly suppressed the stiffness level and global histologic score. Cartilage loss was significantly inhibited in the knee joint in a dose dependent manner, and this was associated with the finding that loss of proteoglycan, degradation of aggrecan and type II collagen was markedly reduced. These results suggest that the effect of KHBJ-9B is bigger than the effects of its single major compounds of triterpenoids or celecoxib inhibitors on cartilage protection and anti-inflammation in human cartilage and in in vivo model of osteoarthritis, and thus has potential for use in osteoarthritis treatment.

Oriental herbal medicines have been widely used for the prevention or treatment of various diseases including cancer in Asia. However, to prove their chemo preventive efficacies in modern times, scientific evidence for those herbal medicines is required. Thus, in the present study, an effective herbal cocktail Bojungbangdocktang (BJBDT) was investigated to elucidate antiangiogenic mechanism in vitro and in vivo. BJBDT significantly inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) induced proliferation in HUVECs at nontoxic concentrations, despite weak cytotoxicity against human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). BJBDT also significantly suppressed VEGF-induced migration and tube formation of HUVECs. Furthermore, BJBDT treatment resulted in pale color and low hemoglobin level in Matrigel plugs, as well as dark red color and high hemoglobin level in untreated control. Interestingly, BJBDT specifically inhibited the binding of VEGF to vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), but not VEGFR1. In addition, friedelin, formononetin, ginsenoside Rb1, naringin, atractyloside, diosgenin, and allantonin were identified from BJBDT by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis as a quality of control. Taken together, these results suggest that BJBDT is a potent angiogenesis inhibitor blocking the VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling pathway in HUVECs.

Bee venom (BV), well known as a traditional Oriental medicine, has been shown to exhibit anti-arthritic and anti-carcinogenic effects. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for the anti-inflammatory activity of BV have not been elucidated in microglia. In the present study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of BV and its major component, melittin (MEL), on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglia. Our results indicate that BV and MEL suppress LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expression in a dose-dependent manner, without causing cytotoxicity in BV2 microglia. Moreover, BV and MEL suppressed LPS-induced activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) by blocking degradation of IkappaBalpha and phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and Akt, which resulted in inhibition of iNOS expression. Our data also indicate that BV and MEL exert anti-inflammatory effects by suppressing the transcription of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 genes and proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. BV and MEL also attenuated the production of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)). These results demonstrate that BV and MEL possess a potent suppressive effect on proinflammatory responses of BV2 microglia and suggest that these compounds may offer substantial therapeutic potential for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases that are accompanied by microglial activation.

Verification and testing are complementary techniques that are used to increase the level of confidence in the correct functioning of communication systems as prescribed by their specifications. This paper presents an experience of model checking for Korean railway signaling protocol specified in LTS (Labeled Transition System). This formal approach checks deadlock, livelock and reachability for the state and action to verify whether properties expressed in modal logic are true on specifications. We also propose a formal method for semi-automated test case generation for Korean railway signaling protocol described in I/O FSM (Input/Output Finite State Machine). This enables the generation of more complete and consistent test sequence for conformance testing. The above functions are implemented by C++ language and included within RSPVTE (Railway Signaling Protocol Verification and Testing Environment) in the MS-windows environment.

Puerariae radix (PR) is a traditional medicine herb used for enhancing body resistance against various diseases. The aim of this study was to identify whether Puerariae radix extract induces osteogenic activity in human osteoblast-like SaOS-2 cells. Puerariae radix had no effect on the viability of osteoblastic cells, and dose-dependently increased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. Puerariae radix markedly increased mRNA expression for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), osteocalcin (OCN), osteopontin (OPN), and type I collagen (Col I) in SaOS-2 cells. Extracellular accumulation of proteins such as VEGF and Col I was increased in a dose-dependent manner. Also, Puerariae radix significantly induced mineralization in the culture of SaOS-2 cells. In conclusion, this study showed that Puerariae radix had no effect on viability, but enhanced ALP activity, VEGF, bone matrix proteins such as OCN, OPN, and Col I, and mineralization in SaOS-2 cells. These results propose that Puerariae radix can play an important role in osteoblastic bone formation, and may possibly lead to the development of bone-forming drugs.

The antinociceptive effect and the mechanism of bee venom acupuncture (BVA) on inflammatory pain, especially in the rat model of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), have not yet been fully studied. This study was designed to investigate the antinociceptive effect and its μ-opioid and α 2 -adrenergic mechanism of BVA in the CIA rat model. To induce CIA, male Sprague–Dawley rats were immunized with bovine type II collagen emulsified in Freund's incomplete adjuvant followed by a booster injection 14 days later. The antinociceptive effect was evaluated by tail flick latency (TFL). After induction of arthritis, the inflammatory pain threshold decreased as time passed, and there was no big change of the pain threshold after 3 weeks. Three weeks after the first immunization, BVA (0.25 mg/kg) injected into the Zusanli acupoint (ST 36 ) showed the antinociceptive effect. Furthermore, the antinociceptive effect of BVA was blocked by yohimbine (α 2 -adrenergic receptor antagonist, 2 mg/kg, i.p) pretreatment, but not by naloxone (μ-opioid receptor antagonist, 2 mg/kg, i.p.) pretreatment. These results suggest that BVA can relieve inflammatory pain in CIA and the antinociceptive effect of BVA can be mediated by α 2 -adrenergic receptor.

Medicinal mushrooms are increasingly used to treat a wide variety of disease processes. Aqueous extract from the fruiting body or mycelia of Phellinus linteus has been reported to produce antitumor and immunomodulatory activities in vivo and in vitro. However, the therapeutic mechanism has not been known. In the present study, we investigated whether proteoglycan (PL) isolated from P. linteus has an effect on the immunomodulatory activities of the murine splenic lymphocytes (MSLs). Treatment with PL caused a four-fold augmentation in [3H]thymidine incorporation compared to untreated control group in MSLs. Flow cytometric analysis indicated that the affected cell population was mainly CD19(+) cells, but not CD3(+) cells. These data suggested that the main target of PL was the B cells, but not T cells. PL also enhanced the expression of co-stimulatory molecules, CD80 and CD86, in murine B cells in a time-dependent manner. Accordingly, we investigated if intracellular [Ca(2+)] and reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) were the principal downstream components that contributed to PL-induced activation, with respect to both increases of proliferation and induction of co-stimulatory molecules. However, PL has no influence on the [Ca(2+)] concentration and the ROI formation in murine B cells, whereas the genistein, protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitor or staurosporine, protein kinase C (PKC), blocked the proliferation and the induction of co-stimulatory molecules, CD80 and CD86, in B cells stimulated with PL. Taken together, these data suggest that PL is a biological response modifier that stimulates proliferation and expression of co-stimulatory molecules in B cells, probably by regulating PTK and PKC signaling pathways.

Phellinus linteus is a well-known oriental medicinal fungus that has various biological activities such as stimulation of humoral and cell mediated immunity, anti-mutagenicity activity, and anti-cancer activity. The process of isolating and purifying a water-soluble glycan from P. linteus was achieved by hot water extraction, filtration, solvent precipitation, dialysis, and freeze-drying. Acidic fractions of the polysaccharide were separated from crude polysaccharides by DEAE-cellulose anion exchange chromatography at 0.4 M NaCl. The molecular weight of the proteo-heteroglycan after Sepharose CL-4B gel filtration chromatography was about 150,000. The acidic proteo-heteroglycan consisted of 72.2% polysaccharide and 22.3% protein. The sugar of the proteo-heteroglycan was composed of mannose, galactose, glucose, arabinose, and xylose. The amino acid pattern showed that the fractions contained large amounts of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, alanine, glycine, and serine. The fractions for both alpha-glycan at 860 cm(-1) and beta-glycan at 910 cm(-1) had the characteristics of IR spectrum absorption as compared to those for beta-glucan derived from Lentinus edodes. A 13C and 1H NMR spectroscopy showed that the acidic proteo-heteroglycan was a noble biomolecule mixed both alpha- and beta-linkages, and a (1,6) branched type (1,3) glycan.

The rheo-optical behaviors and suspension stability of silica particles coated with silane coupling agents were investigated experimentally. Mono-dispersed silica particles were synthesized by the sol-gel method and the particles were coated with silane coupling agents such as vinyltriethoxy silane (VTES) and gamma-methacryloxypropyl triethoxy silane (MPTES). Although all the suspensions of identical particle volume fraction exhibited similar rheological behaviors at high shear rates, only the stabilized suspensions coated with either VTES or MPTES displayed smooth shear thinning rather than abrupt change in the shear viscosity, as is typical of suspensions with no surface treatment. The present study showed that the MPTES coating was very effective in enhancing the phase stability compared to the VTES coating. The flow-induced dichroism for the MPTES-coated suspensions did not experience sign change, while those of the non-stabilized suspensions changed sign as the shear rate was increased. The VTES-coated suspensions underwent a transition from a stable to an unstable state as the particle volume fraction increased. Specifically, the rheological behaviors of the VTES-coated suspensions of particle volume fraction 0.35 were similar to those of the MPTES-coated suspensions. When the volume fraction exceeded 0.45, however, the effect of VTES coating diminished. Finally, the stress-optical rule proposed by Bender and Wagner was adopted to model the stabilized suspensions considered here. The present results indicated that the stress-optical coefficient could be predicted successfully by the proposed stress-optical rule if the contribution from the hydrodynamic interaction is considered separately from the thermodynamic contribution. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

A levanase-producing microorganism was isolated from soil and identified as genus Streptomyces. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity by several procedures including ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-Toyopearl 650M ion exchange chromatography, phenyl-Toyopearl 650M hydrophobic chromatography, Sephadex G-200 gel filtration, and hydroxyapatite adsorption chromatography. The molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be 78 000 by SDS-polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis and 80 000 by gel filtration. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was pH 4.1 and activity was optimal at pH 7.0 and 40°C. In 30 min reactions, the enzyme was stable at the pH range of 6.0–10.0 at 20°C and remained stable up to 45°C at pH 7.0. The enzyme hydrolyzed levan to produce levanheptaose predominantly and showed an absolute substrate specificity for levan. When incubated with levans from Serratia sp. and Zymomonas mobilis, the enzyme hydrolyzed about 81 and 61%, respectively.