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Objective: The capitulum of Chrysanthemum indicum (Compositae) is the source of a crude drug used in Japanese traditional Kampo and traditional Chinese medicine. Previous research showed that C. indicum flowers promote adipocyte differentiation through the activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ that may be an important mechanism for controlling systemic insulin resistance or other biological functions. Materials and Methods: The capitulum of C. indicum was extracted with methanol, and its PPAR-γ agonistic activity was measured using luciferase assay. The active ingredients were isolated by the activity-guided fractionations. Results: We isolated (Z)-tonghaosu and (E)-tonghaosu, and (E)-tonghaosu had PPAR-γ agonistic constituents by the activity-guided fractionation from the capitulum of C. indicum. The isomer (Z)-tonghaosu did not show PPAR-γ-agonistic activity. Conclusion: (E)-tonghaosu is one of the active ingredients as PPAR-γ agonist in the capitulum of C. indicum. Abbreviations used: ANOVA: One-way analysis of variance; DMEM: Dulbecco's modified minimum essential medium; FBS: Fetal bovine serum; HPLC: High-performance liquid chromatography; MCI: Methanol extract of the capitulum of Chrysanthemum indicum; NMR: Nuclear magnetic resonance; PPAR: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An optical feeler measuring technique was introduced for evaluating the dimensional accuracy of indirect stone models. It presents the following advantages: being able to measure the diameter of specimens in detail at various heights, indicating good reproducibility of the data; and hardly injuring the surface of the stone casts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]