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To accurately evaluate the protective effects of titanium dioxide-based emulsion from infrared-A rays (IRA) irradiation in daily life, we assessed the harmful effects of natural level of IRA irradiation on human skin cells. Using a well-defined solar IRA simulator, short-term (less than seven days) IRA irradiation on fibroblasts at 34°C elicited an increase in the matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP1) mRNA level and decrease in the collagen type-1 α-1 (COL1A1) mRNA level. While short-term IRA exposure showed negligible effects on cell proliferation at 34°C, long-term (24 days) IRA irradiation significantly decreased the proliferation of fibroblasts at the same temperature. However, in the presence of heat stress at 43°C, short-term IRA exposure also elicited severe damage including reduction in cell proliferation and procollagen type 1 C-terminal peptide (PIP) level. In addition, formulated titanium dioxide-based emulsion (IRA protective cream; IRC) with an infrared-A protection factor value of ten could successfully protect cells from damage by short-term and long-term IRA exposures. In this study, we demonstrated that IRC reduces mild and severe damages elicited by natural level of IRA irradiation mimicking system after short-term and long-term exposures.

Nature-derived exosomes have been noted as emerging carriers for anticancer drugs. In this study, as a proof-of-concept, the anticancer drug doxorubicin (Dox) was loaded onto i-motif-modified exosomes (Exo-i-motif) to deliver Dox to cancer cells efficiently. The double-stranded biotin-i-motif/flare (ds-i-motif-bio)s efficiently released Dox in an acidic pH-responsive manner within 1 h. Based on gel electrophoresis, it was clearly confirmed that ds-i-motif-bio successfully interacts with biotin-conjugated exosomes and streptavidin (strep) via the biotin–streptavidin interaction. The particle sizes were below 150 nm without aggregation after strep-mediated modification of ds-i-motif-bio on the surfaces of the exosomes. In addition, released Dox had intact bioactivity for anti-proliferation after immobilization onto the exosomes. This study could serve as a new concept of pH-responsive delivery systems of anticancer drug using nature-derived exosomes with i-motifs.

Simple and reproducible formulation strategies are needed to improve the bio-availability of curcumin. In this study, curcumin was successfully complexed with two boron-based compounds: 2-aminoethyl diphenyl borate (DPBA) and bortezomib (BTZ; Velcade®). In reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, DPBA/curcumin complexes (DPBA/cur) showed delayed elution times compared to those of free curcumin. The UV–visible absorbance peak of DPBA/cur and BTZ and curcumin complexes (BTZ/cur) appeared redshifted. DPBA complexation has a negligible effect on the antioxidant and antiproliferation properties of curcumin for two types of cancer cells: MCF-7 and A549. Thus, curcumin complexation with boron-based compounds could be a method to enhance in vivo stability without loss of bioactivity (i.e., antioxidant and antiproliferation effects).

Over the last few centuries, aging-related diseases have become a part of the global health care problem. The skin is essentially more sensitive to aging because it is influenced by environmental exposure and genetic (genetically determined) processes. The use of a suitable cosmetic anti-aging material using a biomolecule with conventionally important medicine can help to protect damaged skin tissue. A new topical cosmetic anti-aging material should simulate the function of an extracellular matrix with its enhanced physiochemical, biological oxidative stress, and antioxidant properties. This study examined the significant features of CA–APPPKK (caffeic acid conjugated with peptide (APPPKK)) to determine if it meets the requirements for a cosmetic anti-aging biomolecule. Non-toxic CA–APPPKK was synthesized using a simple approach and CA stabilized with a peptide to form the new biomaterials. The cytotoxicity of the CA–APPPKK was examined with a CCK-8 assay and a reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay to evaluate the biological applications. CA–APPPKK caused a decrease in cell viability and membrane damage, and the degree of induction was dose dependent. The longevity-extending role of CA–APPPKK was attributed to its anti-oxidative activity and increased oxidative stress resistance. The anti-inflammatory capacity of CA–APPPKK was measured using a NO assay. This new approach indicates that CA–APPPKK is a potentially cosmetic anti-aging biomaterial for the prevention of oxidative stress-induced premature skin ageing and can be used to study aging-related diseases.

Blue-green microalgal blooms have been caused concerns about environmental problems and human-health dangers. For removal of such cyanobacteria, many mechanical and chemical treatments have been trialled. Among various technologies, the flocculation-based harvesting (precipitation) method can be an alternative if the problem of the low yield of recovered biomass at low concentrations of cyanobacteria is solved. In the present study, it was utilized mixtures of magnesium aminoclay [MgAC] and cerium aminoclay [CeAC] with different particle sizes to harvest cyanobacteria feedstocks with ∼100% efficiency within 1h by ten-fold lower loading of ACs compared with single treatments of [MgAC] or [CeAC]. This success was owed to the compact networks of the different-sized-ACs mixture for efficient bridging between microalgal cells. In order to determine the usage potential of biomass harvested with AC, the mass was heat treated under the reduction condition. This system is expected to be profitably utilizable in adsorbents and catalysts.

We describe the preparation of a nanohybrid consisting of nitrogen doped reduced graphene oxide and CuS nanoparticles (N-rGO/CuS) by in-situ microwave irradiation at weight ratios of 25/75, 50/50, and 75/25. The resulting nanohybrids were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, FTIR, spectroscopy, scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy, electrochemically by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance analysis. It is shown that the CuS nanoparticles are evenly decorated onto the N-rGO surface. The nanohybrids was placed on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) where they showed electro-reductive activity towards picric acid, typically at working voltages between −0.2 and −0.8 V (vs. SCE). Effects of pH value and scan rate were evaluated, and it is shown that two electrons are involved in electro-reduction. The detection limits of the GCE modified with various N-rGO/CuS hybrids (with 25/75, 50/50, and 75/25 wt%) are 6.2, 3.2, and 0.069 μM respectively. The method demonstrates its applicability in sensing of picric acid with good reproducibility.

Cobalt oxide (Co 3 O 4 ) nanospindles-decorated reduced graphene oxide (RGO) composite is prepared via thermal decomposition of a three-dimensional coordination complex precursor, cobalt benzoate dihydrazinate, at 200 °C. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that Co 3 O 4 nanospindles with an average particle size of I (μA) = 2.0660 C + 6.7869 ( R 2 = 0.9992). The sensor exhibits a high sensitivity of 29.5 μA μM −1 cm −2 , a rapid response time of 5 s, and a low detection of limit of 0.14 μM. The proposed electrode shows good reproducibility and long-term stability. The sensor is used to determine the nitrite level in tap water with acceptable recovery, implying its feasibility for practical application.

The recoveries of Sr2+ and La3+ as rare earth metals (REMs) were studied using Mg-aminoclay–humic acid [MgAC–HA] complexes prepared by self-assembled precipitation due to electrostatic attraction between water-solubilized [MgAC] and water-soluble [HA], and were compared with the recoveries using [MgAC] and [HA]. The influences of pH and Sr2+ and La3+ concentrations in single and binary systems were evaluated. The adsorbents before/after adsorption of Sr2+ and La3+ were characterized by (1) scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs, (2) Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra, and by (3) powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern analysis. After fitting Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, the Langmuir model was found to present better matches than the Freundlich one: the maximum adsorption capacities of Sr2+ and La3+ were 0.12 mg g−1 and 4.76 mg g−1 in the binary system at room temperature, and the optimal recovery pH was ∼8.0. In practical seawater meanwhile, the recoveries of Sr2+ and La3+ by [MgAC–HA] complexes were the highest in the binary system. However, with further recycling runs, the recoveries of Sr2+ and La3+ were critically diminished due to disassembly in [MgAC–HA] complexes under acidic conditions. Thus, for the purposes of industrial application, we are currently pursuing the enhancement of recyclability for [MgAC–HA] complexes by their encapsulation or direct hydrogel formation.

Understanding how natural compounds work together for disease treatments can improve their clinical efficacy and therapeutic effects. To elucidate the mechanisms of synergistic biological effects in natural compound mixtures, umbelliferone (UMB, 7-hydroxycoumarin), derived from Angelica (A.) gigas, was selected as active compound with fluorescent characteristic to examine bioactivities in vitro in the presence of other compounds from Angelica gigas. Antioxidant effects of UMB in biochemical assays and cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in RAW264.7 cells were not significantly improved by addition of other compounds. However, intracellular uptake, inhibition of the efflux pump P-glycoprotein (P-gp), and physiological stability of UMB were greatly enhanced by the addition of other compounds, specifically Angelicin (ANG) and Byakangelicin (BYN). Taken together, enhanced intracellular localization and enzymatic stability in compound mixtures might lead to superior synergistic bioactivity of UMBs in compound mixtures. Keywords: Umbelliferone, Compound mixture, Angelica gigas, Synergistic biological effect

Background The elucidation of the biological roles of individual active compounds in terms of their in vivo bio-distribution and bioactivity could provide crucial information to understand how natural compounds work together as treatments for diseases. Purpose We examined the functional roles of Byakangelicin (Byn) to improve the brain accumulation of active compounds, e.g., umbelliferone (Umb), curcumin (Cur), and doxorubicin (Dox), and consequently to enhance their biological activities. Methods Active compounds were administered intravenously to mice, with or without Byn, after which organs were isolated and visualized for their ex vivo fluorescence imaging to determine the bio-distribution of each active compound in vivo. For the in vivo bioactivity, Cur, either with or without Byn, was administered to a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuro-inflammation model for 5 days, and its anti-inflammatory effects were examined by ELISA using a brain homogenate and serum. Results We successfully demonstrated that the levels of active compounds (Umb, Cur, and Dox) in the brain, lung, and pancreas were greatly elevated by the addition of Byn via direct ex vivo fluorescence monitoring. In addition, sufficient accumulation of the active compound, Cur, greatly reduced LPS-induced neuro-inflammation in vivo. Conclusion Byn could serve as a modulator to allow improved brain accumulation of diverse active compounds (Umb, Cur, and Dox) and enhanced therapeutic effects.

Exosomes (EXO) are considered to be versatile carriers for biomolecules; however, the delivery of therapeutic peptides using EXOs poses several challenges. In this study, the efficiency of serum-derived EXOs in delivering tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP2) peptides to lymph nodes is determined. TRP2 peptides are successfully incorporated into EXOs, which show a uniform and narrow size distribution of around 45 nm. The TRP2-incorporated exosomes (EXO-TRP2) are efficiently internalized into macrophages and dendritic cells, and are seen to display a punctate distribution. EXOs loaded with TRP2 together with MPLA, (EXO-MPLA-TRP2) result in a strong release of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) from both RAW264.7 and DC2.4 cells. Finally, subcutaneous injection of fluorescently labeled EXO-TRP2 followed by ex vivo imaging using in vivo imaging system (IVIS) show a strong fluorescent signal in the lymph nodes after only 1 h, which is maintained until at least 4 h after injection. Taken together, the findings suggest that serum-derived EXOs can serve as promising carriers to deliver therapeutic peptides to lymph nodes for immunotherapy.

This study was conducted to investigate residue levels of chlorantraniliprole and ethaboxam in innerpart and outer leaves of a head-type Korean cabbage. Further, reduction of residues was measured after waterwashing, blanching and heat-cooking of the outer leaves. For chlorantraniliprole, residues in inner part and outerleaves were