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The present study aimed to evaluate the antiobesity potential and synergistic effects of ALM16, a mixture of Astragalus membranaceus (AM) and Lithospermum erythrorhizon (LE) extracts, in HFD-induced obese mice. C57BL/6 mice were fed a normal diet (ND), high-fat diet (HFD), HFD + AM, HFD + LE or HFD + ALM16 (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) daily for 5 weeks. Compared to the ND group, HFD-fed mice showed significant increases in body weight, food efficiency ratio, weights of white adipose tissues, adipocytes size, liver weight, and hepatic steatosis grade. However, ALM16 significantly reduced those increases induced by HFD. Moreover, as compared to the HFD group, the ALM16 group significantly ameliorated serum levels of lipid profiles (TG, TC, HDL, and LDL), adipokines (leptin and adiponectin), and liver damage markers (AST and ALT levels). Notably, ALM16 was more effective than AM or LE alone and had a similar or more potent effect than Garcinia cambogia extracts, as a positive control, at the same dose. These results demonstrate that ALM16 synergistically exerts anti-obesity effects based on complementary interactions between each component. Also, metabolic profiling between each extract and the ALM16 was confirmed by UPLC-QTOF/MS, and the difference was confirmed by relative quantification.

Aims: This study aimed to perform a quantitative analysis of the proteomic changes in neural cells under H2O2 exposure and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) treatment. Background: NAC is a potent antioxidant and an effective free radical scavenger that has been used as a potential treatment of several neurological disorders. Although the molecular mechanisms of neuroprotective action by NAC have been studied, more efforts are still needed for the elucidation of the mechanisms through a quantitative proteomic analysis. Objective: This study aimed to identify differentially expressed proteins among control, H2O2-treated group, and NAC+H2O2-treated group as well as reveal proteins involved in the protection of neural cells from H2O2-induced toxicity. Methods: SK-N-MC cells were untreated (control), treated with H2O2 (disease group), pretreated with NAC, and then treated with H2O2 (NAC group). Proteins were digested to peptides and analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with the data-independent acquisition. Skyline was used to quantify peptides and proteins. MSstats was used for statistical analysis. Gene ontology and protein-protein interactions were performed using the Differentially Expressed Proteins (DEPs). Results: Cytoprotective effects of NAC on the cell against H2O2-induced toxicity were first proven using a cell viability study and lactate dehydrogenase assay. The proteomic analysis found 93 DEPs in three comparisons. Among them, 37 proteins were differentially expressed under H2O2 exposure. Only 10 DEPs were rescued in the case of NAC pretreatment. Aspartate aminotransferase and L-lactate dehydrogenase B chain were two DEPs involved in the cysteine and methionine metabolism pathway, which might relate to the mechanisms of NAC protective effects. Conclusion: The findings of cell studies and proteomic analysis were in agreement with previous results, confirming the cytoprotective effects of NAC on neural cells against oxidative stress.

본 연구는 황기와 지치 복합물인 ALM16이 lipopolysaccharide 처리에 의해 자극된 RAW264.7 대식세포의 염증반응에 미치는 영향에 대하여 조사하였다. ALM16은 RAW264.7 대식세포에 대하여 최대 200 μg/mL의 농도까지 독성은 보이지 않았다. 항염증 활성을 검정하기 위해 nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) 및 pro-inflammatory cytokines 생성량을 측정한 결과, ALM16은 각각의 생성량을 농도의존적으로 감소시켰다. 또한 ALM16은 NO와 PGE2 생성에 관여하는 inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)와 cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)의 단백질 발현을 억제하였다. 한편, 항염증 활성 조절 기전을 확인하기 위하여 NK-kB의 핵으로의 이동과 DNA-binding activity 및 MAPK 신호전달 경로에 대한 ALM16의 영향을 확인한 결과, ALM16은 NF-κB의 핵으로 이동과 DNA-binding activity를 유의적으로 억제하였으며, JNK와 ERK 특이적으로 인산화를 억제함으로써 MAPK 신호전달 경로 활성을 억제하였다. 이러한 결과를 종합하여 볼 때 ALM16이 MAPK와 NF-κB의 신호전달 경로 억제를 통한 iNOS와 COX-2의 발현을 조절하고, 이로 인하여 NO, PGE2 및 pro-inflammatory cytokines의 생성이 감소하여 염증 반응을 조절하는 능력이 있는 것으로 판단된다.

The present study aimed to evaluate the potential synergistic and protective effects of ALM16, a mixture of Astragalus membranaceus (AM) and Lithospermum erythrorhizon (LE) extract in a ratio of 7 : 3, against hepatic steatosis in high fat diet (HFD)-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) mice. Forty-eight mice were randomly divided into eight groups and orally administered daily for 6 weeks with a normal diet (ND) or high fat diet alone (HFD), HFD with AM (HFD + 100 mg/kg AM extract), HFD with LE (HFD + 100 mg/kg LE extract), HFD with ALM16 (HFD + 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg ALM16), or HFD with MT (HFD + 100 mg/kg Milk thistle extract) as a positive control. ALM16 significantly decreased the body and liver weight, serum and hepatic lipid profiles, including triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL), and serum glucose levels, compared to the HFD group. Moreover, ALM16 significantly ameliorated the HFD-induced increased hepatic injury markers, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT)-1. Furthermore, as compared to the mice fed HFD alone, ALM16 increased the levels of phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (p-ACC), thereby upregulating the expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT)-1 and downregulating the expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-1c and fatty acid synthase (FAS). These results demonstrated that ALM16 markedly inhibited HFD-induced hepatic steatosis in NAFLD mice by modulating AMPK and ACC signaling pathways, and may be more effective than the single extracts of AM or LE.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a disease associated with metabolic syndromes such as diabetes and obesity, regardless of alcohol consumption, and refers to the accumulation of triacylglycerols in the liver. Thymol (THY) is a vegetable essential oil that is naturally contained in the Zingiberaceae and Lamiaceae families. THY was isolated from Curcuma longa L. The rhizomes of Curcuma longa L. were dried, sliced and extracted with 50% ethanol and then isolated through repeated column chromatography. This study was conducted to investigate the inhibitory effect of THY, even in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, in relation to the inhibiting hyperlipidemia effect of THY, which was demonstrated in previous studies. Hepatocytes were treated with oleate (OA) containing THY to observe lipid accumulation by Oil Red O staining (ORO). We also tested the effect of THY on triacylglycerols (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) in HepG2 cells. Western blot and real-time RT-PCR using sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), fatty acid synthase (FAS), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP), proliferator-activated receptor &gamma, (PPAR&gamma, ), and adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) expressions were carried out. Consequently, inhibition of lipogenesis by THY (100 &mu, M or 200 &mu, M) in NAFLD treated with OA in HepG2 cells was confirmed. The results of TG and TC experiments confirmed a decrease in the degree of fat accumulation in the liver. Furthermore, inhibition of the SREBP-1c, FAS, ACC, C/EBP and PPAR&gamma, expressions that mediated fat accumulation and increased AMPK phosphorylation was observed. Taken together, THY is proposed as a potential natural constituent for the treatment of NAFLD.

V-doped semi-insulating (VDSI) SiC crystal is a promising substrate for high-frequency electronic devices achieved using GaN epitaxial films. However, V doping in a SiC crystal is difficult to control owing to the different sublimation temperatures of VC and SiC. The amount of V changes depending on the growth sequence, which has been a significant concern in VDSI SiC substrates in terms of wafer reliability. In this study, therefore, we aimed to synthesize a single source by vaporizing Si, C, and V under the same conditions to improve the doping issue in VDSI SiC. We synthesized V-doped SiC powder as the starting material for VDSI SiC substrate based on thermodynamic modeling, and the synthesized powder was used to grow a VDSI SiC crystal via physical vapor transport. Finally, considering the homogeneous V concentration in the grown crystal, the synthesized V-doped SiC was observed to be effective to grow VDSI SiC independent of the growth sequence.

Nanoporous silicified-phospholipids assembled boron nitride (nSPLs@BN) powder was prepared and demonstrated for use in controlled release of anti-oxidant astaxanthin (AX) as a cosmetic application. The nanoporous silicified phospholipids (nSPLs) were obtained by the silicification with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) of the hydrophilic region of phospholipid bilayers. This process involved the co-assembly of chemically active phospholipid bilayers within the porous silica matrix. In addition, nSPLs@BN was characterized using several analytical techniques and tested to assess their efficiency as drug delivery systems. We calculated the maximum release amounts as a function of time and various pH. The release rate of AX from the nSPLs@BN for the initial 24 h was 10.7 μmol/(h mg) at pH 7.4. Furthermore, we determined the antioxidant activity (KD) for the released AX with DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl) radical and the result was 34.6%.

Al2O3/ZrO2 one-dimensional nanocomposite structures were synthesised by chemical vapour deposition using Al2O3 nanowires and a ZrCl4 powder source at a temperature of 800 °C and a pressure of 130 Pa. The samples were characterised using X-ray diffraction, the scanning electron microscopy, the transmission electron microscopy, and N2 adsorption–desorption. The results revealed that Al2O3/ZrO2 composite nanowires coated with surface-embedded ZrO2 nanocrystals were formed and that the ZrO2 macroporous and mesoporous structures changed as the ZrO2 deposition time increased. The pore structure and surface area were also elucidated from the N2 adsorption–desorption measurements.

Monoclinic zirconia nanowires were synthesized by chemical vapor deposition using ZrCl 4 powder as a starting material at 1200 °C and 760 Torr. Graphite was employed as a substrate, and an Au thin film was pre-deposited on the graphite as a catalyst. The zirconia nanostructure morphology was observed through scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Based on X-ray diffraction, selected area electron diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy data, the resulting crystal structure was found to be single crystalline monoclinic zirconia. The homogeneous distributions of Zr, O and Au were studied by scanning transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mapping, and there was no metal droplet at the nanowire tips despite the use of an Au metal catalyst. This result is apart from that of conventional metal catalyzed nanowires.

(Ba0.5Sr0.5)TiO3 (BST) thin films were deposited on various substrates, such as LaAlO3(100), MgO(100), R-plane sapphire[1012], and polycrystalline sapphire, by using RF magnetron sputtering to investigate the influence of annealing temperature on the dielectric properties and the tunability of the films. The BST thin films deposited on LaAlO3(100) exhibited a high tunability of 42 % and a low dielectric loss of 0.004 due to the small differences in the lattice parameters and the thermal expansion coefficients between the BST films and the substrates. In contrast, the BST films deposited on a polycrystalline sapphire, exhibiting a relatively high mismatch factor, showed the tunability of ~24 % and a dielectric loss of ~0.007. The BST thin films on LaAlO3(100), MgO(100), R-plane sapphire[1012], and polycrystalline sapphire were annealed. The optimized annealing temperatures were found to be 950 °C, 1050 °C, 1100 °C, and 1150 °C, respectively. The difference in annealing temperature is likely due to the differences in the lattice parameters and the thermal expansion coefficients between the films and the substrates.

This study examines the synthesis of SiC whisker on graphite felt through the non-catalytic VS CVD (Vapor Solid Chemical Vaporized Deposition) mechanism in order to investigate its potential as a filter to replace the conventional DPF (Diesel Particulate Filer). Since the CVD process is conducted mostly in high temperature exceeding 1000 °C, many restrictions exist in selecting the substrate. Graphite felt is a filter form of non-woven fabric. The graphite felt was selected as a suitable substrate material for this study based on the VS CVD mechanism due to its relatively low cost, high heat resistance, and high flexibility. The appropriate SiC whisker structure of the nanoscale was grown on the graphite felt that exhibited the fore-mentioned characteristics. This enhanced the filtration performance of the bare graphite felt filter more than two times without compromising the gas permeability. Additionally, thermal oxidation resistance was elevated by at least 200 °C more than the bare graphite felt, thereby indicating the transfer of a part of the desirable chemical properties of the SiC.

Numerous studies have suggested that neuronal cells are protected against oxidative stress-induced cell damage by antioxidants, such as polyphenolic compounds. Phellinus linteus (PL) has traditionally been used to treat various symptoms in East Asian countries. In the present study, we prepared an ethyl acetate extract from the fruiting bodies of PL (PLEA) using hot water extraction, ethanol precipitation, and ethyl acetate extraction. The PLEA contained polyphenols as its major chemical component, and thus, we predicted that it may exhibit antioxidant and neuroprotective effects against oxidative stress. The results showed that the pretreatment of human brain neuroblastoma SK-N-MC cells with the PLEA (0.1-5 μ g/mL) significantly and dose-dependently reduced the cytotoxicity of H 2 O 2 and the intracellular ROS levels and enhanced the expression of HO-1 (heme oxygenase-1) and antioxidant enzymes, such as CAT (catalase), GPx-1 (glutathione peroxidase-1), and SOD-1 and -2 (superoxide dismutase-1 and -2). The PLEA also directly scavenged free radicals. PLEA pretreatment also significantly attenuated DNA fragmentation and suppressed the mRNA expression and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases extracellular signal-regulated kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and p38 kinase, which are induced by oxidative stress and lead to cell death. PLEA pretreatment inhibited the activation of the apoptosis-related proteins caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. These results demonstrate that the PLEA has neuroprotective effects against oxidative stress (H 2 O 2 )–induced neuronal cell death via its antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties. PLEA should be investigated in an in vivo model on its potential to prevent or ameliorate neurodegenerative disease.

In this study, we investigated a deposition of Ge–Sb–Te (GST) and Ge–Te (GT) phase change films using GST and GT cocktail sources to improve the efficiency of multi-line chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Cocktail sources were compounded with the chemical precursors Ge(NMe2)4, Sb(iPr)3, and Te(tBu)2. We controlled experimental conditions, such as deposition and source heating temperature and the number of precursors, and measured their influence using several methods of analysis. Precursor compatibility in the chemical cocktail source was pretested by thermogravimetric analysis. In various experimental conditions, film deposition behavior was observed by plane view and cross-sectional view of scanning electron microscopy and surface roughness was observed by atomic force microscopy. The grain size of the films was analyzed using the software program Image J. The crystallinity at each deposition temperature was measured by X-ray diffraction and was supported by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Competitive deposition of the cocktail source was observed at a low deposition temperature. The origin of this phenomenon is discussed in relation to the energy of the CVD process and a solution is proposed. We suggest that this cocktail CVD concept might be a new approach to multi-element deposition in memory processes.

Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer has been traditionally consumed to prevent or treat various medical disorders due to its diverse health benefits. Polysaccharides isolated from Panax ginseng have been known to possess various pharmacological activities, including immune modulating, anti-diabetic, and anti-obesity properties. Despite the increasing number of reports on the bioactivities of ginseng polysaccharides, little is known regarding the medicinal potential of ginseng-derived oligosaccharides. In this study, we prepared a lower-molecular weight oligosaccharide (GOS, MW. 2.2kDa) from ginseng polysaccharides (MW. 11-605kDa) by enzymatic degradation and evaluated for its immunostimulating activities in RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells. GOS was shown to be a glucan type oligosaccharide mainly containing glucose residues (97.48 in molar %). Treatment with GOS (100-500μg/ml) dose-dependently enhanced the production of TNF-α, IL-6, and NO in RAW 264.7 cells. Western blot analysis indicated that GOS dose-dependently induced the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38, and nuclear factor κB (NFκB), which are upstream signalling molecules for cytokine production. While GOS was not cytotoxic to the RAW 264.7 macrophage cells at the concentration tested (up to 1000μg/ml), when B16F10 melanoma cells were co-cultured with the GOS-activated macrophages, the cell viability of melanoma cells was dose-dependently decreased through the induction of apoptotic cell death. Taken together, these results suggested that ginseng marc-derived GOS has anti-cancer activity in vitro against melanoma cells by potentiating macrophage function.

From the complexity system theory, City is dynamic system which has evolved through evolution and adaptation in initial conditions and different situation. So people's active should involve in decision-making processes in the urban planning. And this suggests that responding to the demands of its citizens are important factors influencing the process of urban planning. The implications of this study are following: using big data helps people understand current social phenomena. Specifically, it figured out latent needs of citizens that traditional survey methods could not before. we can make the most of new opportunities given by digital data and prevent potential dangers in advance. They are complementary and do not replace one another.

The purpose of this study is to elucidate the isomeric conversion of glucose to fructose using defatted microalga Dunaliella tertiolecta and Botryococcus braunii. Optimal temperature for immobilized-GI (Imm-GI) activity was determined to be 60 °C. Under optimal conditions, glucose liberated from the defatted microalgal biomasses was ketoisomerically converted to fructose in time dependent manner, identified by high performance anion-exchange chromatography equipped with a pulsed electrochemical detector (HPAEC-PED). The specific activity of Imm-GI toward sugars of microalgal biomasses was determined to be 0.69 mmol/mg for B. braunii and 0.83 mmol/mg for D. tertiolecta, respectively. The calculated value for Imm-GI for the apparent equilibrium constant, K ′ eq = 0.96 ± 0.03 , at pH 6.0 and at optimum temperature 60 °C. Collectively, our proposed approach first demonstrates the contributions and potential applications of Imm-GI for the isomeric conversion of glucose liberated from defatted microalgal biomasses as a major monosaccharide to fructose.

We fabricated a composite cordierite pore structure with alumina (Al2O3) nanowires by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. The Al2O3 nanowires were grown in a horizontal Al2O3 tube furnace by CVD using an aluminum (Al) powder source without the use of any catalysts at a temperature of 1200°C and a pressure of 0.27 kPa. The source evaporation region was at the center of the furnace, and the nanowire deposition region was at the rear of the furnace. By the transport of evaporated species by a carrier gas, nanowires grew in the inner pores of the cordierite filter region at the rear of the furnace at 1200°C, while nanowires did not grow in the center region at 1400°C. We performed nanowire deposition as a function of the deposition time and determined the relationship between the deposition time and BET surface area.

In this article, the growth of Te-rich SbTe nanowires inside the trench structure for phase change random access memory (PCRAM) was investigated using a modified atomic vapor deposition system. On the basis of understanding the film formation process and the kinetic parameters related to the boundary layer model, overall experimental conditions such as gas flow rate, working pressure, deposition temperature, and precursor injection fraction were controlled and analyzed to grow nanowires instead of thin films. The deposition behaviors were observed by top-view and cross-sectional SEM. Te-rich SbTe nanowires of well-ordered and even size were obtained on the trench structure as a template for growth despite not using any metallic catalysts. The crystallinity of the nanowires was confirmed by XRD and TEM. We expect that this work will provide a way to overcome the difficulty of filling nano-scale trenches by a conventional film deposition method.

SiC and ZrC are critical and essential materials in TRISO coated fuel particles since they act as protective layers against the diffusion of metallic and gaseous fission products and provide mechanical strength for the fuel particles. However, SiC and ZrC have critical disadvantages in that SiC loses its chemical integrity by thermal dissociation at high temperature and the mechanical properties of ZrC are weaker than those of SiC. In order to address these problems, we made new combinations of ZrC coating layers and deposited them on SiC using a chemical vapor deposition process. We varied the growth temperature to optimize the growth conditions and analyzed the changes of the microstructure, chemical composition, and mechanical properties of the ZrC films. The deposition temperature was varied from 1200 to 1500 °C and ZrC changed from a whisker structure to a film at a temperature of 1400 °C. The preferred orientation was changed from the (111) plane to (220) and the chemical composition became stoichiometric. Also, the hardness and elastic modulus of ZrC increased when it was deposited at a higher temperature.

(1) Background: Panax ginseng root is one of the most important herbal products, and the profiling of ginsenosides is critical for the quality control of ginseng roots at different ages in the herbal markets. Furthermore, interest in assessing the contents as well as the localization of biological compounds has been growing. The objective of this study is to carry out the mass spectrometry (MS)-based profiling and imaging of ginsenosides to assess ginseng roots at different ages; (2) Methods: Optimal ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time of flight/MS (UPLC-QTOF/MS) was used to profile various ginsenosides from P. ginseng roots. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI)-time of flight (TOF)/MS-based imaging was also optimized to visualize ginsenosides in ginseng roots; (3) Results: UPLC-QTOF/MS was used to profile 30 ginsenosides with high mass accuracy, with an in-house library constructed for the fast and exact identification of ginsenosides. Using this method, the levels of 14 ginsenosides were assessed in P. ginseng roots cultivated for 4, 5, and 6 years. The optimal MALDI-imaging MS (IMS) was also applied to visualize the 14 ginsenosides in ginseng roots. As a result, the MSI cross sections showed the localization of 4 ginsenoside ions ([M + K](+)) in P. ginseng roots at different ages; (4) Conclusions: The contents and localization of various ginsenosides differ depending on the cultivation years of P. ginseng roots. Furthermore, this study demonstrated the utility of MS-based profiling and imaging of ginsenosides for the quality control of ginseng roots.

Aims Despite recent advances in prostate cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, the overall survival rate still remains low. This study was aimed to assess potential anti-cancer activity of maysin, a major flavonoid of corn silk (CS, Zea mays L.), in androgen-independent human prostate cancer cells (PC-3). Main methods Maysin was isolated from CS of Kwangpyeongok, a Korean hybrid corn, via methanol extraction and preparative C 18 reverse phase column chromatography. Maysin cytotoxicity was determined by either monitoring cell viability in various cancer cell lines by MTT assay or morphological changes. Apoptotic cell death was assessed by annexin V-FITC/PI double staining, depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), expression levels of Bcl-2 and pro-caspase-3 and by terminal transferase mediated dUTP-fluorescein nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. Underlying mechanism in maysin-induced apoptosis of PC-3 cells was explored by evaluating its effects on Akt and ERK pathway. Key findings Maysin dose-dependently reduced the PC-3 cell viability, with an 87% reduction at 200 μg/ml. Maysin treatment significantly induced apoptotic cell death, DNA fragmentation, depolarization of MMP, and reduction in Bcl-2 and pro-caspase-3 expression levels. Maysin also significantly attenuated phosphorylation of Akt and ERK. A combined treatment with maysin and other known anti-cancer agents, including 5-FU, etoposide, cisplatin, or camptothecin, synergistically enhanced PC-3 cell death. Significance These results suggested for the first time that maysin inhibits the PC-3 cancer cell growth via stimulation of mitochondria-dependent apoptotic cell death and may have a strong therapeutic potential for the treatment of either chemo-resistant or androgen-independent human prostate cancer.