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Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture, a treatment that injects Hominis placenta extract into acupoints, has been suggested in the literature and researches that it could be used for cognitive decline. We experienced a case of mild neurocognitive disorder treated with Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture. Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture could be a possible treatment modality producing substantial clinical result in cognitive function which is assessed with Mini-Mental State Examination-Dementia Screening (MMSE-DS), Korean Version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-K), and Korean-Dementia Rating Scale (K-DRS). A 84-year-old man with mild neurocognitive disorder received Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture on GV20, CV12, and bilateral ST36 for a month. The results of neuropsychological examination showed increase in scores after treatment of Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture. Before treatment, they were 15 points for MoCA-K, and 120 points for K-DRS (7.6%), but after treatment, they elevated by 21 points for MoCA-K and 137 points for K-DRS (100%). MMSE-DS score was 28 points, unchanged before and after treatment. It did not cause any side-effect. Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture could be a safe option for treating mild neurocognitive disorder.

Background Gyejibokryeong-hwan (GBH) is an herbal medicine composed of five herbs. It has been widely used to treat gynaecological diseases in traditional East Asian medicine. Recent animal studies suggest antidepressant effects of GBH. In this trial, we explore the efficacy and safety of GBH in patients with major depressive disorder and to identify the optimal dose for the next phase III trial. Methods This trial will enrol 126 patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder and not treated with antidepressants. Participants will be randomised to receive a high or a low dose of GBH or placebo granules. The study drugs will be administered three times a day, for 8 weeks. The 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) will be used to measure the severity of depressive symptoms at weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12. The primary efficacy endpoint is the change from baseline in HDRS-17 total score post-treatment at week 8. Analysis of covariance will be based on the baseline HDRS-17 total score and site as the covariates. Safety assessment will be based on the frequency of adverse events. The severity and causality of the study drug will be assessed. Discussion This study is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of GBH granules compared with placebo in patients with major depressive disorder. Trial registration Clinical Research Information Service KCT0004417. Registered on November 1, 2019 (prospective registration)

Background Huanglian-jie-du (HJD) granule, which is composed of representative “heat-clearing” herbs has been used for Hwa-byung. Hwa-byung is a culture-bound syndrome in Korea, characterized by distinct somatic symptoms such as chest congestion and heat sensation resulting from suppressed anger. We investigated the effect of HJD in patients with Hwa-byung. Methods Forty-four patients with Hwa-byung were recruited, and HJD or placebo granules were administered orally three times daily for seven days. The two primary outcomes were somatic symptoms, which were measured by Patient Health Questionnaire of physical symptoms (PHQ-15), and insomnia, which was measured by Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) at post-treatment. Results Between July 10 and October 31, 2017, 44 patients with Hwa-byung (mean age 36.68 years; and 38 female) were randomly assigned to HJD (n = 22) or placebo (n = 22) group. After administration of HJD or placebo granule for seven days, ISI score was lower in the HJD group compared to placebo group at post-treatment (adjusted mean difference -2.56 [95% CI -4.72 to -0.39], p = 0.0208). Meanwhile, there was no difference in PHQ-15 score between HJD group and placebo group at post-treatment (adjusted mean difference -0.50 [95% CI: -3.02–4.02], p = 0.7812). Conclusions Our results suggest that the administration of HJD granule has a potential to improve insomnia in Hwa-byung patients. Effect of HJD granule for general somatic symptoms in Hwa-byung patients is unclear, and further researches are needed. Trial registration Clinical Research Information Service, KCT0002379.

In this study, we aimed to control the drug release rate from calcium phosphate-alginate (CaP-Alg) core-shell nanoparticle (NPs) using CaP phases (brushite (DCPD) [Bru] and hydroxyapatite [HA]) generated under different pH conditions. Core-shell NPs consisted of an inorganic CaP core and an organic Alg shell and were synthesized by the water-in-oil emulsification and precipitation method. CaP-Alg NPs were synthesized under different pH conditions, resulting in the mineralization of CaP with Bru and HA in the core region of core-shell NPs. Albumin-fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugate (FITC-BSA) was used as a model drug for in-vitro drug release studies. CaP-Alg (Bru-Alg and HA-Alg) NPs exhibited a higher loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency than Ca-Alg NPs. The release behavior of synthesized core-shell NPs showed different patterns due to the pH-sensitivity of Alg and CaP. At physiological pH, Ca-Alg NPs exhibited an initial burst release behavior, while CaP-Alg showed controlled release behavior. Our results demonstrate that HA-Alg NPs are more suitable for controlled intracellular delivery while Bru-Alg NPs are more suitable for extracellular compartment delivery. Therefore, CaP-Alg NPs could be potential candidates for controlled gene and biomolecule delivery into cells for therapeutic purposes.

Objectives: Pharmacopuncture is a treatment that medicinal fluid including herbal extract is injected in body under qi/flavor theory and meridian theories. There are a number of studies investigating the efficacy of pharmacopuncture for cervicogenic dizziness but its usage differs in each study. This study aimed to review previous studies of pharmacopuncture treatment for cervicogenic dizziness to navigate the direction of improvement. Methods: Literature review was conducted on studies aimed at pharmacopuncture for cervicogenic dizziness. The randomized controlled studies which assessed the efficacy of pharmacopuncture on cervicogenic dizziness were selected. The studies were searched in Pubmed, RISS, OASIS and CNKI. After selecting eligible studies, the authors read the articles and summarized the points those are necessary in pharmacopuncture treatment for cervicogenic dizziness. Results: Twenty seven studies and 2,709 participants were included. The diverse solutions were used and the most popular were Salvia miltiorrhiza, Angelica gigas, a compound in Gastrodia elata, Panax notoginseng saponins. Some studies investigated the efficacy of conventional medical compounds (lidocaine, vitamin B, dexamethasone) injected in acupoints. Adopting acupoints and combining with body acupuncture have shown the tendency to enhance the cure rate. Pharmacopuncture could improve the efficacy of conventional treatment for cervicogenic dizziness. Conclusion: As the solution and injection method varies, principles of pharmacopuncture for dizziness should be investigated.

Tetragonia tetragonioides, which is a halophyte and grows widely in Asian-Pacific regions, has been used for the treatment of digestive disorders in traditional oriental medicine. This study examined the potential antidepressant effect of Tetragonia tetragonioides in an astroglial degeneration model of depression, which was established based on the postmortem study of depressive patients’ brain presenting diminished astrocytes in the prefrontal cortex. C57BL/6 male mice were exposed to glial ablation in the prefrontal cortex by the administration of the gliotoxin, L-alpha-aminoadipic acid (L-AAA) to induce depression. Tetragonia tetragonioides at doses of 100 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg, imipramine at a dose of 15 mg/kg, and distilled water were orally administrated to mice for 18 days. Behavioral tests including the open field test (OFT), sucrose preference test (SPT), forced swimming test (FST), and tail suspension test (TST) were carried out after 2 days of L-AAA injection. The expression levels of GFAP and NeuN in the prefrontal cortex were determined by immunohistochemistry. Mice subjected to glial ablation in the prefrontal cortex displayed decreased sucrose consumption in SPT and increased immobility time in FST and TST. Treatment with imipramine and Tetragonia tetragonioides remarkably ameliorated the behavioral despair induced by L-AAA. In addition, immunohistochemistry analysis showed that treatment with Tetragonia tetragonioides significantly restored the glial loss as indicated by the elevated GFAP expression level. These findings suggest that Tetragonia tetragonioides exerts an antidepressant effect through the restoration of glial loss under conditions of depression and can be a candidate for an antidepressant agent.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder presenting cognitive decline accompanied by deposits of amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau hyperphosphorylation. Without current treatment to AD, many studies suggested diverse approaches, one of which was herbal medicine and its active compounds. Very few studies have examined the effect of Lindera glauca Blume (L. glauca) in models of degenerative disease despite the attention that it received as a novel potential treatment source. We examined the efficacy of L. glauca in a mouse model of AD, which was induced by intrahippocampal injection of AβMice were intrahippocampally infused with AβL. glauca exhibited beneficial effects in spatial and reference learning as shown in increased time spent in the target quadrant in Morris water maze and increased spontaneous alternation in Y-maze. At the same time, decline of Aβ burden and phosphorylated tau were observed in the hippocampus of L. glauca-treated mouse under intrahippocampal injection of AβL. glauca improves behavioral deficits induced by Aβ

Background Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder presenting cognitive decline accompanied by deposits of amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau hyperphosphorylation. Without current treatment to AD, many studies suggested diverse approaches, one of which was herbal medicine and its active compounds. Very few studies have examined the effect of Lindera glauca Blume (L. glauca) in models of degenerative disease despite the attention that it received as a novel potential treatment source. We examined the efficacy of L. glauca in a mouse model of AD, which was induced by intrahippocampal injection of Aβ1–42. Methods Mice were intrahippocampally infused with Aβ1–42 and were orally administered ethanolic extract of L.glauca before and after infusion for 21 days. Y-maze test and Morris water maze was conducted to assess memory impairment. Immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis were performed to assess the effect of L. glauca administration on pathological changes in mice. Results L. glauca exhibited beneficial effects in spatial and reference learning as shown in increased time spent in the target quadrant in Morris water maze and increased spontaneous alternation in Y-maze. At the same time, decline of Aβ burden and phosphorylated tau were observed in the hippocampus of L. glauca-treated mouse under intrahippocampal injection of Aβ1–42. The results corresponded with amelioration of the decreased neuronal marker, neuronal-specific nuclear protein (NeuN) and attenuation of the increased reactive astrocyte marker, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels in hippocampus. Additionally, 21-day treatment with L. glauca inhibited downregulation of phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein (p-CREB) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. Conclusion L. glauca improves behavioral deficits induced by Aβ1–42 and inhibits both Aβ- and tau-related pathological changes, stimulating neuroprotection mediated by CREB activation. L. glauca can be suggested as a new candidate for treatment of AD.

Background Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, which may lead to severe memory loss and other cognitive disorders. Yukmijihwang-tang (YMJ), a type of Korean traditional herbal medicine, has been shown to be effective against neurodegenerative diseases. Although a meta-analysis on the efficacy of YMJ on AD exists, the study had some limitations, and there have been several newly published studies assessing the effect of YMJ. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of YMJ as a treatment for AD through a meta-analysis. Methods A systematic search of the following electronic databases will be conducted to identify eligible studies: MEDLINE (PubMed), Elsevier (EMBASE), The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Korean Medical Database (KMBASE), Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System (OASIS), Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal, Citation Information by NII (CiNii), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). All randomized controlled trials assessing the efficacy and safety of YMJ on the symptoms of AD will be included. Two independent reviewers will perform article retrieval, deduplication, data screening, data extraction, quality evaluation, and data analyses using RevMan version 5.4. The Cochrane risk of bias tool will be used to assess the quality of the trials. Results This study will provide synthesis of the cognitive function measured with neuropsychological tests, behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), and activities of daily living (ADL) measured using validated scales. The clinical effective rate and adverse events will also be analyzed to assess the efficacy and safety of YMJ for treating AD. Conclusion This systematic review will provide evidence for the efficacy and safety of YMJ in AD. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval is not required because individual patient data will not be included in this study. The study findings will be disseminated through conference presentations.

Background Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is defined as a decline in cognitive state with preservation of activities of daily living. Medications such as donepezil and rivastigmine have been commonly prescribed for MCI, but their use is controversial. Acupuncture has been widely used in Korea and has been shown to improve cognitive function. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture for MCI and investigate the effect of acupuncture on structural and functional brain changes in patients with MCI. Methods This study is a randomized, assessor-blinded, sham-controlled trial. Fifty participants with MCI will be randomly assigned to the acupuncture group (n = 25) or sham acupuncture group (n = 25). The acupuncture group will receive acupuncture treatment at nine acupuncture points (GV20, EX-HN1, bilateral LI4, and ST36) twice a week for 12 weeks. The sham acupuncture group will receive sham acupuncture treatment at the same points with non-penetrating sham needles. Both groups will be restricted from all other treatments for the improvement of cognitive function. The primary outcome measure is the Digit Span Test (DST). The secondary outcome measures are the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Korean version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-K), Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery-II (SNSB-II), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), working memory (WM) task performance score, and structural/functional brain changes. Outcomes will be assessed at screening, baseline, 4 and 8 weeks, and after the end of treatment. We will also observe adverse events. In the statistical analysis, a full analysis set and per-protocol analysis will be performed. Discussion This randomized clinical trial aims to examine the efficacy of acupuncture treatment for MCI. Neuropsychological tests, psychological inventories for measuring depression and anxiety, and magnetic resonance imaging will be performed to investigate the underlying neurological mechanisms and the association between cognition, emotion, and brain networks following acupuncture treatment. The results of the trial will provide evidence supporting the efficacy of acupuncture and also add to the neurobiological understanding of acupuncture treatment for MCI. Trial registration Clinical Research Information Service, KCT0002896. Registered on 25 May 2018. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13063-019-3446-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Organizational structure and responsibilities. (DOCX 17 kb)

Introduction Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is cognitive decline which can be observed in a wide range of cognitive domains. It is considered as a prodromal stage of dementia; therefore, strategies for treatment are necessary, but current evidence is limited. Combining the memory enhancing effect of Hominis placenta (H placenta) and acupuncture elucidated separately in previous studies, efficacy of H placenta pharmacopuncture for treating MCI is anticipated. Methods Thirty participants will be recruited. Male and female adults aged 50 to 80 who voluntarily participate in the trial, are diagnosed with MCI according to diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders-5 criteria, and have a Clinical Dementia Rating score 0.5 will be enrolled. Participants who meet the criteria will be randomly allocated to either pharmacopuncture group or control group. Participants will undergo H placenta pharmacopuncture or saline pharmacopuncture in GV20, ST36, and CV12 twice weekly for 8 weeks and will be evaluated a month after the last treatment. Primary outcome will be difference in mean change of Korean version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores between intervention group and control group. Cognition, mood, sleep quality and quality of life will be also assessed using other neuropsychological tests and questionnaires regarding depression, anxiety, sleep and quality of life. Discussion Evaluating the efficacy and safety data obtained by assessing diverse aspects of patients with MCI will broaden the scope of MCI management and prevention of dementia progression. Trial registration Clinical Research Information Service (KCT0005368), Registered 02 Sep 2020, https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/en/search/search_result_st01.jsp?seq=16425.

Introduction An increasing number of cancer patients, including those with lung cancer, use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in addition to their cancer treatment. As qualitative studies documenting the quality of life (QoL) of lung cancer patients using CAM is limited, this study focused on exploring perceived changes in QoL of lung cancer patients following their experiences of CAM treatment. Methods In 2013, in-depth semi-structured tape recorded interviews were conducted with 15 Korean lung cancer patients who had reported a CAM treatment experiences in a Korean medical hospital specializing in cancer. The transcriptions were analyzed using NVivo10, and patients’ experience of cancer was investigated using van Manen’s four fundamental existential categories which relate to lifeworld experiences. Results Patients exhibited the greatest change in two of the categories; ‘lived body’ and ‘lived relations’. Three final themes were identified, ‘loss of self’, ‘being the same as before’, and ‘revitalization’. Cancer diagnosis accelerated the loss of ‘self’ but also gave patients a chance to concentrate on and regain ‘self’. Participants demonstrated that ‘being the same as before’ was the most important factor for quality of life and also for treatment decisions. CAM treatment was deemed acceptable when the patients felt revitalized and they were able to live as before and when they were respected. Conclusion As CAM gave a chance for patients to concentrate on ‘self’ and regain the will to continue with treatment, CAM potentially improves lung cancer patients’ QoL. Effective application of CAM during cancer treatment should be investigated.

Evidence-based medicine (EBM) has dominated mainstream medicine over the last two decades. There has also been a continuous effort to establish the evidence-base of Korean medicine in various fields. The attitudes and perceptions of neuropsychiatry (NP) residents regarding EBM were investigated to ensure their ability to keep abreast of the progress in the field of medicine. We distributed a questionnaire to all of the residents in all of the Korean medical hospitals in Korea (n = 388). The questionnaire consists of both quantitative and qualitative questions. The overall response rate is 68.30 % (n = 265), while the response rate of the NP residents is 84.84 % (n = 28). The NP residents generally expressed unwelcoming attitudes toward EBM, perceiving it as less necessary compared with the residents of other specialties; the NP residents also had a poor understanding of the basic knowledge that is required to read papers. In a qualitative study, three categories and four themes were identified regarding the advantages of the application of EBM in Korean medicine, while two categories and six themes were identified regarding the barriers that hamper evidence-based practice in Korean medicine. In terms of the acceptance of new evidence, the NP residents lacked both skill and knowledge; the key underpinning factor here is a perceived uselessness. The factors that have formed this tendency should be considered during the formulation of a desirable model of NP practice.

Background: Although memory loss and other symptoms of dementia pose tremendous burdens on patients and societies, there is currently no cure for dementia. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the anti-dementia effects of Danggui-Shaoyao-San (DSS), which is derived from natural resources. We searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from inception to June 2019. We searched PubMed, Embase, Korean databases (Research Information Service System and Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System), Chinese databases (China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database and Wanfang Database), and Japanese databases (CiNii and J-STAGE). Studies were included if they were a RCT, investigated the efficacy of DSS or its modified form, and included participants with dementia. Use of DSS with other treatment (eg, acupuncture, anti-dementia drugs, etc) was included. Items of each trial were evaluated by 2 independent reviewers. Data were pooled by using random-effect models. Results: A total of 482 studies were identified, and 5 eligible studies for Alzheimer disease (AD) and 4 studies for vascular dementia (VD) were included in the final analysis, representing a total of 567 participants. As for AD, pooled results of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) (mean differences [MD] 4.60; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.29, 4.91) and activities of daily living (MD 11.40; 95% CI 10.94, 11.86) favored DSS. DSS had synergistic effect with acupuncture over acupuncture alone in MMSE (MD 1.69; 95% CI 1.05, 2.34), Hasegawa Dementia Scale (MD.62; 95% CI –0.20, 1.44), and activities of daily living (MD 2.38; 95% CI 1.92, 2.85). In VD, pooled results showed a significant difference in the score of dementia scales such as MMSE and Hasegawa Dementia Scale compared with nootropic drugs. DSS significantly reduced symptoms (odds ratio 5.02, 95%, CI 2.76–9.11) in patients with VD. The respective size of each RCTs was small and some included studies were of low quality due to their limited description on methodological issues. Conclusion: These estimates suggest that DSS provides clinically important reductions in symptoms of AD and VD and can be a promising anti-dementia drug candidate.

Background Depression is a common neuropsychiatric disease that shows astrocyte pathology. Ginsenoside Rf (G-Rf) is a saponin found in Panax ginseng which has been used to treat neuropsychiatric diseases. We aimed to investigate antidepressant properties of G-Rf when introduced into the L-alpha-aminoadipic acid (L-AAA)–infused mice model which is representative of a major depressive disorder that features diminished astrocytes in the brain. Methods L-AAA was infused into the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of mice to induce decrease of astrocytes. Mice were orally administered G-Rf (20 mg/kg) as well as vehicle only or imipramine (20 mg/kg) as controls. Depression-like behavior of mice was evaluated using forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST). We observed recovery of astroglial impairment and increased proliferative cells in the PFC and its accompanied change in the hippocampus by Western blot and immunohistochemistry to assess the effect of G-Rf. Results After injection of L-AAA into the PFC, mice showed increased immobility time in FST and TST and loss of astrocytes without significant neuronal change in the PFC. G-Rf–treated mice displayed significantly more decreased immobility time in FST and TST than did vehicle-treated mice, and their immobility time almost recovered to those of the sham mice and imipramine-treated mice. G-Rf upregulated glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression and Ki-67 expression in the PFC reduced by L-AAA and also alleviated astroglial change in the hippocampus. Conclusion G-Rf markedly reversed depression-like behavioral changes and exhibited protective effect against the astrocyte ablation in the PFC induced by L-AAA. These protective properties suggest that G-Rf might be a therapeutic agent for major depressive disorders.

Objectives The present study aimed to investigate the antidepressant effect of the traditional Korean medical pharmacopuncture, Liver Qi Depression (HJ11), in a mouse model of depression induced by exposure to chronic immobilization stress (CIS). Methods Mice were subjected to 2 hours of immobilization stress daily for 14 days. They were also injected with distilled water (DW) (CIS + DW) or HJ11 at the acupoints HT7, SP6, and GV20 (CIS + HJ11) an hour before stress. The positive control group (CIS + paroxetine) was intraperitoneally injected with paroxetine (10 mg/kg, 14 days). The tail suspension test and the forced swimming test were performed to assess depression-like behaviors. Western blotting was also conducted to seek the change in brain. Results CIS + DW mice showed significantly longer immobile times in the tail suspension test and forced swimming test than sham mice that did not go through daily restraint. Immobility of CIS + HJ11 and that of CIS + paroxetine mice was significantly decreased compared with immobility of CIS + DW mice. Immunoblotting showed that HJ11 increased the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor both in the hippocampus and the amygdala. Conclusion HJ11 improves depressive-like behaviors in the stress-induced mouse model of depression, and the results indicate that the neuroprotective effect of HJ11, identified by brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression, may play a critical role in its antidepressant effect.

Introduction Increasing numbers of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners are interested in evidence-based medicine (EBM). Researchers are in need of further information regarding the current status of CAM practitioners knowledge and use of EBM. Methods and materials A questionnaire survey was distributed in July 2010 to all Korean medical doctors ( n = 388) practising in traditional Korean medicine (TKM) hospitals in Korea. Results The response rate was 68.30% ( n = 265). Respondents tended to have a positive attitude towards EBM. Although 86% of respondents had used general databases in the previous year, they demonstrated a low level of awareness of relevant information sources and basic technical terms. Many respondents thought that applying EBM would make it easier for them to explain their treatment, progress, and prognosis to patients (26%). The majority perceived barriers to practicing EBM included differences in the fundamental concepts of EBM and CAM (30%), lack of evidence (16%) and lack of time (15%). Development of guidelines and protocols (36%) was the most appropriate method of application of EBM. Conclusion CAM practitioners were rather welcoming of EBM but the advantage that they expect from EBM is in contrast to previous research on the use of EBM among practitioners and patients in biomedicine. A high percentage of practitioners had access to general bibliographic databases but failed to know how to apply it. This was the biggest perceived barrier and is another distinctive feature of CAM practitioners. The development of CAM guidelines and protocols are urgently required. This article belongs to the Special Issue: Clinical Guidelines.

In vitro bone tissue development requires mimicking the in vivo bone environment, as well as a suitable combination of cells and scaffold for optimal results. We developed heterogeneous multilayered gelatin scaffolds with diverse compositions of porous structures by using a stacking procedure in which each layer had a different pore size depending on the gelatin concentration used. We then used these gelatin scaffolds to investigate the in vitro effect of varying porous structural compositions on the diffusion characteristics and cellular activity of MC3T3-E1 cells. We have shown that multilayered scaffolds with a larger pore size on the outer layers exhibited enhanced diffusion characteristics such as the diffusion coefficient compared to other scaffolds, including single-layered scaffolds with single pore size and multilayered scaffolds with a smaller pore size on the outer layers. Moreover, multilayered scaffolds with a larger pore size on the outer layers promoted cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 preosteoblast cells by providing a favorable environment for the cells within the tissue-engineered scaffold. Open image in new window

New electroluminescent copolymers with BT units in the PCPP backbone, poly(4,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-4H-cyclopenta[def]phenanthrene)-co-poly(2,1,3-benzothiadiazole) (PCPPBTs), have been synthesized by the Suzuki coupling reaction. The BT units were introduced on the PCPP backbone to affect a red-shifted color change and to increase the electron affinities of the copolymers. The PCPPBTs exhibited absorption spectra with maximum peaks at 330−431 nm in THF solution and at 337−445 nm in the solid film state. In the PL spectra were two emission peaks at around 400 and 530 nm in solution and at 510−535 nm in thin film. The PL characteristics of these copolymers could possibly be influenced by two competing effects: Forster energy transfer and the intramolecular charge transfer. The HOMO energy levels of the copolymers were approximately −5.89 to −5.96 eV, and the LUMO energy levels were about −3.33 to −3.50 eV. The polymer LEDs (ITO/PEDOT/polymer/Ca:Al) of PCPPBTs showed emissions with maximum peaks at 508−528 nm. ...

New poly(cyclopenta[def]phenanthrene) (PCPP)-based conjugated copolymers, containing carbazole units as pendants, were prepared as the electroluminescent (EL) layer in light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to show that most of them have higher maximum brightness and EL efficiency. The prepared polymers, Poly(2,6-(4-(6-(N-carbazolyl)-hexyl)-4-octyl-4H-cyclopenta[def]phenanthrene)) (CzPCPP10) and Poly(2,6-(4-(6-(N-carbazol-yl)-hexyl)-4-octyl-4H-cyclopenta[def]phenanthrene))-co-(2,6-(4,4-dioctyl-4H-cyclopenta[def]phenanthrene)) (CzPCPP7 and CzPCPP5), were soluble in common organic solvents and used as the EL layer in light-emitting diodes (LEDs) of configuration with ITO/PEDOT/polymer/Ca/Al device. The polymers are thermally stable with glass transition temperature (Tg) at 77-100 °C and decomposition temperature (T d ) at 423-457 °C. The studies of cyclic voltammetry indicated same HOME levels in all polymers, although the ratios of carbazole units are different. In case of PLEDs with configuration of ITO/PEDOT/CzPCPPs/Ca/Al device, The EL maximum peaks were around 450 nm, which the turn-on voltages were about 6.0-6.5 V. The maximum luminescence of PLEDs using CzPCPP10 was over 4400 cd/m 2 at 6.5 V, which all of the maximum EL efficiency were 0.12 cd/A. The CIE coordinates of the EL spectrum of PLEDs using CzPCPPIO was (0.18, 0.08), which are quite close to that of the standard blue (0.14, 0.08) of NTSC.

The performance of several differently treated clinoptilolite zeolites in the degradation of polypropylene was investigated in this study. The composition of degradation products, especially liquid fractions resulted over studied catalysts, was compared to understand the role of catalysts. The degradation was carried out in a semi-batch reactor with a mixture of polypropylene and catalysts at 400 °C. The liquid products from the catalytic degradation of polypropylene are distributed in a narrower range of carbon numbers compared with those obtained by thermal degradation. With dealuminated clinoptilolite catalysts, the distribution of liquid products shifted to lower numbers of carbon atoms due to the increase of the portion of medium acid sites and micropore diameter. The increase of temperature accelerated the cracking of intermediately degraded fragments to lower hydrocarbons.

The COP9 (constitutive photomorphogenic) signalosome (CSN), composed of eight subunits, is a highly conserved protein complex that regulates processes such as cell cycle progression and kinase signalling. Previously, we found the expression of the COP9 constitutive photomorphogenic homolog subunit 3 (CSN3) and subunit 5 (CSN5) changes as oocytes mature for the first time, and there is no report regarding roles of COP9 in the mammalian oocytes. Therefore, in the present study, we examined the effects of RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated transient knockdown of each subunit on the meiotic cell cycle in mice oocytes. Following knockdown of either CSN3 or CSN5, oocytes failed to complete meiosis I. These arrested oocytes exhibited a disrupted meiotic spindle and misarranged chromosomes. Moreover, down-regulation of each subunit disrupted the activity of maturation-promoting factor (MPF) and concurrently reduced degradation of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) substrates Cyclin B1 and Securin. Our data suggest that the CSN3 and CSN5 are involved in oocyte meiosis by regulating degradation of Cyclin B1 and Securin via APC/C.

New light-emitting PCPP derivatives, poly(4,4-bis{4-[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]phenyl}-4 H -cyclopenta[ def ]phen- anthrene) (BEHP-PCPP), with stabilized blue emission is reported. The OLED with the configuration of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/BEHPPCPP/ Ca/Al generates EL emission with maximum peak at 430 nm, low turn-on voltage (9V), and CIE coordinates ( x = 0.19, y = 0.15) for the blue color without any filtering. The maximum brightness of the OLEDs using BEHP-PCPP was 1034 cd/m 2 at 15 V. The maximum luminescence efficiency of the polymer LEDs with BEHP-PCPP was 0.21 cd/A at 617 mA/cm 2 .

Objective Previously, we identified that transketolase (Tkt), an important enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway, is highly expressed at 2 hours of spontaneous maturation in oocytes. Therefore, this study was performed to determine the function of Tkt in meiotic cell cycle regulation, especially at the point of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). Methods We evaluated the loss-of-function of Tkt by microinjecting Tkt double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) into germinal vesicle-stage oocytes, and the oocytes were cultured in vitro to evaluate phenotypic changes during oocyte maturation. In addition to maturation rates, meiotic spindle and chromosome rearrangements, and changes in expression of other enzymes in the pentose phosphate pathway were determined after Tkt RNA interference (RNAi). Results Despite the complete and specific knockdown of Tkt expression, GVBD occurred and meiosis was arrested at the metaphase I (MI) stage. The arrested oocytes exhibited spindle loss, chromosomal aggregation, and declined maturation promoting factor and mitogen-activated protein kinase activities. The modified expression of two enzymes in the pentose phosphate pathway, Prps1 and Rbks, after Tkt RNAi and decreased maturation rates were amended when ribose-5-phosphate was supplemented in the culture medium, suggesting that the Tkt and pentose phosphate pathway are important for the maturation process. Conclusion We concluded that Tkt and its associated pentose phosphate pathway play an important role in the MI-MII transition of the oocytes' meiotic cell cycle, but not in the process of GVBD.