Ginsenoside Rb1 increases macrophage phagocytosis through p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase/Akt pathway.

Background: Ginsenoside Rb1, a triterpene saponin, is derived from the root and has potent antiinflammatory activity. In this study, we determined if Rb1 can increase macrophage phagocytosis and elucidated the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: To measure macrophage phagocytosis, mouse peritoneal macrophages or RAW 264.

In-Situ Catalytic Pyrolysis of Dealkaline Lignin Over MMZ-Hβ.

In-Situ catalytic pyrolysis of dealkaline lignin (DL) over MMZ-Hβ was performed using a pyrolyzergas chromatography/mass spectroscopy for the first time. Non-catalytic pyrolysis of DL mainly produced large amounts of phenolics such as mono-phenol, alkylphenols, guaiacols, eugenols, and vanillin. By applying MMZ-Hβ, the amounts of these phenolics were dramatically decreased with the increase of aromatics such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, and naphthalenes.

Stearoyl lysophosphatidylcholine enhances the phagocytic ability of macrophages through the AMP-activated protein kinase/p38 mitogen activated protein kinase pathway.

A previous study showed that stearoyl lysophosphatidylcholine (sLPC) suppressed extracellular high mobility group box 1 translocation in macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation. In the present study, we investigated whether sLPC-induced AMPK activation could enhance macrophages phagocytosis of bacteria. We found that sLPC increased phosphorylation of AMPK and acetyl-CoA carboxylase, a downstream target of AMPK, in a time- and dose-dependent manner in macrophages.

Antibacterial Activity and Antibiotic-Enhancing Effects of Honeybee Venom against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), along with other antibiotic resistant bacteria, has become a significant social and clinical problem. There is thus an urgent need to develop naturally bioactive compounds as alternatives to the few antibiotics that remain effective. Here we assessed the in vitro activities of bee venom (BV), alone or in combination with ampicillin, penicillin, gentamicin or vancomycin, on growth of MRSA strains.

Stearoyl lysophosphatidylcholine prevents lipopolysaccharide-induced extracellular release of high mobility group box-1 through AMP-activated protein kinase activation.

Previous studies have suggested that stearoyl lysophosphatidlycholine (LPC) protects against lethal experimental sepsis by inhibiting lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced extracellular release of high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1). However, limited information exists on the mechanism by which stearoyl-LPC suppresses the extracellular release of HMGB1 in monocyte/macrophages stimulated with LPS. In this study, we found that stearoyl-LPC increased the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in macrophages.

Corrigendum: Expression of the spinal 5-HT7 receptor and p-ERK pathway in the carrageenan inflammatory pain of rats (Korean J Anesthesiol 2015 April 68(2): 170-174).

[This corrects the article on p. 170 in vol. 68, PMID: 25844136.

Spinal 5-HT1A, not the 5-HT1B or 5-HT3 receptors, mediates descending serotonergic inhibition for late-phase mechanical allodynia of carrageenan-induced peripheral inflammation.

Previous electrophysiological studies demonstrated a limited role of 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 receptor (5-HT3R), but facilitatory role of 5-HT1AR and 5-HT1BR in spinal nociceptive processing of carrageenan-induced inflammatory pain. The release of spinal 5-HT was shown to peak in early-phase and return to baseline in late-phase of carrageenan inflammation. We examined the role of the descending serotonergic projections involving 5-HT1AR, 5-HT1BR, and 5-HT3R in mechanical allodynia of early- (first 4h) and late-phase (24h after) carrageenan-induced inflammation.

Expression of the spinal 5-HT7 receptor and p-ERK pathway in the carrageenan inflammatory pain of rats.

Background: Although the inhibitory role of the 5-hydroxytrypatmine receptor 7(5-HT7R) on nociceptive processing is generally recognized, an excitatory effect associated with a reduced 5-HT7R expression has also been observed in the nerve injury model. In the carrageenan model, no significant effect is produced by the 5-HT7R activation, but the change in 5-HT7R expression has not been examined. Lesioning of the spinal serotonergic pathway enhances allodynia in the carrageenan model, but it also relieves several other pain states, including in the formalin model.

Effects of intravenously administered indocyanine green on near-infrared cerebral oximetry and pulse oximetry readings.

Background: Intravenously administered indocyanine green (ICG) may cause misreadings of cerebral oximetry and pulse oximetry in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy under general anesthesia. The present study determined the effects of two different doses (12.5 mg vs.

Intrathecal nefopam-induced antinociception through activation of descending serotonergic projections involving spinal 5-HT7 but not 5-HT3 receptors.

We examined the involvement of spinal 5-HT(5-hydroxytryptamine) receptor 3(5-HT3R) and 7(5-HT7R) as well as the overall role of descending serotonergic projections in the analgesic effects of intrathecal(i.t.) nefopam for two rat models of formalin and paw incision test.

Clinical characteristics of pruritus in patients with scalp psoriasis and their relation with intraepidermal nerve fiber density.

Background: The scalp is frequently affected in psoriasis patients, and pruritus can adversely affect the quality of life of affected patients. Few studies have assessed pruritus in scalp psoriasis.

Objective: To determine the correlation among the clinical characteristics of pruritus, psoriasis scalp severity index (PSSI), and intraepidermal nerve fiber (IENF) density in psoriatic scalp lesions.

Highly sensitive turn-on detection of Ag+ in aqueous solution and live cells with a symmetric fluorescent peptide.

This communication presents a symmetric fluorescent peptide (K(d) = 17.4 nM) for hypersensitively detecting Ag(+) in 100% aqueous solution by turn-on response. The peptide penetrated live HeLa cells and detected intracellular Ag(+) by turn-on response.

Response to Intervention (RTI) Services: An Ecobehavioral Perspective.

School-wide Response to Intervention (RTI) services are growing in prevalence in U.S. schools.

Study for the discrepancy of arterial blood pressure in accordance with method, age, body part of measurement during general anesthesia using sevoflurane.

Background: Many pieces of previous research on measuring blood pressure (BP) using different methods focused on the disparity in the results. However, none of them dealt with the disparity caused by the difference in age and inhalation anesthetics. We attempted to find the variance in accordance with age, body part, and measuring methods (invasive vs noninvasive) and also studied how sevoflurane influences BP as the operation progresses.

Colorimetric and fluorescent sensing of pyrophosphate in 100% aqueous solution by a system comprised of rhodamine B compound and Al3+ complex.

We developed a simple dual signal (color and 'Off-On' fluorescent change) ensemble system based on the complex between a rhodamine derivative 1 and Al(3+) for the detection of pyrophosphate (PPi) in 100% aqueous solutions. The complex between the rhodamine compound and Al(3+) was utilized as a chemosensing ensemble for the first time. The ensemble showed highly sensitive and selective fluorescent and colorimetric response to pyrophosphate among the anions in 100% aqueous solutions and no interference of the potent biological competitors including ATP, ADP, and phosphate for the detection of PPi in 100% aqueous solutions at pH 7.

Facile synthesis of anthracene-appended amino acids as highly selective and sensitive fluorescent Fe3+ ion sensors.

We designed new fluorescent chemical sensors for Fe3+ ion detection, by conjugating amino acids as receptors into an anthracene fluorophore. The conjugates were synthesized in solid phase by Fmoc-chemistry. Fluorescence sensors containing Asp (1) and Glu (2) both had exclusive selectivity for Fe3+ in 100% aqueous solution and in a mixed organic-aqueous solvent system.

Synthesis of antibacterial pseudopeptides with less hemolytic activity from a cytotoxic peptide and their pH-dependent activity.

We synthesized antibacterial pseudopeptides with less hemolytic activity by incorporation of reduced amide bond psi[CH2NH] into alpha helical antibacterial peptide with hemolytic activity. As the pKa value of reduced amide bond is 7-8, it is protonated depending on the pH. We investigated the secondary structure, the binding affinity and the leakage activity for the vesicles, and the antibacterial activity of the peptide and its pseudopeptides at neutral and basic pH.

Indolicidin-derived antimicrobial peptide analogs with greater bacterial selectivity and requirements for antibacterial and hemolytic activities.

Indolicidin (ILPWKWPWWPWRR-NH(2)) has received attention due to its unique primary structure and biological activities. In this study, amide bonds at various positions in indolicidin were replaced with the reduced amide bonds psi[CH(2)NH] and the effect of the secondary structure on the biological activity was investigated. The circular dichroism spectra revealed that the rigidity and hydrogen bond of the amide bond between Trp(8) and Trp(9) were important for stabilizing the turn structure of indolicidin.

Boronic acid-linked fluorescent and colorimetric probes for copper ions.

The first examples of boronic acid-linked fluorescent and colorimetric chemosensors for copper ions are reported; the monoboronic acid-conjugated rhodamine probe displays a highly selective fluorescent enhancement with Cu2+ among the various metal ions whereas the fluorescence of the bisboronic acid-conjugated fluorescein probe is selectively quenched by Cu2+, probably by way of a PET mechanism.

Design and synthesis of cyclic disulfide-bonded antibacterial peptides on the basis of the alpha helical domain of Tenecin 1, an insect defensin.

We synthesized cyclic disulfide-bonded (i, i+4) peptides with various net positive charges (+2-+5) from linear peptides derived from the alpha helical domain of Tenecin 1, an insect defensin, and investigated the effect of the intradisulfide bridge (i, i+4) on hydrophobicity, secondary structure, leakage activity and binding activity for large unilamellar vesicles, antimicrobial activity, and hemolytic activity. Intradisulfide bridge formation of the peptides resulted in the increase of amphiphilicity and hydrophobicity. Cyclic forms of the peptides did not deeply penetrate into PG/PC (1:1, mole ratio) large unilamellar vesicles and had a decreased lipid membrane perturbation activity for PG/PC LUVs.