SBT (Composed of and ) and Stigmasterol Enhances Nitric Oxide Production and Exerts Curative Properties as a Potential Anti-Oxidant and Immunity-Enhancing Agent.

Immune dysregulation is a risk factor for several diseases, including infectious diseases. Immunostimulatory agents have been used for the treatment of immune dysregulation, but deleterious adverse effects have been reported. The present study aims to establish the anti-oxidant and immunity-enhancing effects of Sambu-Tang (SBT), composed of and , and stigmasterol (Stig), an active compound of SBT.

A mixture of Panax ginseng and Scrophularia buergeriana improves immune function in an immunosuppressed murine model.

Background: Immunomodulatory drugs are currently used for immunosuppressed individuals, but adverse side effects have been reported. Although Panax ginseng and Scrophularia buergeriana are known to have respective pharmacological properties, the potential of a mixture of Panax ginseng and Scrophularia buergeriana (Isam-Tang, IST) as an immunomodulatory drug has not yet been studied.

Purpose: The present study was designed to assess the immunomodulatory activity of IST and p-coumaric acid (pCA), an active compound of IST, in the immune system.

An account of Colletotrichum species associated with anthracnose of Atractylodes ovata in South Korea based on morphology and molecular data.

Ovate-leaf atractylodes (OLA) (Atractylodes ovata) is a well-known medicinal plant in Korea; its dried rhizome and root extracts are used in herbal medicine. However, anthracnose is a great challenge to the OLA cultivation in South Korea. Colletotrichum spp.

The immune-enhancing effects of a mixture of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge, Angelica gigas Nakai, and Trichosanthes Kirilowii (Maxim.) or its active constituent nodakenin.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: A mixture (SH003) of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge, Angelica gigas Nakai, and Trichosanthes Kirilowii (Maxim.) has beneficial effects against several carcinomas.

Hydrogen Absorption and Desorption Behavior on Aluminum-Coated Hot-Stamped Boron Steel during Hot Press Forming and Automotive Manufacturing Processes.

Our study mainly focused on diffusible hydrogen in aluminum-silicon-coated hot-stamped boron steel during a hot press forming process and in pre-treatment sequential lines of the automotive manufacturing process using a thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) technique. First, in the hot stamping procedure, as the soaking time increased in the heating furnace at a specific dew point when austenitizing, a high concentration of diffusible hydrogen was absorbed into the hot-stamped boron steel. Based on the TDS analysis of hydrogen absorbed from hot stamping, the activation energy value of hydrogen trapping in 1.

Alternaria koreana sp. nov., a new pathogen isolated from leaf spot of ovate-leaf Atractylodes in South Korea.

Background: A new species within the genus Alternaria was isolated from the leaf spot of Atractylodes ovata in the Mungyeong and Hwabuk-myeon districts of the Gyeongbuk province of Korea. The leaves showed disease symptoms such as circular or irregular leaf spots and brown to dark brown with gray spots at the center. The leaves also showed that concentric rings were surrounded with yellow halos.

Microporous polymers with cascaded cavities for controlled transport of small gas molecules.

In membrane-based separation, molecular size differences relative to membrane pore sizes govern mass flux and separation efficiency. In applications requiring complex molecular differentiation, such as in natural gas processing, cascaded pore size distributions in membranes allow different permeate molecules to be separated without a reduction in throughput. Here, we report the decoration of microporous polymer membrane surfaces with molecular fluorine.

First Report of Causing Anthracnose of Grape in Korea.

Grape (cv. Kyoho) is one of the most popular dessert fruits in South Korea. Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum species is a common and very destructive disease of grape in the country.

Leaf Extracts Improved Alcohol Liver Injury in Association with Changes in the Gut Microbiota of Rats.

This study evaluated the protective effects of leaf (DML) extracts in the liver due to excessive ethanol consumption. Our results showed that the ethanol extract had better antioxidant activity than the water extract, likely due to the higher levels of total flavonoid and phenolic compounds in the former. We found that the main phenolic acid was chlorogenic acid and the major flavonoid was rutin.

Anti-Melanoma Activities and Phytochemical Compositions of Fruit Extracts.

Hedl. (Rosaceae family) has a long history as a medicinal plant in East Asian countries. In this study, we evaluated the effect of fruit extracts prepared with different ethanol concentrations on anti-melanoma activity, and the extraction yield of phenolic compounds and flavonoids.

In Vitro Antioxidant, Antiinflammation, and Anticancer Activities and Anthraquinone Content from Root Extract and Fractions.

is a perennial plant that grows in humid environments across Korea. Its roots are used in traditional Korean medicine to treat several diseases, including diseases of the spleen and skin and several inflammatory pathologies. In this study, different solvent fractions (-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, -butanol, and aqueous fractions) from an ethanol extract of roots were evaluated for the presence and composition of anthraquinone compounds and antioxidants by checking for such things as free radical scavenging activity, and electron and proton atom donating ability.

Polyphenolic Composition and Anti-Melanoma Activity of White Forsythia ( Nakai) Organ Extracts.

Nakai, commonly called white forsythia, is a monotypic genus endemic to Korea. Although is mainly used as an ornamental plant because of its horticultural value, recent studies have demonstrated its bioactivities, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, prompting us to investigate the potential anticancer effect of organ extracts (leaves, fruit, and branches) against human melanoma SK-MEL-2 cells. The methanol extract of leaves (AL) exhibited dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicities against SK-MEL-2 cells but not against HDFa human dermal fibroblasts.

Leaf Polyphenolic Compounds: Optimal Extraction Using the Response Surface Method and Their Protective Effects against Alcohol-Induced Liver Damage.

The response surface methodology was used to optimally extract the antioxidant substances from leaves. The central composite design was used to optimally analyze the effects of ethanol concentration, sample to solvent ratio, extraction temperature, and extraction time on the total flavonoids (TF) content, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC). All three parameters were largely influenced by the ethanol concentration and extraction temperature, while TEAC was also influenced by the sample to solvent ratio.

New Chemical Constituents from the Bark of Leveille and their Evaluation of Antioxidant Activities.

Four new constituents, as c-6-oxogeran-4-enyl-10-oxy--β-arabinopyranosyl-4'--β-arabinopyranosyl-2''-octadec-9''',12''',15'''-trienoate (), geran-3(10)-enyl-1-oxy--β-arabinopyranosyl-4'--β-arabinopyranosyl-2''-octadec-9''',12''',15'''-trienoate (), geranilan-8-oxy---d-xylopyranosyl-2'--octadec-9'',12'',15''-trienoate (), 1-cyclohex-2', 5'-dienyl 1-cyclohexylethanol--β-d-xylopyranoside (), along with six known constituents, guaiacol--β-d-arabinopyaranoside (), -tetradecanyl oleate (), oleyl-β-d-xyloside (), -octadec-9,12-dienoyl--β-d-arabinopyranoside (), linolenyl--β-d-arabinofuranoside () andglyceryl-1,3-dipalmito-2-olein (), were isolated and identified from the bark. The new structures were established by one-and two-dimensional NMR (and in combination with IR, FAB-MSand HR-ESI-FTMS. The comparative evaluation of antioxidant potential by phosphomolybdenum, DPPH, FRAP and the NO assay of four different compounds (-), we have found that the compounds 1 and 2 have power as a natural antioxidant, whereas the compound and exhibited mild activity in comparison to compounds and .

SPAM1/HYAL5 double deficiency in male mice leads to severe male subfertility caused by a cumulus-oocyte complex penetration defect.

The glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored sperm hyaluronidases (Hyals), sperm adhesion molecule 1 (SPAM1) and HYAL5, have long been believed to assist in sperm penetration through the cumulus-oocyte complex (COC), but their role in mammalian fertilization remains unclear. Previously, we have shown that mouse sperm devoid of either or are still capable of penetrating the COC and that the loss of either or alone does not cause male infertility in mice. In the present study, we found that / double knockout (dKO) mice produced significantly fewer offspring compared with wild-type (WT) mice, and this was due to defective COC dispersal.

Sustainable Agriculture by Increasing Nitrogen Fertilizer Efficiency Using Low-Resolution Camera Mounted on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

Nitrogen use efficiency in modern agriculture is very low. It means that a lot of synthetic chemicals are wasted rather than utilized by crops. This can cause more problems where the soil surface is thin and rocky like Jeju Island in the Republic of Korea.

Development of a New Type of Recombinant Hyaluronidase Using a Hexahistidine; Possibilities and Challenges in Commercialization.

Hyaluronidases enhance therapeutic drug transport by breaking down the hyaluronan barrier to lymphatic and capillary vessels, facilitating their tissue absorption. Commercially available hyaluronidases are bovine in origin; however, they pose risks such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy. The present study aimed to develop a novel, highly active hyaluronidase and assess its function.

Enhancement of vitality and activity of a plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) by atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma.

The inconsistent vitality and efficiency of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) are technical limitations in the application of PGPB as biofertilizer. To improve these disadvantages, we examined the potential of micro Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) plasma to enhance the vitality and functional activity of a PGPB, Bacillus subtilis CB-R05. Bacterial multiplication and motility were increased after plasma treatment, and the level of a protein involved in cell division was elevated in plasma treated bacteria.

Comparison of the main components and bioactivity of Rhus verniciflua Stokes extracts by different detoxification processing methods.

Background: Rhus verniciflua Stokes is an Asian tree species that is used as a food supplement and traditional medicine in Korea. However, its use is restricted by its potential to cause allergy. Thus, allergen-free R.

Characterization of Recombinant Bovine Sperm Hyaluronidase and Identification of an Important Asn-X-Ser/Thr Motif for Its Activity.

Hyaluronidases are a family of enzymes that catalyse the breakdown of hyaluronic acid, which is abundant in the extracellular matrix and cumulus oocyte complex. To investigate the activity of recombinant bovine sperm hyaluronidase 1 (SPAM1) and determine the effect of the Asn-X-Ser/Thr motif on its activity, the bovine SPAM1 open reading frame was cloned into the mammalian expression vector pCXN2 and then transfected to the HEK293 cell line. Expression of recombinant bovine hyaluronidase was estimated using a hyaluronidase activity assay with gel electrophoresis.

Phenolic acid and flavonoid-rich fraction of Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai leaves prevent alcohol induced fatty liver through AMPK activation.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai is an edible dwarf bamboo cultivated mainly in Jeju Island, South Korea and its leaf displays various health-promoting properties including antioxidant scavenging.

Aim Of The Study: In this study, we aimed at elucidating its hepatoprotective effect against alcohol-induced fatty liver.

Methods: In in vitro study, we evaluated the cytotoxicity and hepatoprotective effect of different solvent fractions (aqua, butanol, chloroform, ethyl acetate and hexane) of 80% EtOH extract of S.

Sasa quelpaertensis leaves ameliorate alcohol-induced liver injury by attenuating oxidative stress in HepG2 cells and mice.

Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the progression of alcoholic liver diseases and substances of antioxidant property are of special interest for therapeutic purposes. We investigated the hepatoprotective effect of leaf extracts of Sasa quelpaertensis, an edible bamboo mainly cultivated in Jeju Island, South Korea. We examined the cytotoxicity of different extracts (distilled water, 20-80% EtOH) of S.

Impact of different partitioned solvents on chemical composition and bioavailability of Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai leaf extract.

The leaves of Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai were extracted with 80% ethanol and further partitioned with n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and aqueous fractions to evaluate the biological activity through assessment via various in vitro assays, including total phenol content; 1,1-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazothiazoline-6-sulfornic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging; reducing power; α-glucosidase and tyrosinase inhibitory; and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity assays. The highest activity was found in the ethyl acetate fraction for all assays and showed stronger DPPH radical scavenging, reducing power, and tyrosinase inhibitory activity than the positive controls (butylated hydroxytoluene, α-tocopherol, and arbutin, respectively). When compared to the ethyl acetate fraction, the n-butanol fraction had lower rates, but it still demonstrated relatively high activity.

Effects of Newly Synthesized Recombinant Human Amyloid-β Complexes and Poly-Amyloid-β Fibers on Cell Apoptosis and Cognitive Decline.

The main pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease is the deposition of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides in the brain. Aβ has been widely used to mimic several aspects of Alzheimer's disease. However, several characteristics of amyloid-induced Alzheimer's disease pathology are not well established, especially in mice.