extract and its active component gypenoside L improve the exercise performance of treadmill-trained mice.

Background/objectives: The effectiveness of natural compounds in improving athletic ability has attracted attention in both sports and research. (Thunb.) leaves are used to make traditional herbal medicines in Asia.

Anti-inflammatory activity of palmitoylethanolamide ameliorates osteoarthritis induced by monosodium iodoacetate in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Novel treatment strategies are urgently required for osteoarthritis (OA). Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is a naturally occurring fatty acid amide with analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. We aimed to examine its effect on OA and elucidate the molecular mechanism of actions in monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced OA Sprague-Dawley rats.

Antidiabetic and Beta cell-protection activities of purple corn anthocyanins.

Antidiabetic and beta cell-protection activities of purple corn anthocyanins (PCA) were examined in pancreatic beta cell culture and db/db mice. Only PCA among several plant anthocyanins and polyphenols showed insulin secretion activity in culture of HIT-T15 cells. PCA had excellent antihyperglycemic activity (in terms of blood glucose level and OGTT) and HbA1c-decreasing activity when compared with glimepiride, a sulfonylurea in db/db mice.

Effects of structural differences between radioiodine-labeled 1-(2'-fluoro-2'-deoxy-D-arabinofuranosyl)-5-iodouracil (FIAU) and 1-(2'-fluoro-2'-deoxy-d-ribofuranosyl)-5-iodouracil (FIRU) on HSV1-TK reporter gene imaging.

The goal of this investigation was to evaluate the effects of structural differences between FIAU and FIRU on their ability to serve as a potential tracer for reporter gene imaging. To examine the characteristics of different configurations of FIAU and FIRU, a series of evaluations were done on HSV1-TK gene-expressing cells and on mice with HSV1-TK gene-expressing tumor. The results showed that, as an imaging agent for HSV1-TK-expressing cells, radiolabeled FIAU was more efficient for in vivo imaging than FIRU.

Transmission of iridovirus from freshwater ornamental fish (pearl gourami) to marine fish (rock bream).

Freshwater pearl gourami Trichogaster leeri and seawater rock bream Oplegnathus fasciatus infected by the iridoviruses PGIV-SP and IVS-1 were carrying similar numbers of viral particles (2.52 x 10(8) and 2.46 x 10(8) viral genome copies mg(-1) spleen tissue, respectively).

Synthesis and evaluation of cis-1-[4-(hydroxymethyl)-2-cyclopenten-1-yl]-5-[(124)I]iodouracil: a new potential PET imaging agent for HSV1-tk expression.

In our pursuit to find an appropriate reporter probe for herpes simplex virus type-1 thymidine kinase (HSV1-tk), a carbocyclic nucleoside analogue, cis-1-[4-(hydroxymethyl)-2-cyclopenten-1-yl]-5-[124I]iodouracil, has been efficiently synthesized. A Pd(0)-catalyzed coupling reaction together with organotin and exchange reactions for radiolabeling gave more than 80% radiochemical yield with greater than 95% radiochemical purity and 1.15 GBq/mumol specific activity.

Molecular cDNA cloning and analysis of the organization and expression of the IL-1beta gene in the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus.

The full-length cDNA sequence of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) from the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, was determined by using PCR with primers designed from known fish IL-1beta sequences followed by elongation of the 5' and 3' ends using Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends (RACE). The cDNA contains a 92-bp 5' untranslated region (UTR), a single open reading frame (ORF) of 732 bp that translates into a 243-amino acid molecule, a 341-bp 3' UTR with four cytokine RNA instability motifs (ATTTA), and a polyadenylation signal (AATAAA) at 15 nucleotides upstream of the poly(A) tail. The organization of the genomic IL-1beta based on the cDNA sequence appeared to be 4 introns and 5 exons.