A Lucknolide Derivative Induces Mitochondrial ROS-Mediated G2/M Arrest and Apoptotic Cell Death in B16F10 Mouse Melanoma Cells.

Melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer with a high risk of cancer-related deaths, and inducing apoptosis in melanoma cells is a promising therapeutic strategy. This study investigates the anti-tumor potential of a novel lucknolide derivative LA-UC as a therapeutic candidate for melanoma. Lucknolide A (LA), a tricyclic ketal-lactone metabolite isolated from marine-derived sp.

Conversion of N-doped biochar from carotenoid-extracted Tetraselmis suecica and its application to produce supercapacitors.

Microalgae are one of the promising feedstocks for biorefinery, contributing significantly to net-zero emissions through carbon capture and utilization. However, the disposal of microalgal byproducts from the manufacturing process causes additional environmental pollution, thus, a new application strategy is required. In this study, the Tetraselmis suecica byproduct from the carotenoid extraction process was carbonized and converted into biochar.

Facile synthesis of AuIr alloy nanoparticles and their enhanced oxygen evolution reaction performance under acidic and alkaline conditions.

The development of electrocatalysts that can maintain high reactivity and stability over a wide pH range during electrolysis reactions is essential for the realization of a clean hydrogen energy society. Herein, we report the synthesis of AuIr alloy nanoparticles (NPs) with an excellent oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance over a wide pH range. The NPs were synthesized an antisolvent crystallization-based method and maintained their small sizes regardless of adjustments in the ratio of the Au/Ir precursor.

Enhanced Enzymatic Synthesis of Puerarin Palmitate with Different Acyl Donors for Lipid Solubility Improvement.

Puerarin is a flavonoid known as a natural antioxidant found in the root of . Its antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory effects have attracted attention as a potential functional ingredient in various bioindustries. However, puerarin has limited bioavailability owing to its low lipid solubility and stability.

Mucoadhesive chitosan microcapsules for controlled gastrointestinal delivery and oral bioavailability enhancement of low molecular weight peptides.

A bioactive compound, collagen peptide (CP), is widely used for biological activities such as anti-photoaging and antioxidant effects, with increased oral bioavailability because of its low molecular weight and high hydrophilicity. However, controlling release time and increasing retention time in the digestive tract for a more convenient oral administration is still a challenge. We developed CP-loaded chitosan (CS) microcapsules via strong and rapid ionic gelation using a highly negative phytic acid (PA) crosslinker.

Activation of Nrf2 by sulfuretin stimulates chondrocyte differentiation and increases bone lengths in zebrafish.

Elongation of most bones occur at the growth plate through endochondral ossification in postnatal mammals. The maturation of chondrocyte is a crucial factor in longitudinal bone growth, which is regulated by a complex network of paracrine and endocrine signaling pathways. Here, we show that a phytochemical sulfuretin can stimulate hypertrophic chondrocyte differentiation in vitro and in vivo.

Compensation of Heat Effect in Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) Plasma System for Radar Cross-Section (RCS) Reduction.

In this study, the problems encountered in radar cross-section (RCS) measurement experiments utilizing a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma system are examined and an effective solution is proposed. A DBD plasma system generates heat due to the high bias voltage required for plasma generation. The thermal-induced structural deformation of the DBD structure caused by this high voltage and its impact on RCS measurements are analyzed.

Improved production of bacterial cellulose using Gluconacetobacter sp. LYP25, a strain developed in UVC mutagenesis with limited viability conditions.

Bacterial cellulose (BC), a natural polymer synthesized by bacteria, has received considerable attention owing to its impressive physicomechanical properties. However, the low productivity of BC-producing strains poses a challenge to industrializing this material and making it economically viable. In the present study, UV-induced random mutagenesis of Gluconacetobacter xylinus ATCC 53524 was performed to improve BC production.

Microbial Production of Bacterial Cellulose Using Chestnut Shell Hydrolysates by ATCC 53524.

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is gaining attention as a carbon-neutral alternative to plant cellulose, and as a means to prevent deforestation and achieve a carbon-neutral society. However, the high cost of fermentation media for BC production is a barrier to its industrialization. In this study, chestnut shell (CS) hydrolysates were used as a carbon source for the BC-producing bacteria strain, ATCC 53524.

Improved Productivity of Astaxanthin from Photosensitive Using Phototaxis Technology.

is a microalgae actively studied for the production of natural astaxanthin, which is a powerful antioxidant for human application. However, it is economically disadvantageous for commercialization owing to the low productivity of astaxanthin. This study reports an effective screening strategy using the negative phototaxis of the to attain the mutants having high astaxanthin production.

Creating memories: molecular mechanisms of CRISPR adaptation.

Prokaryotes use clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins as an adaptive immune system. CRISPR-Cas systems preserve molecular memories of infections by integrating short fragments of foreign nucleic acids as spacers into the host CRISPR array in a process termed 'adaptation'. Functional spacers ensure a robust immune response by Cas effectors, which neutralizes subsequent infection through RNA-guided interference pathways.

Study on Effects of Nonlinear Behavior Characteristics of Prepreg Dielectric on Warpage of Substrate under Laminating Process.

To analyze the effects of nonlinear behavior characteristics of prepreg (PPG) among the insulating materials of substrate and the residual stress of laminating process on the warpage of substrate, this study investigated the continuous laminating process using the numerical analysis by finite element method. The analysis results showed that the warpage of the substrate in the laminating process of PPG was very low, but it increased rapidly in the solder resist (SR) laminating process. As the laminating process of PPG continued, the stress inside the substrate increased continuously and it was predicted to decrease in the SR laminating process.

Rapid and concise quantification of mycelial growth by microscopic image intensity model and application to mass cultivation of fungi.

The microbial food fermentation industry requires real-time monitoring and accurate quantification of cells. However, filamentous fungi are difficult to quantify as they have complex cell types such as pellet, spores, and dispersed hyphae. In this study, numerous data of microscopic image intensity (MII) were used to develop a simple and accurate quantification method of Cordyceps mycelium.

A green decontamination technology through selective biomineralization of algicidal microorganisms for enhanced astaxanthin production from Haematococcus pluvialis at commercial scale.

Currently, there is a lack of an efficient, environmentally-benign and sustainable industrial decontamination strategy to steadily achieve improved astaxanthin production from Haematococcus pluvialis under large-scale outdoor conditions. Here, this study demonstrates for the first time that a CaCO biomineralization-based decontamination strategy (CBDS) is highly efficient in selectively eliminating algicidal microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, during large-scale H. pluvialis cultivation under autotrophic and mixotrophic conditions, thereby augmenting the astaxanthin productivity.

Improved Cordycepin Production by KYL05 Using Casein Hydrolysate in Submerged Conditions.

Cordycepin, a beneficial bioactive product specifically found in , has received attention in various bioindustrial applications such as in pharmaceuticals, functional foods, and cosmetics, due to its significant functions. However, low productivity of cordycepin is a barrier to commercialization. In this study, was mutated by UV irradiation to improve the cordycepin production.

Enhanced In-Vitro Hemozoin Polymerization by Optimized Process using Histidine-Rich Protein II (HRPII).

Conductive biopolymers, an important class of functional materials, have received attention in various fields because of their unique electrical, optical, and physical properties. In this study, the polymerization of heme into hemozoin was carried out in an in vitro system by the newly developed heme polymerase (histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP-II)). The HRP-II was produced by recombinant BL21 from the gene.

Performance and potential appraisal of various microalgae as direct combustion fuel.

Direct combustion of biomass is considered the most effective and simple means to contribute to CO reduction. In this context, the life-cycle potential of microalgal solid fuel, which has been overlooked so far, was comprehensively scrutinized ranging from cultivation to direct combustion. According to the quantitative data, using the raw fuel was confirmed to offer great benefits over the conventional lipid-targeted microalgal fuel systems through exploiting all of the biomass' energy potential, thereby being able to significantly increase the energy yield from biomass.

Two-Dimensional Microfluidic System for the Simultaneous Quantitative Analysis of Phototactic/Chemotactic Responses of Microalgae.

Microalgae have been spotlighted as a renewable energy source to produce biofuels from CO by photosynthesis. However, their innate inefficiency of CO conversion using light energy has been a challenge to the commercialization of algae-based biofuel production. Photosynthetic organisms have evolved behavioral responses, including phototaxis and chemotaxis, to find optimal conditions for capturing light energy and inorganic carbon (Ci) sources for photosynthesis.

Rapid selection of astaxanthin-hyperproducing Haematococcus mutant via azide-based colorimetric assay combined with oil-based astaxanthin extraction.

The aim of this work was to develop a new approach for simple and high-throughput selection of astaxanthin-hyperproducing Haematococcus mutants through a sequential combination method of azide-based colorimetric assessment and oil-based astaxanthin quantification. Randomly mutagenized cells were spotted on solid culture medium containing 50 µM of sodium azide to accelerate the biosynthesis of astaxanthin. After 3 days, highly-induced mutants were preliminarily isolated by visual inspection and their astaxanthin accumulations were rapidly quantified by soybean oil-based extraction method.

Magnetophoretic sorting of microdroplets with different microalgal cell densities for rapid isolation of fast growing strains.

Microalgae - unicellular photosynthetic organisms - have received increasing attention for their ability to biologically convert CO into valuable products. The commercial use of microalgae requires screening strains to improve the biomass productivity to achieve a high-throughput. Here, we developed a microfluidic method that uses a magnetic field to separate the microdroplets containing different concentrations of microalgal cells.

Profiles of Coping Strategies in Resilient Adolescents.

To understand how resilient adolescents adapt to adverse situations, this study examined resilient adolescents and their coping strategies. Resilience is the phenomenon characterized by good outcomes despite serious threats to adaptation and/or development. The current study aimed to identify the coping strategy profiles that distinguish a resilient group from three other groups-struggling, competent, and vulnerable-specifically to differentiate the resilient group from the competent group.

Development and characterization of microbial biosensors for evaluating low biochemical oxygen demand in rivers.

Five microorganisms were used to construct a biosensor for the evaluation of low biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in rivers. Characterization and comparison of BOD biosensors were performed using two standard solutions: glucose and glutamic acid (GGA) and artificial wastewater (AWW). Pseudomonas putida SG10 demonstrated the best response when using AWW.