Simultaneous determination of nine bioactive compounds in Yijin-tang via high-performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry

Yang, Hye Jin,Yim, Nam-Hui,Lee, Kwang Jin,Gu, Min Jung,Lee, Bohyoung,Hwang, Youn-Hwan,Ma, Jin Yeul Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam 2016 Integrative medicine research Vol.7 No.4

<P><B>Background</B></P><P>Yijin-tang (YJ) has been used traditionally for the treatment of cardiovascular conditions, nausea, vomiting, gastroduodenal ulcers, and chronic gastritis. In this study, a simple and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for the quantitation of nine bioactive compounds in YJ: homogentisic acid, liquiritin, naringin, hesperidin, neohesperidin, liquiritigenin, glycyrrhizin, 6-gingerol, and pachymic acid.</P><P><B>Methods</B></P><P>Chromatographic separation of the analytes was achieved on an RS Tech C<SUB>18</SUB> column (4.6 mm × 250 mm, 5 μm) using a mobile phase composed of water containing 0.1% (v/v) trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and acetonitrile with a gradient elution at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min.</P><P><B>Results</B></P><P>Calibration curves for all analytes showed good linearity (R<SUP>2</SUP> ≥ 0.9995). Lower limits of detection and lower limits of quantification were in the ranges of 0.03–0.17 μg/mL and 0.09–0.43 μg/mL, respectively. Relative standard deviations (RSDs; %) for intra- and interday assays were < 3%. The recovery of components ranged from 98.09% to 103.78%, with RSDs (%) values ranging from 0.10% to 2.59%.</P><P><B>Conclusion</B></P><P>This validated HPLC method was applied to qualitative and quantitative analyses of nine bioactive compounds in YJ and fermented YJ, and may be a useful tool for the quality control of YJ.</P>

NF-κB signaling is key in the wound healing processes of silk fibroin

Park, Ye Ri,Sultan, Md. Tipu,Park, Hyun Jung,Lee, Jung Min,Ju, Hyung Woo,Lee, Ok Joo,Lee, Dong Jin,Kaplan, David L.,Park, Chan Hum Elsevier Science B.V. Amsterdam 2018 ACTA BIOMATERIALIA Vol. No.

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Silk fibroin (SF) is a well-studied biomaterial for tissue engineering applications including wound healing. However, the signaling mechanisms underlying the impact of SF on this phenomenon have not been determined. In this study, through microarray analysis, regulatory genes of NF-ĸB signaling were activated in SF-treated NIH3T3 cells along with other genes. Immunoblot analysis confirmed the activation of the NF-ĸB signaling pathway as SF induced protein expression levels of IKKα, IKKβ, p65, and the degradation of IκBα. The treatment of NIH3T3 cells with SF also increased the expression of cyclin D1, vimentin, fibronectin, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The expression of these factors by SF treatment was abrogated when NF-ĸB was inhibited by a pharmacological inhibitor Bay 11-7082. Knockdown of NF-ĸB using siRNA of IKKα and IKKβ also inhibited the SF-induced wound healing response of the NIH3T3 cells in a wound scratch assay. Collectively, these results indicated that SF-induced wound healing through the canonical NF-κB signaling pathway via regulation of the expression of cyclin D1, vimentin, fibronectin, and VEGF by NIH3T3 cells. Using an <I>in vivo</I> study with a partial-thickness excision wound in rats we demonstrated that SF-induced wound healing via NF-κB regulated proteins including cyclin D1, fibronectin, and VEGF. The <I>in vitro</I> and <I>in vivo</I> data suggested that SF induced wound healing via modulation of NF-ĸB signaling regulated proteins.</P> <P><B>Statement of Significance</B></P> <P>Silk fibroin has been effectively used as a dressing for wound treatment for more than a century. However, mechanistic insight into the basis for wound healing via silk fibroin has not been elucidated. Here we report a key mechanism involved in silk fibroin induced wound healing both <I>in vitro</I> and <I>in vivo.</I> Using genetic- and protein-level analyses, NF-κB signaling was found to regulate silk fibroin-induced wound healing by modulating target proteins. Thus, the NF-κB signaling pathway may be utilized as a therapeutic target during the formulation of silk fibroin-based biomaterials for wound healing and tissue engineering.</P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>

Boronic acid-tethered amphiphilic hyaluronic acid derivative-based nanoassemblies for tumor targeting and penetration

Jeong, Jae Young,Hong, Eun-Hye,Lee, Song Yi,Lee, Jae-Young,Song, Jae-Hyoung,Ko, Seung-Hak,Shim, Jae-Seong,Choe, Sunghwa,Kim, Dae-Duk,Ko, Hyun-Jeong,Cho, Hyun-Jong Elsevier Science B.V. Amsterdam 2017 ACTA BIOMATERIALIA Vol. No.

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>(3-Aminomethylphenyl)boronic acid (AMPB)-installed hyaluronic acid–ceramide (HACE)-based nanoparticles (NPs), including manassantin B (MB), were fabricated for tumor-targeted delivery. The amine group of AMPB was conjugated to the carboxylic acid group of hyaluronic acid (HA) <I>via</I> amide bond formation, and synthesis was confirmed by spectroscopic methods. HACE-AMPB/MB NPs with a 239-nm mean diameter, narrow size distribution, negative zeta potential, and >90% drug encapsulation efficiency were fabricated. Exposed AMPB in the outer surface of HACE-AMPB NPs (in the aqueous environment) may react with sialic acid of cancer cells. The improved cellular accumulation efficiency, <I>in vitro</I> antitumor efficacy, and tumor penetration efficiency of HACE-AMPB/MB NPs, compared with HACE/MB NPs, in MDA-MB-231 cells (CD44 receptor-positive human breast adenocarcinoma cells) may be based on the CD44 receptor-mediated endocytosis and phenylboronic acid-sialic acid interaction. Enhanced <I>in vivo</I> tumor targetability, infiltration efficiency, and antitumor efficacies of HACE-AMPB NPs, compared with HACE NPs, were observed in a MDA-MB-231 tumor-xenografted mouse model. In addition to passive tumor targeting (based on an enhanced permeability and retention effect) and active tumor targeting (interaction between HA and CD44 receptor), the phenylboronic acid-sialic acid interaction can play important roles in augmented tumor targeting and penetration of HACE-AMPB NPs.</P> <P><B>Statement of Significance</B></P> <P>(3-Aminomethylphenyl)boronic acid (AMPB)-tethered hyaluronic acid-ceramide (HACE)-based nanoparticles (NPs), including manassantin B (MB), were fabricated and their tumor targeting and penetration efficiencies were assessed in MDA-MB-231 (CD44 receptor-positive human adenocarcinoma) tumor models. MB, which exhibited antitumor efficacies <I>via</I> the inhibition of angiogenesis and hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1, was entrapped in HACE-AMPB NPs in this study. Phenylboronic acid located in the outer surface of HACE-AMPB/MB NPs (in the aqueous <I>milieu</I>) may react with the sialic acid over-expressed in cancer cells and intramolecular B‒O bond can be formed. This phenylboronic acid-sialic acid interaction may provide additional tumor targeting and penetration potentials together with an enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect (passive tumor targeting) and HA-CD44 receptor interaction (active tumor targeting). Developed HACE-AMPB NP may be one of promising nanocarriers for the imaging and therapy of CD44 receptor-expressed cancers.</P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>

Threading dislocation reduction in epitaxial GaN using V-groove patterned sapphire substrate with embedded silica nanospheres

Han, N.,Park, Y. J.,Han, M.,Ryu, B. D.,Ko, K. B.,Chandramohan, S.,Choi, C. J.,Cuong, T. V.,Hong, C. H. Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. 2014 Materials letters Vol.123 No.-

dramatic reduction in threading dislocation density and stress-relaxation was simultaneously achieved in GaN epilayer using a silica nanosphere embedded structure on V-groove patterned sapphire substrate by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. By depositing silica nanospheres at two different instances during a growth process, a two-step growth that included selective area growth and lateral overgrowth was initiated. This approach led to GaN template of high crystal quality, which was confirmed from x-ray diffraction rocking curve and micro-Raman measurements and further corroborated by transmission electron microscopy. GaN light-emitting diode fabricated by this strategy showed a significant enhancement in the light output power. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Increase of glucocorticoids is not required for the acquisition, but hinders the extinction, of lithium-induced conditioned taste aversion

Kim, K. N.,Kim, B. T.,Kim, Y. S.,Lee, J. H.,Jahng, J. W. Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. 2014 european journal of pharmacology Vol.730 No.-

Lithium chloride at doses sufficient to induce conditioned taste aversion (CTA) causes c-Fos expression in the paraventricular nucleus and increases the plasma level of corticosterone with activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. This study was conducted to define the role of glucocorticoid in the acquisition and extinction of lithium-induced CTA. In experiment 1, Sprague-Dawley rats received dexamethasone (2 mg/kg) or RU486 (20 mg/kg) immediately after 5% sucrose access, and then an intraperitoneal injection of isotonic lithium chloride (12 ml/kg) was followed with 30 min interval. Rats had either 1 or 7 days of recovery period before the daily sucrose drinking tests. In experiment 2, rats were conditioned with the sucrose-lithium pairing, and then received dexamethasone or vehicle at 30 min before each drinking test. In experiment 3, adrenalectomized (ADX or ADX+B) rats were subjected to sucrose drinking tests after the sucrose-lithium pairing. Dexamethasone, but not RU486, pretreatment blunted the formation of lithium-induced CTA memory. Dexamethasone prior to each drinking test suppressed sucrose consumption and prolonged the extinction of lithium-induced CTA. Sucrose consumption was significantly suppressed not only in ADX+B rats but also in ADX rats during the first drinking session; however, a significant decrease was found only in ADX rats on the fourth drinking session. These results reveal that glucocorticoid is not a necessary component in the acquisition, but an important player in the extinction, of lithium induced CTA, and suggest that a pulse increase of glucocorticoid may hinder the extinction memory formation of lithium induced CTA. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V.. All rights reserved.

Influence of polar solvents on photovoltaic performance of Monascus red dye-sensitized solar cell

Lee, J. W.,Kim, T. Y.,Ko, H. S.,Han, S.,Lee, S. H.,Park, K. H. Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. 2014 Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomole Vol.126 No.-

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were assembled using natural dyes extracted from Monascus red pigment as a sensitizer. In this work, we studied the adsorption characteristics for harvesting sunlight and the electrochemical behavior for electron transfer in Monascus red DSSC using different solvents. The effect of polar aprotic and protic solvents including water, ethanol, and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) used in the sensitization process was investigated for the improvement in conversion efficiency of a cell. As for the Monascus red dye-sensitized electrode in DMSO solvent, the solar cell yields a short-circuit current density (J(sc)) of 1.23 mA/cm(2), a photovoltage (V-oc) of 0.75 V. and a fill factor of 0.72, corresponding to an energy conversion efficiency (eta) of 0.66%. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Extensions of smooth mappings into biduals and weak continuity

Choi, Y.S.,Hajek, P.,Lee, H.J. Academic Press ; Elsevier Science B.V. Amsterdam 2013 Advances in mathematics Vol.234 No.-

We study properties of uniformly differentiable mappings between real Banach spaces. Among our main results are generalizations of a number of classical results for linear operators on L<SUB>~</SUB>-spaces into the setting of uniformly differentiable mappings. Denote by B<SUB>X</SUB> the closed unit ball of a Banach space X. Let X be a L<SUB>~,λ</SUB>-space, λ≥1, and let Y be a Banach space. Let T:B<SUB>X</SUB>→Y be a continuous mapping which is uniformly differentiable in the open unit ball of X. Assuming that T is weakly compact, then T can be extended, preserving its best smoothness properties, into the mapping from the 1λ-multiple of the unit ball of any superspace of the domain space X into the same range space Y. We also show that T maps weakly Cauchy sequences from λB<SUB>X</SUB> into norm convergent sequences in Y. This is a uniformly smooth version of the Dunford-Pettis property for the L<SUB>~,λ</SUB>-spaces. We also show that a uniformly differentiable mapping T, which is not necessarily weakly compact, still maps weakly Cauchy sequences from λB<SUB>X</SUB> into norm convergent sequences in Y, provided Y<SUP>**</SUP> does not contain an isomorphic copy of c<SUB>0</SUB>. We prove that for certain pairs of Banach spaces the completion of the space of polynomials equipped with the topology of uniform convergence on the bounded sets (of the functions and their derivatives up to order k) coincides with the space of uniformly differentiable (up to order k) mappings. Our work is based on a number of tools that are of independent interest. We prove, for every pair of Banach spaces X,Y, that any continuous mapping T:B<SUB>X</SUB>→Y, which is uniformly differentiable of order up to k in the interior of B<SUB>X</SUB>, can be extended, preserving its best smoothness, into a bidual mapping T@?:B<SUB>X^*^*</SUB>→Y<SUP>**</SUP>. Another main tool is a result of Zippin's type. We show that weakly Cauchy sequences in X=C(K) can be uniformly well approximated by weakly Cauchy sequences from a certain C[0,α], α is a countable ordinal, subspace of X<SUP>**</SUP>.

Monocular retinal degeneration induced by intravitreal injection of sodium iodate in rabbit eyes

Cho, B. J.,Seo, J. M.,Yu, H. G.,Chung, H. Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. 2016 Japanese journal of ophthalmology Vol.60 No.3

<P>Purpose Our purpose was to evaluate the anatomical and functional changes in retinae of rabbit eyes following monocular intravitreal injection of sodium iodate (SI). Methods Twenty albino rabbits were divided into four groups and underwent monocular intravitreal injection with four different doses of SI (0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 mg). Before and for 28 days after injection, the eyes were examined using fundus photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and electroretinography (ERG). At postinjection days 2, 7, and 28, the eyes were enucleated and underwent histological examination. Results On fundus examination, no distinct retinal changes were seen in any group except the 0.8-mg group, which showed chorioretinal vascular attenuation. In 0.1 and 0.2-mg groups, no significant anatomical changes were found except transient hyperreflective dots over the vitreoretinal interface on OCT. In 0.4 and 0.8-mg groups, disruption of the ellipsoid zone and diffuse retinal swelling were observed in the early period on OCT. In the 0.4-mg group, the outer retina was significantly destroyed at day 28, whereas the inner retina was relatively preserved. In the 0.8-mg group, the entire retina was destroyed irreversibly. The b-wave of ERG was reduced immediately in all groups, which recovered fully (0.1- and 0.2-mg groups), partially (0.4-mg group), or never (0.8-mg group). No structural or functional abnormalities were found in the fellow control eyes. Conclusions Retinal degeneration following intravitreal injection of SI appears to be dose dependent; retinal damage is reversible at low doses but irreversible at high doses. At a certain dose, the outer retina may be preferably ablated.</P>

Effect of thermal history on lattice expansion and guest distribution of tetrahydrofuran clathrate hydrate with air molecules

Koh, D. Y.,Kang, H.,Park, Y.,Lee, H. Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. 2014 Chemical physics letters Vol.597 No.-

Air hydrates can form under the high-pressure and low-temperature conditions found in deep ice sheets of the Arctic and Antarctic regions. These hydrates can play a major role in the analysis of data gathered in these regions. Through this Letter, we investigate on thermal expansivity and guest-molecule dynamics of THF + air clathrate hydrate provided by a neutron scattering experiment and address two noteworthy features. First is the effect of thermal history on host water-lattice expansion and related gas-inclusion effect on thermal expansion coefficients. Second is the changes in guest-molecule distribution during the degassing process caused by thermal stimulation. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Self-templated synthesis of hollow silica microspheres using Na2SiO3 precursor

Yoo, B. U.,Han, M. H.,Nersisyan, H. H.,Yoon, J. H.,Lee, K. J.,Lee, J. H. Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. 2014 Microporous and mesoporous materials Vol.190 No.-

A facile synthesis method has been developed to directly convert solid Na2SiO3 hollow microspheres into non-aggregated hollow SiO2 microspheres at ambient pressure and temperature. An initial dispersion of Na2SiO3 microspheres (mean diameter: 10-50 mu m) in ethanol was prepared, and subsequent hydrolysis of Na2SiO3 was performed using a HCl solution. Other precipitants such as ammonium salts (NH4Cl, (NH4)(2)SO4) and boron oxide (B2O3) were also tested. The characteristics of the synthesized hollow microspheres were investigated in detail by thermogravimetric analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy, N-2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, and X-ray diffraction. The as-prepared SiO2 microspheres were hollow with diameters between 10 and 50 mu m. The surface area of these microspheres, determined by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis, was in the range 193-288 m(2) g(-1). Using the proposed method, the size and shape of the obtained silica microspheres are largely determined by the size of low-cost and environmentally friendly precursor sodium silicate microspheres. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.