The Primo Vascular System as a New Anatomical System

Miroslav Stefanov,Michael Potroz,김정대,Jake Lim,차용철,남민호 사단법인약침학회 2013 Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies Vol.6 No.6

Traditional Eastern medicine has had a successful existence for a long time and has provided functional paths for curing disease. However, some scientists do not accept acupuncture, primarily because the meridian system lacks a physical anatomical basis. To date, scientific theories have not been able to explain the functional paths used by traditional Eastern medicine to cure disease. According to Western medicine, no known anatomical foundation exists for the meridians and unknown nervous, circulatory, endocrine, and immune mechanisms mediate the effects of acupuncture. In the early 1960s, only one hypothesis was proposed to explain the anatomical basis of the meridians. By using different experimental approaches during the past 10 years, the number of scientific papers that report the discovery of different anatomical and physiological evidence confirming the existence of an anatomical basis for the meridian system has increased. Morphological science is greatly challenged to offer a new biomedical theory that explains the possible existence of new bodily systems such as the primo vascular system (PVS). The PVS is a previously unknown system that integrates the features of the cardiovascular, nervous, immune, and hormonal systems. It also provides a physical substrate for the acupuncture points and meridians. Announcements of the morphological architectonics and the function of the PVS fundamentally changed the basic understanding of biology and medicine because the PVS is involved in the development and the functions of living organisms. We propose a new vision of the anatomical basis for the PVS and the vital energy—called “Qi”—as an electromagnetic wave that is involved very closely with the DNA in the PVS. DNA provides genetic information and it functions as a store of information that can be obtained from the electromagnetic fields of the environment. The PVS is the communication system between living organisms and the environment, and it lies at the lowest level of life. The theory of the PVS could be a good basis for forming a new point of view of Darwin's evolutionary theory. Discoveries in morphological theory—such as discoveries with respect to the PVS—have not been made since the 18th century. For that reason, the PVS needs more attention.

Macromolecular Microencapsulation Using Pine Pollen: Loading Optimization and Controlled Release with Natural Materials

Prabhakar, Arun K.,Potroz, Michael G.,Tan, Ee-Lin,Jung, Haram,Park, Jae Hyeon,Cho, Nam-Joon American Chemical Society 2018 ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES Vol.10 No.34

<P>Pine pollen offers an all-natural multicavity structure with dual hollow air sacs, providing ample cargo capacity available for compound loading. However, the pollen exhibits reduced permeability because of the presence of a thin natural water-proofing layer of lipidic compounds. Herein, we explore the potential for compound loading within pine pollen and the potential for developing all-natural formulations for targeted delivery to the intestinal tract. Removal of the surface-adhered lipidic compounds is shown to improve surface wetting, expose nanochannel structures in the outer pollen shell and enhance water uptake throughout the whole pollen structure. Optimization of loading parameters enabled effective compound loading within the outer pollen shell sexine structure, with bovine serum albumin (BSA) serving as a representative protein. All-natural oral delivery formulations for targeted intestinal delivery are developed based on tableting of BSA-loaded defatted pine pollen, with the incorporation of xanthan gum as a natural binder, or ionotropically cross-linked sodium alginate as an enteric coating. Looking forward, the large cargo capacity, ease of compound loading, competitive cost, abundant availability, and extensive historical usage as food and medicine make pine pollen an attractive microencapsulant for a wide range of potential applications.</P> [FIG OMISSION]</BR>

Chemical processing strategies to obtain sporopollenin exine capsules from multi-compartmental pine pollen

Prabhakar, A.K.,Lai, H.Y.,Potroz, M.G.,Corliss, M.K.,Park, J.H.,Mundargi, R.C.,Cho, D.,Bang, S.I.,Cho, N.J. Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemi 2017 Journal of industrial and engineering chemistry Vol.53 No.-

Pine pollen is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and has been consumed as a food product for thousands of years. Owing to wind pollination, its pollen grains are composed of a sporoplasmic central cavity along with two empty air sac compartments. While this architectural configuration is evolutionarily optimized for wind dispersal, such features also lend excellent potential for encapsulating materials, especially in the context of preparing sporopollenin exine capsules (SECs). Herein, we systematically evaluated one-pot acid processing methods in order to generate pine pollen SECs that support compound loading. Morphological properties of the SECs were analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic imaging particle analysis (DIPA), and protein removal was evaluated by CHN elemental analysis and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). It was identified that 5-h acidolysis with 85% w/v phosphoric acid at 70<SUP>o</SUP>C yielded an optimal balance of high protein removal and preservation of microcapsule architecture, while other processing methods were also feasible with an additional enzymatic step. Importantly, the loading efficiency of the pine pollen SECs was three-times greater than that of natural pine pollen, highlighting their potential for microencapsulation. Taken together, our findings outline a successful strategy to prepare intact pine pollen SECs and demonstrate for the first time that SECs can be prepared from multi-compartmental pollen capsules, opening the door to streamlined processing approaches to utilize pine pollen microcapsules in industrial applications.

Preserving the inflated structure of lyophilized sporopollenin exine capsules with polyethylene glycol osmolyte

Michael K. Corliss,Chuan Kiat Bok,Jurriaan Gillissen,Michael G. Potroz,정하람,Ee-Lin Tan,Raghavendra C. Mundargi,조남준 한국공업화학회 2018 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.61 No.-

Extracted from natural pollen grains, sporopollenin exine capsules (SECs) are robust, chemically inert biopolymer shells that posess highly uniform size and shape characteristics and that can be utilized as hollow microcapsules for drug delivery applications. However, it is challenging to extract fully functional SECs from many pollen species because pollen grains often collapse, causing the loss of architectural features, loading volume, and bulk uniformity. Herein, we demonstrate that polyethylene glycol (PEG) osmolyte solutions can help preserve the native architectural features of extracted SECs, yielding inflated microcapsules of high uniformity that persist even after subsequent lyophilization. Optimal conditions were first identified to extract SECs from cattail (Typhae angustfolia) pollen via phosphoric acid processing after which successful protein removal was confirmed by elemental (CHN), mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF), and confocal laser canning microscopy (CLSM) analyses. The shape of SECs was then assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic image particle analysis (DIPA). While acid-processed SECs experienced high degrees of structural collapse, incubation in 2.5% or higher PEG solutions significantly improved preservation of spherical SEC shape by inducing inflation within the microcapsules. A theoretical model of PEG-induced osmotic pressure effects was used to interpret the experimental data, and the results show excellent agreement with the known mechanical properties of pollen exine walls. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that PEG osmolyte is a useful additive for preserving particle shape in lyophilized SEC formulations, opening the door to broadly applicable strategies for stabilizing the structure of hollow microcapsules.

Chemical processing strategies to obtain sporopollenin exine capsules from multi-compartmental pine pollen

Arun Kumar Prabhakar,Hui Ying Lai,Michael G. Potroz,Michael K. Corliss,박재현,Raghavendra C. Mundargi,조대호,방사익,조남준 한국공업화학회 2017 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.53 No.-

Pine pollen is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and has been consumed as a food product for thousands of years. Owing to wind pollination, its pollen grains are composed of a sporoplasmic central cavity along with two empty air sac compartments. While this architectural configuration is evolutionarily optimized for wind dispersal, such features also lend excellent potential for encapsulating materials, especially in the context of preparing sporopollenin exine capsules (SECs). Herein, we systematically evaluated one-pot acid processing methods in order to generate pine pollen SECs that support compound loading. Morphological properties of the SECs were analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic imaging particle analysis (DIPA), and protein removal was evaluated by CHN elemental analysis and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). It was identified that 5-h acidolysis with 85% w/v phosphoric acid at 70 C yielded an optimal balance of high protein removal and preservation of microcapsule architecture, while other processing methods were also feasible with an additional enzymatic step. Importantly, the loading efficiency of the pine pollen SECs was three-times greater than that of natural pine pollen, highlighting their potential for microencapsulation. Taken together, our findings outline a successful strategy to prepare intact pine pollen SECs and demonstrate for the first time that SECs can be prepared from multi-compartmental pollen capsules, opening the door to streamlined processing approaches to utilize pine pollen microcapsules in industrial applications.

Preserving the inflated structure of lyophilized sporopollenin exine capsules with polyethylene glycol osmolyte

Corliss, Michael K.,Bok, Chuan Kiat,Gillissen, Jurriaan,Potroz, Michael G.,Jung, Haram,Tan, Ee-Lin,Mundargi, Raghavendra C.,Cho, Nam-Joon THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING 2018 JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY -S Vol.61 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Extracted from natural pollen grains, sporopollenin exine capsules (SECs) are robust, chemically inert biopolymer shells that posess highly uniform size and shape characteristics and that can be utilized as hollow microcapsules for drug delivery applications. However, it is challenging to extract fully functional SECs from many pollen species because pollen grains often collapse, causing the loss of architectural features, loading volume, and bulk uniformity. Herein, we demonstrate that polyethylene glycol (PEG) osmolyte solutions can help preserve the native architectural features of extracted SECs, yielding inflated microcapsules of high uniformity that persist even after subsequent lyophilization. Optimal conditions were first identified to extract SECs from cattail (<I>Typhae angustfolia</I>) pollen <I>via</I> phosphoric acid processing after which successful protein removal was confirmed by elemental (CHN), mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF), and confocal laser canning microscopy (CLSM) analyses. The shape of SECs was then assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic image particle analysis (DIPA). While acid-processed SECs experienced high degrees of structural collapse, incubation in 2.5% or higher PEG solutions significantly improved preservation of spherical SEC shape by inducing inflation within the microcapsules. A theoretical model of PEG-induced osmotic pressure effects was used to interpret the experimental data, and the results show excellent agreement with the known mechanical properties of pollen exine walls. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that PEG osmolyte is a useful additive for preserving particle shape in lyophilized SEC formulations, opening the door to broadly applicable strategies for stabilizing the structure of hollow microcapsules.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Identified that polyethylene glycol (PEG) osmolyte can prevent SEC particle collapse. </LI> <LI> Chemical route to extract SECs from cattail pollen was achieved successfully. </LI> <LI> Model of PEG-induced osmotic pressure effects agrees with experimental data. </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>