Isolation and Characterization of Efficient Active Compounds Using High-Performance Centrifugal Partition Chromatography (CPC) from Anti-Inflammatory Activity Fraction of Ecklonia maxima in South Africa

Ecklonia maxima is a brown seaweed, which is abundantly distributed in South Africa. This study investigated an efficient approach using high-performance centrifugal partition chromatography (HPCPC), which has been successfully developed for the isolation and purification of phlorotannins, eckmaxol, and dieckol from the ethyl acetate fraction of E. maxima (EEM). We evaluated EEM for its inhibitory effect against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses in zebrafish embryos. The separation of eckmaxol and dieckol from samples of EEM using HPCPC was found to be of high purity and yield under an optimal solvent system composed of n-hexane:ethyl acetate:methanol:water (2:7:3:7, v/v/v/v). To evaluate the anti-inflammatory efficacy of EEM containing active compounds, zebrafish embryos exposed to LPS were compared with and without EEM treatment for nitric oxide (NO) production, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and cell death two days after fertilization. These evaluations indicate that EEM alleviated inflammation by inhibiting cell death, ROS, and NO generation induced by LPS treatment. According to these results, eckmaxol and dieckol isolated from brown seaweed E. maxima could be considered effective anti-inflammatory agents as pharmaceutical and functional food ingredients.     

Anticancer Activity of Mannose-Specific Lectin,BPL2, from Marine Green Alga Bryopsis plumosa

Lectin is a carbohydrate-binding protein that recognizes specific cells by binding to cell-surface polysaccharides. Tumor cells generally show various glycosylation patterns, making them distinguishable from non-cancerous cells. Consequently, lectin has been suggested as a good anticancer agent. Herein, the anticancer activity of Bryopsis plumosa lectins (BPL1, BPL2, and BPL3) was screened and tested against lung cancer cell lines (A549, H460, and H1299). BPL2 showed high anticancer activity compared to BPL1 and BPL3. Cell viability was dependent on BPL2 concentration and incubation time. The IC₅₀ value for lung cancer cells was 50 μg/mL after 24 h of incubation in BPL2 containing medium; however, BPL2 (50 μg/mL) showed weak toxicity in non-cancerous cells (MRC5). BPL2 affected cancer cell growth while non-cancerous cells were less affected. Further, BPL2 (20 μg/mL) inhibited cancer cell invasion and migration (rates were ˂20%). BPL2 induced the downregulation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition-related genes (Zeb1, vimentin, and Twist). Co-treatment with BPL2 and gefitinib (10 μg/mL and 10 μM, respectively) showed a synergistic effect compared with monotherapy. BPL2 or gefitinib monotherapy resulted in approximately 90% and 70% cell viability, respectively, with concomitant treatment showing 40% cell viability. Overall, BPL2 can be considered a good candidate for development into an anticancer agent.     

Antihypertensive Effects of IGTGIPGIW Peptide Purified from Hippocampus abdominalis: p-eNOS and p-AKT Stimulation in EA.hy926 Cells and Lowering of Blood Pressure in SHR Model

The aim of this study was to assess the potential hypertensive effects of the IGTGIPGIW peptide purified from Hippocampus abdominalis alcalase hydrolysate (HA) for application in the functional food industry. We investigated the antihypertensive effects of IGTGIPGIW in vitro by assessing nitric oxide production in EA.hy926 endothelial cells, which is a major factor affecting vasorelaxation. The potential vasorelaxation effect was evaluated using 4-amino-5-methylamino-2′,7′-difluorofluorescein diacetate, a fluorescent stain. IGTGIPGIW significantly increased the expression of endothelial-derived relaxing factors, including endothelial nitric oxide synthase and protein kinase B, in EA.hy926 cells. Furthermore, oral administration of IGTGIPGIW significantly lowered the systolic blood pressure (183.60 ± 1.34 mmHg) and rapidly recovered the diastolic blood pressure (143.50 ± 5.55 mmHg) in the spontaneously hypertensive rat model in vivo. Our results demonstrate the antihypertensive activity of the IGTGIPGIW peptide purified from H. abdominalis and indicate its suitability for application in the functional food industry.     

Effect of far-infrared radiation on the antioxidant activity of rice hulls

After far-infrared (FIR) radiation onto rice hull, a methanolic extract was prepared for the determination of antioxidant ability. After 30 min of FIR treatment, the radical scavenging activity and total phenol contents of rice hull extracts increased from 47.74 to 79.63% and from 0.12 to 0.19 mM, respectively, compared to control. Inhibition of lipid peroxidation in extracts was also increased from 41.07 to 47.96%. According to the GC-MS analysis, more phenolic compounds (p-coumaric acid, 3-vinyl-1-oxybenzene, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, vanillin, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, and 4,7-dihydroxyvanillic acid) were detected in FIR-irradiated rice hull extract. These results indicated that FIR radiation onto rice hull could liberate and activate covalently bound phenolic compounds that have antioxidant activities.     

Genetic analysis of ORF5 of recent Korean porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome viruses (PRRSVs) in viremic sera collected from MLV-vaccinating or non-vaccinating farms

The 23 open reading frame (ORF) 5 sequences of Korean type II porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) were collected from viremic sera from the (modified live vaccine) MLV-vaccinating and non-vaccinating farms from 2007 to 2008. The samples were phylogenetically analyzed with previous ORF5 sequences, including type I Korean PRRSV, and previously reported or collected sequences from 1997 to 2008. A MN184-like subgroup of type II Korean PRRSV was newly identified in the viremic sera collected from 2007 to 2008. And of the type I PRRSVs, one subgroup had 87.2~88.9% similarity with the Lelystad virus, showing a close relationship with the 27~2003 strain of Spain. The maximum parsimony tree of type II PRRSV from 1997 to 2008 showed that they had evolved to four lineages, subgroups 1, 2, 3 and 4. Most of the recently collected type II PRRSVs belonged to subgroup 4 (48%). The region of three B-cell epitopes and two T-cell epitopes of ORF5 amino acids sequences was considerably different from the MLV in subgroups 3 and 4. In conclusion, the existence of type I PRRSV, which was genetically different from Lelystad virus (Prototype of type I PRRSV), and heterologous type II PRRSVs of viremic pigs detected even in the MLV-vaccinating farms indicated the need for new vaccine approaches for the control of PRRSV in Korea.     

A 3D-Printed Polycaprolactone/Marine Collagen Scaffold Reinforced with Carbonated Hydroxyapatite from Fish Bones for Bone Regeneration

In bone tissue regeneration, extracellular matrix (ECM) and bioceramics are important factors, because of their osteogenic potential and cell–matrix interactions. Surface modifications with hydrophilic material including proteins show significant potential in tissue engineering applications, because scaffolds are generally fabricated using synthetic polymers and bioceramics. In the present study, carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHA) and marine atelocollagen (MC) were extracted from the bones and skins, respectively, of Paralichthys olivaceus. The extracted CHA was characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, while MC was characterized using FTIR spectroscopy and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The scaffolds consisting of polycaprolactone (PCL), and different compositions of CHA (2.5%, 5%, and 10%) were fabricated using a three-axis plotting system and coated with 2% MC. Then, the MC3T3-E1 cells were seeded on the scaffolds to evaluate the osteogenic differentiation in vitro, and in vivo calvarial implantation of the scaffolds was performed to study bone tissue regeneration. The results of mineralization confirmed that the MC/PCL, 2.5% CHA/MC/PCL, 5% CHA/MC/PCL, and 10% CHA/MC/PCL scaffolds increased osteogenic differentiation by 302%, 858%, 970%, and 1044%, respectively, compared with pure PCL scaffolds. Consequently, these results suggest that CHA and MC obtained from byproducts of P. olivaceus are superior alternatives for land animal-derived substances.     

Directly-prelithiated carbon nanotube film for high-performance flexible lithium-ion battery electrodes

Carbon nanotube (CNT) films are very flexible and serve as active materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Hence, they have high potential as flexible free-standing electrodes for wearable batteries. However, nanocarbon materials such as CNTs and graphene are of limited use as electrodes because they have a large initial irreversible capacity due to the formation of a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Herein, we prelithiated the CNT films to make them available as electrodes for flexible batteries by reducing their irreversible capacity. The SEI is pre-formed through a direct prelithiation (DP) method that brings lithium metal into direct contact with CNT films in an electrolyte. As a result, the capacity of directly-prelithiated CNT film electrodes continues to increase to 1520 mAh/g until 350th cycle of charge/discharge and their initial irreversible capacity vanishes. The changes in the electrochemical properties of CNT film electrodes by DP treatment and their flexibility are investigated.     

Effect of Chelated Vanadium Spray on Concentration of Vanadium and Organic Compounds in Tea Shoots

The study aimed to develop vanadium tea products and evaluated the potential of chelated vanadium （V） absorption by tea shoots and effect of vanadium accumulation on tea quality during the first crop season.Chelated V application with three times foliar sprays at 5 days intervals starting from 15 days before plucking showed a significant increase in V content of new young shoots,which was much effective at higher concentration.However,one or two times sprays had no increase in V content regardless of spray concentration compared to non-treated.Despite V accumulation in the treated at 3 to 9 times higher that of than the non-treated plants,there were no significant changes in contents of total amino acids,theanine,caffeine,total polyphenols,crude fiber,and cathechins between the treated and the non-treated.     

Highly conserved protective epitopes on influenza B viruses

Identification of broadly neutralizing antibodies against influenza A viruses has raised hopes for the development of monoclonal antibody-based immunotherapy and "universal" vaccines for influenza. However, a substantial part of the annual flu burden is caused by two cocirculating, antigenically distinct lineages of influenza B viruses. Here, we report human monoclonal antibodies, CR8033, CR8071, and CR9114, that protect mice against lethal challenge from both lineages. Antibodies CR8033 and CR8071 recognize distinct conserved epitopes in the head region of the influenza B hemagglutinin (HA), whereas CR9114 binds a conserved epitope in the HA stem and protects against lethal challenge with influenza A and B viruses. These antibodies may inform on development of monoclonal antibody-based treatments and a universal flu vaccine for all influenza A and B viruses.     

Biscrolling nanotube sheets and functional guests into yarns

Multifunctional applications of textiles have been limited by the inability to spin important materials into yarns. Generically applicable methods are demonstrated for producing weavable yarns comprising up to 95 weight percent of otherwise unspinnable particulate or nanofiber powders that remain highly functional. Scrolled 50-nanometer-thick carbon nanotube sheets confine these powders in the galleries of irregular scroll sacks whose observed complex structures are related to twist-dependent extension of Archimedean spirals, Fermat spirals, or spiral pairs into scrolls. The strength and electronic connectivity of a small weight fraction of scrolled carbon nanotube sheet enables yarn weaving, sewing, knotting, braiding, and charge collection. This technology is used to make yarns of superconductors, lithium-ion battery materials, graphene ribbons, catalytic nanofibers for fuel cells, and titanium dioxide for photocatalysis.