Effects of Soaking and Fermentation Time on Biogenic Amines Content of Maesil (Prunus Mume) Extract

Maesil extract, a fruit-juice concentrate derived from Prunus mume prepared by fermenting with sugar, is widely used with increasing popularity in Korea. Biogenic amines in maesil extract were extracted with 0.4 M perchloric acid, derivatized with dansyl chloride, and detected using high-performance liquid chromatography. Among 18 home-made maesil extracts collected from different regions, total biogenic amine content varied from 2.53 to 241.73 mg/L. To elucidate the effects of soaking and fermentation time on biogenic amine content in maesil extract, maesil was soaked in brown sugar for 90 days and the liquid obtained was further fermented for 180 days at 15 and 25 °C, respectively. The main biogenic amines extracted were putrescine and spermidine and the total biogenic amine content was higher at 25 °C than at 15 °C. Soaking at 15 and 25 °C increased the total biogenic amines content from 14.14 to 34.98 mg/L and 37.33 to 69.05 mg/L, respectively, whereas a 180 day fermentation decreased the content from 31.66 to 13.59 mg/L and 116.82 to 57.05 mg/L, respectively. Biogenic amine content was correlated with total amino acid content (particularly, arginine content). Based on these results, we have considered that biogenic amine synthesis can be reduced during maesil extract production by controlling temperature and fermentation time

Muffins enriched with dietary fiber from kimchi by‐product: Baking properties, physical–chemical properties, and consumer acceptance

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary fiber from Chinese cabbage outer‐leaf powder, which is a main by‐product of kimchi, on the quality, texture properties, and sensory evaluation of muffins. The kimchi by‐product powder (KBP, 36.2% dietary fiber) was added at 1%–4% dietary fiber content, by replacing wheat flour (w/w basis). The physico‐chemical and sensory properties of the baked muffins were measured. The height and volume of the muffins decreased with the addition of KBP. Increasing the KBP content resulted in increased hardness and reduced chewiness. No significant difference was observed in the overall acceptance among the muffins, up to the 2% added dietary fiber group, and the positive effect of the incorporated KBP was also confirmed in the sensory evaluation. These results indicate that it is possible to produce functional muffins with increased dietary fiber content by adding KBP in place of flour

Textile-fiber-embedded multiluminescent devices: A new approach to soft display systems

In the recent remarkable advances in soft electronic systems, light-emitting functions play a prominent role. In particular, polymer composite systems with embedded luminescent particles have attracted considerable attention as a luminescent component owing to their flexibility and simple fabrication. However, most flexible composite-based electroluminescent (EL) devices have coplanar structures, requiring mechanically compliant electrodes with high transmittance, durability, and stable electrical conductivity. This is a limitation for systems designed for providing superior flexible characteristics without loss of luminescence. Here, we introduce a novel EL device architecture—a durable/flexible textile-fiber-embedded polydimethylsiloxane and zinc sulfide (PDMS + ZnS) composite, driven by an in-plane electric field, which eliminates the requirement for high transmittance. On applying an AC voltage, light is radially emitted from the ZnS particles surrounding the fibers, originating from the radially distributed electric/optical fields; the rolling and stretching flexibilities are maintained during this process. The device also exhibits strong EL intensities in a thick emitting layer—a parameter on which EL and mechanoluminescent (ML) intensities in coplanar structures are dependent. This is because the electric field is applied between in-plane fibers. Using this smart design, simultaneously high EL and ML intensities can be simply achieved by embedding fibers in strong ML-emitting PDMS + ZnS. We also present a patterned device controlled by different fiber embedding depths, utilizing the vertical and in-plane electric fields. This application may provide a basis for the development of emerging soft display systems that require high luminescence as well as flexibility in the light-emitting components. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd1

Evaluation of the In Vitro and In Vivo Antitumor Efficacy of Peanut Sprout Extracts Cultivated with Fermented Sawdust Medium Against Bladder Cancer

Peanut sprout extracts reportedly exhibit numerous beneficial effects; however, there are few investigations on the biological effects of peanut sprout extracts cultivated with fermented sawdust medium (PSEFS). Here, we examined whether PSEFS demonstrates antitumor activity against bladder cancer, in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that PSEFS prohibited the proliferation of bladder cancer T24 cells, with this effect attributed to induction of cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase through reduced expression of cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases caused by a promotion of p21WAF1 expression. Additionally, PSEFS induced phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. Moreover, PSEFS treatment attenuated the invasive and migratory potential of T24 cells due to decreased matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity combined with downregulation of the transcriptional binding activity of SP1, activator protein -1, and nuclear factor-kappaB. Furthermore, PSEFS (20 mg/kg) attenuated the tumor-growth rate in xenograft mice bearing T24 cells, with an effect equivalent to that of cisplatin and in the absence of toxicity following weight-loss evaluation and hematobiochemical testing of PSEFS-treated mice. These results demonstrated the antitumor efficacy of PSEFS both in vitro and in vivo, thereby reporting it as a potential candidate for development of novel agents against bladder cancer

Shikonin Attenuates Hepatic Steatosis by Enhancing Beta Oxidation and Energy Expenditure via AMPK Activation

Shikonin, a natural plant pigment, is known to have anti-obesity activity and to improve insulin sensitivity. This study aimed to examine the effect of shikonin on hepatic steatosis, focusing on the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and energy expenditure in Hepa 1-6 cells and in high-fat fed mice. Shikonin increased AMPK phosphorylation in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and inhibition of AMPK with compound C inhibited this activation. In an oleic acid-induced steatosis model in hepatocytes, shikonin suppressed oleic acid-induced lipid accumulation, increased AMPK phosphorylation, suppressed the expression of lipogenic genes, and stimulated fatty acid oxidation-related genes. Shikonin administration for four weeks decreased body weight gain and the accumulation of lipid droplets in the liver of high-fat fed mice. Furthermore, shikonin promoted energy expenditure by activating fatty acid oxidation. In addition, shikonin increased the expression of PPARγ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT1) and other mitochondrial function-related genes. These results suggest that shikonin attenuated a high fat diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by stimulating fatty acid oxidation and energy expenditure via AMPK activation

Identification of novel DNA hypermethylation of the adenylate kinase 5 promoter in colorectal adenocarcinoma

Abstract Adenylate kinase 5 (AK5) belongs to the adenylate kinase family that catalyses reversible phosphate transfer between adenine nucleotides, and it is related to various energetic signalling mechanisms. However, the role of AK5 in colorectal cancer (CRC) has not been reported. In this study, AK5 was significantly hypermethylated in CRC compared to adjacent normal tissues (P < 0.0001) and normal tissues (P = 0.0015). Although the difference in mRNA expression was not statistically significant in all of them, the selected 49 cases of CRC tissues with AK5 hypermethylation with the cut off value of 40% showed a significant inverse correlation with mRNA expression (P = 0.0003). DNA methylation of AK5 promoter significantly decreased and AK5 expression recovered by 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine, DNA methyltransferase inhibitor in CRC cell lines. In addition, AK5 promoter activity significantly decreased due to DNA methyltransferase, and it increased due to 5-aza. Moreover, AK5 regulated the phosphorylated AMPK and mTOR phosphorylation and inhibited the cell migration and cell invasion in CRC cell lines. Furthermore, low AK5 expression is associated with poor differentiation (P = 0.014). These results demonstrate that the AK5 promoter is frequently hypermethylated and induced methylation-mediated gene down-regulation. AK5 expression regulates AMPK/mTOR signalling and may be closely related to metastasis in colorectal adenocarcinoma

Salami-like Electrospun Si Nanoparticle-ITO Composite Nanofibers with Internal Conductive Pathways for use as Anodes for Li-Ion Batteries

We report novel salami-like core–sheath composites consisting of Si nanoparticle assemblies coated with indium tin oxide (ITO) sheath layers that are synthesized via coelectrospinning. Core–sheath structured Si nanoparticles (NPs) in static ITO allow robust microstructures to accommodate for mechanical stress induced by the repeated cyclical volume changes of Si NPs. Conductive ITO sheaths can provide bulk conduction paths for electrons. Distinct Si NP-based core structures, in which the ITO phase coexists uniformly with electrochemically active Si NPs, are capable of facilitating rapid charge transfer as well. These engineered composites enabled the production of high-performance anodes with an excellent capacity retention of 95.5% (677 and 1523 mAh g^–1, which are based on the total weight of Si-ITO fibers and Si NPs only, respectively), and an outstanding rate capability with a retention of 75.3% from 1 to 12 C. The cycling performance and rate capability of core–sheath-structured Si NP-ITO are characterized in terms of charge-transfer kinetics

MHY440, a Novel Topoisomerase Ι Inhibitor, Induces Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis via a ROS-Dependent DNA Damage Signaling Pathway in AGS Human Gastric Cancer Cells

We investigated the antitumor activity and action mechanism of MHY440 in AGS human gastric cancer cells. MHY440 inhibited topoisomerase (Topo) &Iota; activity and was associated with a DNA damage response signaling pathway. It exhibited a stronger anti-proliferative effect on AGS cells relative to Hs27 human foreskin fibroblast cells, and this effect was both time- and concentration-dependent. MHY440 also increased cell arrest in the G2/M phase by decreasing cyclin B1, Cdc2, and Cdc25c, and upregulating p53 and p73. MHY440 induced AGS cell apoptosis through the upregulation of Fas-L, Fas, and Bax as well as the proteolysis of BH3 interacting-domain death agonist and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. It also contributed to the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. The apoptotic cell death induced by MHY440 was inhibited by pretreatment with Z-VAD-FMK, a pan-caspase inhibitor, indicating that apoptosis was caspase-dependent. Moreover, the apoptotic effect of MHY440 was reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent, as evidenced by the inhibition of MHY440-induced PARP cleavage and ROS generation via N-acetylcysteine-induced ROS scavenging. Taken together, MHY440 showed anticancer effects by inhibiting Topo I, regulating the cell cycle, inducing apoptosis through caspase activation, and generating ROS, suggesting that MHY440 has considerable potential as a therapeutic agent for human gastric cancer

Effect of washing, soaking, and cooking methods on perfluorinated compounds in mackerel (Scomber japonicus)

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are environmental pollutants, and dietary intake is a major route of human exposure to them. We aimed to see the effects of washing, soaking, and cooking (grilling, braising, frying, and steaming) on the change of PFCs in mackerel fillets and PFCs before and after each treatment were analyzed using LC-MS/MS. Washing resulted in a decrease in the PFC content of mackerel (average 74%) comparing to control. Among the 19 PFCs detected, perfluorobutanoic acid and perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA) were found to be abundant after washing. Soaking mackerel in sake reduced its PFC content by 51%, whereas soaking in rice-washed solution reduced by 80% comparing to control. All the four cooking methods were effective in reducing the PFC content of mackerel. The degree by which the PFC content decreased varied with the cooking method: grilling (91%), steaming (75%), frying (58%), and braising (47%) comparing to uncooked sample. In addition, when mackerel was braised with potato, PFCs decreased more in fillet than the ones without potato. PFCs in potato increased after cooking with mackerel. The excessive consumption through the mackerel was 0.1997 ng/kg bw/day and 0.7987 ng/kg bw/day, respectively. These exposure levels were well below the tolerable daily intake values of both compounds (PFOS, 150 ng/kg bw/day; PFOA, 1,500 ng/kg bw/day). The results of this study indicated that employing appropriate pretreatment and cooking methods could be an effective way to reduce the dietary exposure to PFCs in mackerel