Methanol Extract of Hydroclathrus clathratus Inhibits Production of Nitric Oxide, Prostaglandin E2 and Tumor Necrosis Factor-&#945 in Lipopolysaccharidestimulated BV2 Microglial Cells via Inhibition of NF-&#954B Activity

Purpose: Hydroclathrus clathratus is a brown marine seaweed known to possess anti-cancer, anti-herpetic, and anti-coagulant activities. The present study is aimed at investigating some anti-inflammatory effects of H. clathratus.Methods: We investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of the methanol extract of H. clathratus (MEHC) by expression of mRNA and protein using RT-PCR and Western blot analysis in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglial cells. The level of nitric oxide (NO) production was analyzed using Griess reaction. The release of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were determined using sandwich ELISA. NF-κB activation was detected using EMSA methods.Results: The results obtained indicate that the extract (MEHC) inhibited LPS-induced NO, PGE2, and TNF-α production without any significant cytotoxicity (p < 0.05). MEHC also inhibited production of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and TNF-α mRNA in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglial cells. In addition, MEHC significantly reduced (p < 0.05) nuclear translocation of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) subunits, p50 and p65, and its DNA-binding activity in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglial cells.Conclusion: These results suggest that MEHC suppresses the induction of TNF-α, as well as iNOS and COX-2 expression, by blocking LPS-induced NF-κB activation.Keywords: Hydroclathrus clathratus, Nitric oxide, Prostaglandin E2, Tumor necrosis factor-α, Nuclear factor-κ

Methanol Extract of Polyopes lancifolius Inhibits the Expression of Pro-inflammatory Mediators in LPSstimulated BV2 Microglia Cells via Downregulation of the NF-&#954B Pathway

Purpose: This study is aimed at identifying the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of a methanol extract of Polyopes lancifolius (MEPL) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglia cells.Methods: The expression of mRNA and protein were investigated RT-PCR and western blot analyses in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglial cells. The level of nitric oxide (NO) production was analyzed using Griess reaction. The release of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were determined using sandwich ELISA. NF-κB activation was detected using EMSA methods.Results: MEPL significantly suppressed NO production in LPS-stimulated BV2 cells without any cytotoxicity. The results also indicate that MEPL decreased the production of PGE2 and TNF-α in LPSstimulated BV2 cells. Furthermore, pretreatment with MEPL resulted in a downregulation of LPSinduced mRNA and protein expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and TNF-α. Investigation of the effect of MEPL on nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activity, which is a potential transcriptional factor for regulating inflammatory genes such as iNOS, COX-2 and TNF-α, showed that MEPL substantially inhibited the LPS-induced DNA-binding activity of NF-κB. MEPL also suppressed the LPS-induced degradation and phosphorylation of I&kappaBα, and it consequently blocked p65 translocation from the cytosol to the nucleus.Conclusion: These data show that MEPL may regulate LPS-induced NO, PGE2, and TNF-α production by suppressing NF-κB activity.Keywords: Polyopes lancifolius, Nitric oxide, Prostaglandin E2, Tumor necrosis factor-α, Nuclear factor-κ

Inhibition of Nitric Oxide and Prostaglandin E2 Expression by Methanol Extract of Polyopes affinis in Lipopolysaccharide-stimulated BV2 Microglial Cells through Suppression of Akt-dependent NF-kB Activity and MAPK Pathway

Purpose: To determine whether the methanol extract of Polyopes affinis (MEPA) down-regulates the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglial cells.Methods: The production of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) was measured by the Griess reagents and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Expression levels of mRNA and protein in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglial cells were assessed by reverse transcription-polymerase (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. Activation of nuclear factor-êB (NF-êB) was detected by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA).Results: MEPA inhibited the expression of LPS-induced pro-inflammatory mediators, NO and PGE2, as well as their respective genes, iNOS and COX-2, at both protein and mRNA levels, without any accompanying cytotoxicity. Moreover, treatment with MEPA significantly suppressed the LPS-induced DNA-binding activity of NF-êB, which is known as a main transcription factor for the regulation of proinflammatory genes, as well as the nuclear translocation of its subunit p65 and p50, by degrading IêBá.MEPA increased Akt dephosphorylation which leads to suppression of the DNA-binding activity of NF-kB in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglial cells and suppressed phosphorylation of ERK and JNK, which are involved in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway for regulating proinflammatory genes.Conclusion: Our results indicate that MEPA down-regulates  pro-inflammatory mediators such as NO and PGE2 by suppressing Akt-dependent NF-êB activity as well as phosphorylation of ERK and JNK inLPS-stimulated BV2 microglial cells.Keywords: Polyopes affinis, Nitric oxide, Prostaglandin E2, Nuclear factor-k

Methanol Extract of Myelophycus caespitosus Inhibits the Inflammatory Response in Lipopolysaccharidestimulated BV2 Microglial Cells by Downregulating NF-kB via Inhibition of the Akt Signaling Pathway

Purpose: To determine whether the methanol extract of Myelophycus caespitosus (MEMC) downregulates the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglial cells.Methods: Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) together with Western blot analysis was used to evaluate the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2(PGE2) as well as their regulatory genes such as inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglial cells. The level of NO production was analyzed using Griess reaction.The release of PGE2 was determined using sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The DNA-binding activity of nuclear factor-êB (NF-êB) was measured by electrophoretic mobility shift assay.Results: MEMC inhibited LPS-induced pro-inflammatory mediators, NO and PGE2, as well as their respective genes, iNOS and COX-2, at both protein and mRNA levels, without any significant cytotoxicity. Treatment withMEMC also substantially reduced the LPS-induced DNA-binding activity of NF-êB and nuclear translocation of NF-êB subunits p65 and p50 via the inhibition of IêBá phosphorylation and degradation. MEMC promoteddephosphorylation of Akt that subsequently suppressed the DNA-binding activity of NF-êB in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglial cells.Conclusion: Collectively, these data suggest that MEMC attenuates expression of pro-inflammatory mediators such as NO and PGE2 by suppression of their regulatory genes through the inhibition of Aktmediated NF-êB activity.Keywords: Myelophycus caespitosus, Nitric oxide, Prostaglandin E2, Nuclear factor-êB

AROS Is a Significant Biomarker for Tumor Aggressiveness in Non-cirrhotic Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Despite a low risk of liver failure and preserved liver function, non-cirrhotic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a poor prognosis. In the current study, we evaluated an active regulator of SIRT1 (AROS) as a prognostic biomarker in non-cirrhotic HCC. mRNA levels of AROS were measured in tumor and non-tumor tissues obtained from 283 non-cirrhotic HCC patients. AROS expression was exclusively up-regulated in recurrent tissues from the non-cirrhotic HCC patients (P = 0.015) and also in tumor tissues irrespective of tumor stage (P < 0.001) or BCLC stage (P < 0.001). High mRNA levels of AROS were statistically significantly associated with tumor stage (P < 0.001), BCLC stage (P = 0.007), alpha fetoprotein (AFP) level (P = 0.013), microvascular invasion (P = 0.001), tumor size (P = 0.036), and portal vein invasion (P = 0.005). Kaplan-Meir curve analysis demonstrated that HCC patients with higher AROS levels had shorter disease-free survival (DFS) in both the short-term (P < 0.001) and long-term (P = 0.005) compared to those with low AROS. Cox regression analysis demonstrated that AROS is a significant predictor for DFS along with large tumor size, tumor multiplicity, vascular invasion, and poor tumor differentiation, which are the known prognostic factors. In conclusion, AROS is a significant biomarker for tumor aggressiveness in non-cirrhotic hepatocellular carcinoma.1122Ysciescopu

First step to facilitate long term and multi centre studies of shear wave elastography in solid breast lesions using a computer assisted algorithm

Purpose: Shear wave elastography (SWE) visualises the elasticity of tissue. As malignant tissue is generally stiffer than benign tissue, SWE is helpful to diagnose solid breast lesions. Until now, quantitative measurements of elasticity parameters have been possible only, while the images were still saved on the ultrasound imaging device. This work aims to overcome this issue and introduces an algorithm allowing fast offline evaluation of SWE images. Methods: The algorithm was applied to a commercial phantom comprising three lesions of various elasticities and 207 in vivo solid breast lesions. All images were saved in DICOM, JPG and QDE (quantitative data export; for research only) format and evaluated according to our clinical routine using a computer-aided diagnosis algorithm. The results were compared to the manual evaluation (experienced radiologist and trained engineer) regarding their numerical discrepancies and their diagnostic performance using ROC and ICC analysis. Results: ICCs of the elasticity parameters in all formats were nearly perfect (0.861–0.990). AUC for all formats was nearly identical for ${E}_{\mathrm{max}}$ and ${E}_{\mathrm{mean}}$ (0.863–0.888). The diagnostic performance of SD using DICOM or JPG estimations was lower than the manual or QDE estimation (AUC 0.673 vs. 0.844). Conclusions: The algorithm introduced in this study is suitable for the estimation of the elasticity parameters offline from the ultrasound system to include images taken at different times and sites. This facilitates the performance of long-term and multi-centre studies

Impact of Physical Activity on All-Cause Mortality According to Specific Cardiovascular Disease

BackgroundPatients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) tend to have higher mortality rates and reduced physical activity (PA). We aimed to evaluate the effect of PA on mortality in older adults with specific CVD.MethodsWe enrolled 68,223 participants (n = 23,871 with CVD, n = 44,352 without CVD) aged ≥65 years with available physical activity data between 2005 and 2012 from the Korean National Health Insurance Service of Korea-Senior database. CVD was defined as a history of ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and peripheral artery disease.ResultsPatients with CVD were older than those without CVD. Compared with the sedentary group, the physically active groups with and without CVD had a lower incidence and risk of all-cause death during a median follow up period of 42 (interquartile range 30-51) months. A 500 metabolic equivalent task-min/week increase in PA resulted in an 11% and 16% reduction in the risk of mortality in the non-CVD and CVD groups, respectively. With regard to specific CVDs, the risk of mortality progressively reduced with increasing PA in patients with heart failure or myocardial infarction. However, the reduction reached a plateau in patients with stroke or peripheral artery disease, but was significantly greater in patients with stroke (20% vs. without stoke, 11%, Pint = 0.006) or heart failure (13% vs. without heart failure, 11%; Pint = 0.045).ConclusionsPA was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality in older adults with and without CVD. The benefits of PA in patients with CVD, especially patients with stroke or heart failure, were greater than those without

Fabrication and characterization of Ni-Ce-Zr ternary disk-shaped catalyst and its application for low-temperature CO2 methanation

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd This study optimized a Ni-Ce-Zr catalyst and its contents for a CO2 methanation reaction by selecting a disk shape with a high mechanical strength, good durability, and thermal emission resistance. The physical and chemical properties of the obtained catalysts were determined by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction, and temperature-programmed desorption of CO2 analyses. In addition, the activity and stability of the obtained catalysts were then evaluated and compared. It was determined that the combined Ni-Ce-Zr catalyst positively affects the conversion of CO2 to CH4. Furthermore, a CO2 methanation experiment was performed under atmospheric pressure conditions at 200–350 °C. The CO2 conversion was 82% at 300 °C, and the CH4 selectivity was 100%. A durability test revealed a difference in the conversion of approximately 6% for 1000 h, which indicates that the catalytic performance was maintained for a significant period