Methyl 4-(β-D-glucopyranosyloxy)-3-hydroxy-5- methoxybenzoate, isolated from Sanguisorba officinalis, inhibits CpG-DNA-induced inflammation

Purpose: To evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of methyl-4-(β-D-glucopyranosyloxy)-3-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzoate (comp-1) on immune cells.Methods: Comp-1 was isolated from Sanguisorba officinalis. After treating with comp-1, cell viability and levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were assessed utilizing MTT assay and ELISA, respectively. Besides, the effects of comp-1 on nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and iNOS were determined using western blotting. Moreover, nitric oxide production was assessed using the Griess reagent.Results: Treatment of dendritic cells (DCs) with CpG DNA upregulated cytokine expression. Comp-1 markedly downregulated the expressions of IL-12 p40, IL-6, and TNF-α, with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of 1.077 ± 0.04 (p < 0.01), 0.28 ± 0.01 (p < 0.01), and 0.79 ± 0.02 μM (p < 0.01),respectively. Treatment of DCs with CpG DNA upregulated NF-κB and MAPK activation. However, pretreatment of the cells with Comp-1 suppressed CpG DNA-induced NF-κB and MAPK activation. Moreover, comp-1 exhibited a strong anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting nitric oxide production and iNOS expression.Conclusion: These results reveal that comp-1 has significant anti-inflammatory effect on immune cells. Keywords: Natural compound, Inflammation, Pro-inflammatory cytokine, Toll-like receptor

Investigation of grain-boundary effect on hydrogen behaviors in single- and poly- crystalline medium-entropy CrCoNi alloy

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A quadtree-polygon-based scaled boundary finite element method for image-based mesoscale fracture modelling in concrete

A quadtree-polygon scaled boundary finite element-based approach for image-based modelling of concrete fracture at the mesoscale is developed. Digital images representing the two-phase mesostructure of concrete, which comprises of coarse aggregates and mortar are either generated using a take-and-place algorithm with a user-defined aggregate volume ratio or obtained from X-ray computed tomography as an input. The digital images are automatically discretised for analysis by applying a balanced quadtree decomposition in combination with a smoothing operation. The scaled boundary finite element method is applied to model the constituents in the concrete mesostructure. A quadtree formulation within the framework of the scaled boundary finite element method is advantageous in that the displacement compatibility between the cells are automatically preserved even in the presence of hanging nodes. Moreover, the geometric flexibility of the scaled boundary finite element method facilitates the use of arbitrary sided polygons, allowing better representation of the aggregate boundaries. The computational burden is significantly reduced as there are only finite number of cell types in a balanced quadtree mesh. The cells in the mesh are connected to each other using cohesive interface elements with appropriate softening laws to model the fracture of the mesostructure. Parametric studies are carried out on concrete specimens subjected to uniaxial tension to investigate the effects of various parameters e.g. aggregate size distribution, porosity and aggregate volume ratio on the fracture of concrete at the meso-scale. Mesoscale fracture of concrete specimens obtained from X-ray computed tomography scans are carried out to demonstrate its feasibility

Isolation of deoxynivalenol-transforming bacteria from the chicken intestines using the approach of PCR-DGGE guided microbial selection

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Contamination of grains with trichothecene mycotoxins, especially deoxynivalenol (DON), has been an ongoing problem for Canada and many other countries. Mycotoxin contamination creates food safety risks, reduces grain market values, threatens livestock industries, and limits agricultural produce exports. DON is a secondary metabolite produced by some <it>Fusarium </it>species of fungi. To date, there is a lack of effective and economical methods to significantly reduce the levels of trichothecene mycotoxins in food and feed, including the efforts to breed <it>Fusarium </it>pathogen-resistant crops and chemical/physical treatments to remove the mycotoxins. Biological approaches, such as the use of microorganisms to convert the toxins to non- or less toxic compounds, have become a preferred choice recently due to their high specificity, efficacy, and environmental soundness. However, such approaches are often limited by the availability of microbial agents with the ability to detoxify the mycotoxins. In the present study, an approach with PCR-DGGE guided microbial selection was developed and used to isolate DON -transforming bacteria from chicken intestines, which resulted in the successful isolation of several bacterial isolates that demonstrated the function to transform DON to its de-epoxy form, deepoxy-4-deoxynivalenol (DOM-1), a product much less toxic than DON.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The use of conventional microbiological selection strategies guided by PCR-DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) bacterial profiles for isolating DON-transforming bacteria has significantly increased the efficiency of the bacterial selection. Ten isolates were identified and isolated from chicken intestines. They were all able to transform DON to DOM-1. Most isolates were potent in transforming DON and the activity was stable during subculturing. Sequence data of partial 16S rRNA genes indicate that the ten isolates belong to four different bacterial groups, Clostridiales, <it>Anaerofilum</it>, <it>Collinsella</it>, and <it>Bacillus</it>.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The approach with PCR-DGGE guided microbial selection was effective in isolating DON-transforming bacteria and the obtained bacterial isolates were able to transform DON.</p

Xanthogranulomatous Cystitis Arising from the Posterior Wall of the Bladder

Xanthogranulomatous cystitis is a rare, benign chronic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology. Herein we report a case of a 41-year-old man who presented with painless hematuria and a bladder mass on imaging studies

Floristic study of Cheondeungsan Mountain in Korea

AbstractThe distribution of native plants of Cheondeungsan Mountain (807 m, N 37°05'00“–37°05'30”, E 128°00'0“–128°02'0”) in Chungcheongbuk-do was determined and the major flora were identified. During field investigations carried out from May 2011 to October 2011, 87 families, 254 genera, and 369 taxonomic groups (327 species, 4 subspecies, 33 varieties, and 5 forms) were confirmed, and the distribution of 219 taxonomic groups was discovered for the first time. The distribution of four endemic plants of Korea, including Ajuga spectabilis Nakai and Salvia chanryoenica Nakai, and that of Penthorum chinense Pursh, a Grade V specific plant species, was found. There were 20 taxa of naturalized plants at Cheondeungsan; the growth and development of plants that are harmful to the ecosystem, such as Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Ambrosia trifida L., Eupatorium rugosum Houtt., and Aster pilosus Willd., was observed around the forest paths and lowlands