Therapeutic Potential of Santa Herba Extract in Obesity: Impact on Lipid Metabolism and Hormonal Balance.

Many studies have reported that flavonoids can effectively suppress metabolic diseases related to obesity. Santa Herba extract (SHE), which is rich in flavonoids, has shown potential anti-obesity effects through clinical evaluations, but its anti-obesity mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, an obese mouse model was established to further investigate its underlying mechanisms and biological effects.

Effects of Dietary Yeast β-1,3/1,6-D-Glucan on Immunomodulation in RAW 264.7 Cells and Methotrexate-Treated Rat Models.

A new subclass of nutraceuticals, called immunoceuticals, is dedicated to immunological regulation. Although yeast-derived β-1,3/1,6-D-glucan shows promise as an immunoceutical candidate, further studies are needed to define its precise immune-enhancing processes and to standardize its use. Following methotrexate (MTX)-induced immunosuppression in rats, we evaluated the immunomodulatory efficacy of a highly pure and standardized β-1,3/1,6-D-glucan sample (YBG) in RAW 264.

Comparison and analysis of soil microbial communities in organic and conventional paddy fields by farming season.

Interest in soil health and biodiversity conservation has become increasingly important. Consequently, studies comparing the chemical and biological characteristics of organic and traditional paddy soils have been increasing. Soil microorganisms are essential in nutrient cycling; however, their diversity is challenging to ascertain because of their environmental sensitivity and complex interactions.

Ursodeoxycholic acid inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition, suppressing invasiveness of bile duct cancer cells: An study.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) features are associated with pathological severity in the progression and metastasis of various cancer types, including bile duct cancer (BDC). Our previous study demonstrated that ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) blocked the EGFR-MAPK signaling pathway and inhibited the invasion of BDC cells. The present study was performed to determine whether UDCA inhibits EMT and promotes the expression of E-cadherin to inhibit the invasion and aggressiveness of BDC.

Review: An integrated framework for understanding ecological drought and drought resistance.

Droughts are a frequent natural phenomenon that has amplified globally in the 21st century and are projected to become more common and extreme in the future. Consequently, this affects the progress of drought indices and frameworks to categorize drought conditions. Several drought-related indices and variables are required to capture different features of complex drought conditions.

Physicochemical properties and freeze-thaw stability of rice flour blends among rice cultivars with different amylose contents.

Unlabelled: The effectiveness of the rice flour blends (RFB) for improving the processing suitability of Dodamssal rice flour (DD), a functional rice variety with a relatively high amylose and resistance starch content, was investigated. Physicochemical properties and freeze-thaw stability of RFB composed of DD and four rice flour (RF) samples with different amylose contents were measured at different DD ratios. DD, which has low swelling power and low pasting viscosity properties, has improved some quality in terms of physicochemical properties by blending with other RF.

Ursodeoxycholic acid shows antineoplastic effects in bile duct cancer cells via apoptosis induction; p53 activation; and EGFR-ERK, COX-2, and PI3K-AKT pathway inhibition.

Unlike in normal cells, ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) causes apoptosis rather than protection in cancer cells. Aim of this study was to demonstrate whether UDCA actually inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in bile duct cancer cells; the effect of UDCA on the expression of COX-2, PI3K/AKT, ERK, and EGFR; how UDCA affects cancer cell invasiveness and metastasis, since these effects are not established in bile duct cancer cells. SNU-245 cells (human extrahepatic bile duct cancer cells) were cultured.

Atorvastatin Induces FXR and CYP7A1 Activation as a Result of the Sequential Action of PPARγ/PGC-1α/HNF-4α in Hep3B Cells.

Backgrounds/aims: PPARγ, farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and CYP7A1 are associated with solubility of bile. This study was performed to understand a mechanism and interactions of statin-induced PPARγ, PGC-1α and HNF-4α related to the statin-induced activation of FXR and CYP7A1, and verify whether the mevalonate pathway is involved in the mechanism.

Methods: MTT assays were performed using cultured human Hep3B cells to determine the effect of atorvastatin on the cell proliferation.

The Protective Effect of 5-Aminosalicylic Acid Against Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug-Induced Injury Through Free Radical Scavenging in Small Intestinal Epithelial Cells.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been among the major causes of small intestinal injury in clinical practice. As such, the current study investigated the protective effect of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) against an NSAID-induced small intestinal injury. : IEC-6 cells were treated with various concentrations of indomethacin with or without 5-ASA in a serum-free medium, after which an 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Dromide (MTT) assay, a cell apoptosis assay, a caspase-3 activity assay, a reactive oxygen species (ROS) content and Superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) activity measurement, a Western blotting for occludin and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and a wound healing assay were conducted.

Stereoisomer-specific ginsenoside 20()-Rg3 reverses replicative senescence of human diploid fibroblasts via Akt-mTOR-Sirtuin signaling.

Background: The replicative senescence of human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) is accompanied by growth arrest. In our previous study, the treatment of senescent HDFs with Rg3() lowered the intrinsic reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and reversed cellular senescence by inducing peroxiredoxin-3, an antioxidant enzyme. However, the signaling pathways involved in Rg3()-induced senescence reversal in HDFs and the relatedness of the stereoisomer Rg3() in corresponding signaling pathways are not known yet.

Metformin Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits Proliferation through the AMP-Activated Protein Kinase and Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 Receptor Pathways in the Bile Duct Cancer Cells.

: Metformin has been found to have antineoplastic activity in some cancer cells. This study was performed to determine whether metformin inhibits the proliferation of bile duct cancer cells by inducing apoptosis and its effects on the expression of gene-related proteins involved in cancer growth. : Human extrahepatic bile duct cancer cells (SNU-245 and SNU-1196) were cultured.

Development and evaluation of the bacterial fate and transport module for the Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) model.

The Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) is a watershed-scale water quality model that includes detailed representation of agricultural management. The objective of this work was to develop a process-based model for simulating the fate and transport of manure-borne bacteria on land and in streams with the APEX model. The bacteria model utilizes manure erosion rates to estimate the amount of edge-of-field bacteria export.

Release from Streambed to Water Column during Baseflow Periods: A Modeling Study.

Streambed sediments can harbor large populations that are released into the water column during high-flow events. Few studies have been conducted on the rates of transfer from streambed sediment to water column in low-flow conditions in natural streams. The aim of this work was to apply the watershed-scale model SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) to a natural stream to evaluate the need to account for the release from streambed sediments during baseflow periods and to compare the results of simulating such a release by assuming predominantly passive transport, driven by groundwater influx, against simulations assuming predominantly active transport of random or chemotaxis-driven bacteria movement.

Modeling the interannual variability of microbial quality metrics of irrigation water in a Pennsylvania stream.

Knowledge of the microbial quality of irrigation waters is extremely limited. For this reason, the US FDA has promulgated the Produce Rule, mandating the testing of irrigation water sources for many farms. The rule requires the collection and analysis of at least 20 water samples over two to four years to adequately evaluate the quality of water intended for produce irrigation.

Statin induces apoptosis of human colon cancer cells and downregulation of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor via proapoptotic ERK activation.

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) signaling plays an important role in tumor progression in patients with certain gastrointestinal tract cancers. In addition to lowering cholesterol in serum, statins have pleiotropic effects, including anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory or anti-neoplastic effects. Therefore, the present study investigated whether statins could induce the apoptosis of colon cancer cells and regulate the expression of IGF-1R and its associated signaling pathways in the present study.

Simvastatin induces heme oxygenase-1 via NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activation through ERK and PI3K/Akt pathway in colon cancer.

Statin has been known not only as their cholesterol-lowering action but also on their pleiotropic effects including anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant as well as anti-cancer effect. Nrf2 (NF-E2-related factor 2) is a transcription factor to activate cellular antioxidant response to oxidative stress. There are little known whether statins affect activation of Nrf2 and Nrf2 signaling pathway in colon cancer cells.

Simvastatin Induces Apoptosis and Suppresses Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 Receptor in Bile Duct Cancer Cells.

Background/aims: Statins act as antineoplastic agents through the inhibition of cell proliferation. This study sought to demonstrate the effects of statins on extrahepatic bile duct cancer cell apoptosis and to document the changes in protein expression involved in tumor growth and suppression.

Methods: Human extrahepatic bile duct cancer cells were cultured.

Selective modulation of charge-carrier transport of a photoanode in a photoelectrochemical cell by a graphitized fullerene interfacial layer.

We show that a graphitic carbon interfacial layer, derived from C70 by annealing at 500 °C, results in a significant increase in the attainable photocurrent of a photoelectrochemical cell that contains a WO3 -functionalized fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) photoanode. Time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy, photoconductive atomic force microscopy, Hall measurements, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy show that the increase in photocurrent is the result of fast and selective electron transport from optically excited WO3 through the graphitic carbon interfacial layer to the FTO-coated glass electrode. Thus the energy efficiency of perspective solar-to-fuel devices can be improved by modification of the interface of semiconductors and conducting substrate electrodes by using graphitized fullerene derivatives.

Pravastatin activates the expression of farnesoid X receptor and liver X receptor alpha in Hep3B cells.

Background: Statins are suggested to preserve gallbladder function by suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines and preventing cholesterol accumulation in gallbladder epithelial cells. They also affect cross-talk among the nuclear hormone receptors that regulate cholesterol-bile acid metabolism in the nuclei of hepatocytes. However, there is controversy over whether or how statins change the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)alpha, PPARgamma, liver X receptor alpha (LXRalpha), farnesoid X receptor (FXR), ABCG5, ABCG8, and 7alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) which are directly involved in the cholesterol saturation index in bile.

HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) activate expression of PPARalpha/PPARgamma and ABCA1 in cultured gallbladder epithelial cells.

In gallbladder epithelial cells (GBEC), PPARalpha and PPARgamma ligands modulate inflammation by suppression of TNFalpha production and prevent excessive accumulation of cholesterol by ABCA1 activation. Recently, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) were shown to activate PPARalpha and PPARgamma in various cells but no studies of their effects in GBEC have been conducted. The objective of this study was, therefore, to determine the effects of statins on PPAR and ABCA1 expression and the anti-inflammatory effect of statins in GBEC.

The effect of PPARalpha and PPARgamma ligands on inflammation and ABCA1 expression in cultured gallbladder epithelial cells.

The preservation of gallbladder function by control of inflammation and elimination of cholesterol accumulation in gallbladder epithelial cells (GBEC) could contribute to the prevention of gallstone formation and cholecystitis. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) modulate inflammation and lipid metabolism in various cells and GBEC efflux of excessive amounts of absorbed cholesterol through the ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1)-mediated pathway. The aim of this study was to determine whether ligands of PPARalpha and PPARgamma modulate inflammation and have an effect on ABCA1 expression in GBEC.