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Objectives and design Chlorogenic acid, which belongs to the polyphenols, is an anti-oxidant and anti-obesity agent. In this study, we investigated the role of chlorogenic acid in inflammation. Materials and methods Anti-inflammatory effects of chlorogenic acid were examined in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine RAW 264.7 macrophages and BV2 microglial cells. We observed the level of various inflammation markers such as nitric oxide (NO), inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1) under LPS treatment with or without chlorogenic acid. To clarify the specific effect of chlorogenic acid, we evaluated the adhesion activity of macrophages and ninjurin1 (Ninj1) expression level in macrophages. Finally, we confirmed the activation of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway, which is one of the most important transcription factors in the inflammatory process. Results Chlorogenic acid significantly inhibited not only NO production but also the expression of COX-2 and iNOS, without any cytotoxicity. Chlorogenic acid also attenuated pro-inflammatory cytokines (including IL-1β and TNF-α) and other inflammation-related markers such as IL-6 in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, endotoxin-induced adhesion of macrophages and the expression level of ninjurin1 (Ninj1) were decreased by chlorogenic acid. Finally, chlorogenic acid inhibited the nuclear translocation of NF-κB. Conclusions Chlorogenic acid may be beneficial for the prevention and treatment of anti-inflammatory diseases.

The free cantilever method (FCM) is a bridge construction method in which the left and right segments are joined in sequence from a pier without using a bottom strut. To support the imbalance of the left and right moments during construction, temporary steel rods, upon which tensile force is applied that cannot be managed after construction, are embedded in the pier. If there is an excessive loss of tensile force applied to the steel rods, the segments can collapse owing to the unbalanced moment, which may cause personal and property damage. Therefore, it is essential to monitor the tensile force in the temporary steel rods to prevent such accidents. In this study, a tensile force estimation method for the temporary steel rods of an FCM bridge using embedded Elasto-Magnetic (EM) sensors was proposed. After the tensile force was applied to the steel rods, the change in tensile force was monitored according to the changing area of a magnetic hysteresis curve, as measured by the embedded EM sensors. To verify the field applicability of the proposed method, the EM sensors were installed in an FCM bridge pier under construction. The three sensors were installed in conjunction with a sheath tube, and the magnetic hysteresis curve was measured over nine months. Temperature data from the measurement period were used to compensate for the error due to daily temperature fluctuations. The estimated tensile force was consistent with an error range of ±4% when compared with the reference value measured by the load cell. Based on the results of this experiment, the applicability of the proposed method was demonstrated.

We study the dynamics of polymer chains in a bath of self-propelled particles (SPP) by extensive Langevin dynamics simulations in a two-dimensional model system. Specifically, we analyse the polymer looping properties versus the SPP activity and investigate how the presence of the active particles alters the chain conformational statistics. We find that SPPs tend to extend flexible polymer chains, while they rather compactify stiffer semiflexible polymers, in agreement with previous results. Here we show that higher activities of SPPs yield a higher effective temperature of the bath and thus facilitate the looping kinetics of a passive polymer chain. We explicitly compute the looping probability and looping time in a wide range of the model parameters. We also analyse the motion of a monomeric tracer particle and the polymer's centre of mass in the presence of the active particles in terms of the time averaged mean squared displacement, revealing a giant diffusivity enhancement for the polymer chain via SPP pooling. Our results are applicable to rationalising the dimensions and looping kinetics of biopolymers at constantly fluctuating and often actively driven conditions inside biological cells or in suspensions of active colloidal particles or bacteria cells.

Summary Weedy rice is the same biological species as cultivated rice (Oryza sativa); it is also a noxious weed infesting rice fields worldwide. Its formation and population‐selective or ‐adaptive signatures are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the phylogenetics, population structure and signatures of selection of Korean weedy rice by determining the whole genomes of 30 weedy rice, 30 landrace rice and ten wild rice samples. The phylogenetic tree and results of ancestry inference study clearly showed that the genetic distance of Korean weedy rice was far from the wild rice and near with cultivated rice. Furthermore, 537 genes showed evidence of recent positive or divergent selection, consistent with some adaptive traits. This study indicates that Korean weedy rice originated from hybridization of modern indica/indica or japonica/japonica rather than wild rice. Moreover, weedy rice is not only a notorious weed in rice fields, but also contains many untapped valuable traits or haplotypes that may be a useful genetic resource for improving cultivated rice.

In a mouse model of traumatic brain injury, treatment with a carbon-monoxide-releasing molecule is shown to reduce pericyte cell death and promote neurogenesis, leading to an amelioration of neurological deficits. At low levels, carbon monoxide (CO) has physiological roles as a second messenger and neuromodulator 1 , 2 . Here we assess the effects of CO in a mouse model of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Treatment with CO-releasing molecule (CORM)-3 reduced pericyte death and ameliorated the progression of neurological deficits. In contrast, although treatment with the radical scavenger N-tert -butyl-a-phenylnitrone (PBN) also reduced pericyte death, neurological outcomes were not rescued. As compared to vehicle-treated control and PBN-treated mice, CORM-3-treated mice showed higher levels of phosphorylated neural nitric oxide synthase within neural stem cells (NSCs). Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase diminished the CORM-3-mediated increase in the number of cells that stained positive for both the neuronal marker NeuN and 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU; a marker for proliferating cells) in vivo , consequently interfering with neurological recovery after TBI. Because NSCs seemed to be in close proximity to pericytes, we asked whether cross-talk between pericytes and NSCs was induced by CORM-3, thereby promoting neurogenesis. In pericyte cultures that were undergoing oxygen and glucose deprivation, conditioned cell culture medium collected after CORM-3 treatment enhanced the in vitro differentiation of NSCs into mature neurons. Taken together, these findings suggest that CO treatment may provide a therapeutic approach for TBI by preventing pericyte death, rescuing cross-talk with NSCs and promoting neurogenesis.

Trophic coupling between cerebral endothelium and their neighboring cells is required for the development and maintenance of blood-brain barrier (BBB) function. Here we report that oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) secrete soluble factor TGF-β1 to support BBB integrity. Firstly, we prepared conditioned media from OPC cultures and added them to cerebral endothelial cultures. Our pharmacological experiments showed that OPC-conditioned media increased expressions of tight-junction proteins and decreased in vitro BBB permeability by activating TGB-β-receptor-MEK/ERK signaling pathway. Secondly, our immuno-electron microscopic observation revealed that in neonatal mouse brains, OPCs attach to cerebral endothelial cells via basal lamina. And finally, we developed a novel transgenic mouse line that TGF-β1 is knocked down specifically in OPCs. Neonates of these OPC-specific TGF-β1 deficient mice (OPC-specific TGF-β1 partial KO mice: PdgfraCre/Tgfb1flox/wt mice or OPC-specific TGF-β1 total KO mice: PdgfraCre/Tgfb1flox/flox mice) exhibited cerebral hemorrhage and loss of BBB function. Taken together, our current study demonstrates that OPCs increase BBB tightness by upregulating tight junction proteins via TGF-β signaling. Although astrocytes and pericytes are well-known regulators of BBB maturation and maintenance, these findings indicate that OPCs also play a pivotal role in promoting BBB integrity.

Rice is a globally cultivated crop and is primarily a staple food source for more than half of the world’s population. Various single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays have been developed and utilized as standard genotyping methods for rice breeding research. Considering the importance of SNP arrays with more inclusive genetic information for GWAS and genomic selection, we integrated SNPs from eight different data resources: resequencing data from the Korean World Rice Collection (KRICE) of 475 accessions, 3,000 rice genome project (3 K-RGP) data, 700 K high-density rice array, Affymetrix 44 K SNP array, QTARO, Reactome, and plastid and GMO information. The collected SNPs were filtered and selected based on the breeder’s interest, covering all key traits or research areas to develop an integrated array system representing inclusive genomic polymorphisms. A total of 581,006 high-quality SNPs were synthesized with an average distance of 200 bp between adjacent SNPs, generating a 580 K Axiom Rice Genotyping Chip (580 K _ KNU chip). Further validation of this array on 4,720 genotypes revealed robust and highly efficient genotyping. This has also been demonstrated in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and genomic selection (GS) of three traits: clum length, heading date, and panicle length. Several SNPs significantly associated with cut-off, −log 10 p -value >7.0, were detected in GWAS, and the GS predictabilities for the three traits were more than 0.5, in both rrBLUP and convolutional neural network (CNN) models. The Axiom 580 K Genotyping array will provide a cost-effective genotyping platform and accelerate rice GWAS and GS studies.

Celosiae Argentea Semen (CAS), derived from Celosia argentea L., is traditionally used in Korean and Chinese medicine to treat eye disorders and liver heat and is recognized in official Pharmacopeias. In contrast, Celosiae Cristatae Semen (CCS), despite its frequent presence in the market, is not officially listed. The morphological and chemical similarities between the two pose challenges for accurate identification. This study presents an integrative method combining digital image analysis and high-performance thin-layer chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPTLC-MS) to differentiate CAS from CCS. Digital microscopy and ImageJ analysis showed that CCS has a projection area over twice that of CAS. Chemically, an optimized HPTLC method using ethyl acetate, methanol, water, and formic acid revealed distinct fingerprint patterns under UV 366 nm and white light. Notably, celosin F was exclusively detected in CAS, while celosin H, J, and K were characteristic of CCS. ESI-TOF-MS analysis confirmed these markers, resolving an overlap in RF values. Repeatability tests showed total SDs of sucrose for intra-day, inter-day, and inter-analysis precision were 0.006, 0.004, and 0.005, respectively, confirming method reliability. This combined approach offers a rapid, reliable, and practical tool for distinguishing these two medicinal seeds, supporting enhanced quality control and regulatory standardization in pharmaceutical applications.

Concrete strength and factors affecting its development during early concrete curing are important research topics. Avoiding uncertain incidents during construction and in service life of structures requires an appropriate monitoring system. Therefore, numerous techniques are used to monitor the health of a structure. This paper presents a nondestructive testing technique for monitoring the strength development of concrete at early curing ages. Dispersed carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were used with cementitious materials and piezoelectric (PZT) material, a PZT ceramic, owing to their properties of intra electromechanical effects and sensitivity to measure the electromechanical impedance (EMI) signatures and relevant properties related to concrete strength, such as the elastic modulus, displacement, acceleration, strength, and loading effects. Concrete compressive strength, hydration temperature, mixture ratio, and variation in data obtained from the impedance signatures using fuzzy logic were utilized in the comparative result prediction method for concrete strength. These results were calculated using a fuzzy logic-based model considering the maturity method, universal testing machine (UTM) data, and analyzed EMI data. In the study, for data acquisition, a hybrid PZT–CNT sensor and a temperature sensor (Smart Rock) were embedded in the concrete to obtain the hydration temperature history to utilize the concrete maturity method and provide data on the EMI signatures. The dynamic changes in the medium caused during the phase in the concrete strengthening process were analyzed to predict the strength development process of concrete at early curing ages. Because different parameters are considered while calculating the concrete strength, which is related to its mechanical properties, the proposed novel method considers that changes in the boundary condition occurring in the concrete paste modify the resonant frequency response of the structure. Thus, relating and analyzing this feature can help predict the concrete strength. A comprehensive comparison of the results calculated using the proposed module, maturity method, and cylindrical specimens tested using the UTM proved that it is a cost-effective and fast technique to estimate concrete strength to ensure a safe construction of reinforced cement concrete infrastructures.

Microplastics can cause physical, chemical, biological, and structural problems in soil. In this study, microplastics were identified in the soil near two landfills where contamination by microplastics was expected. Pretreatment was performed to remove organic matter and to separate microplastics from the soil samples. FT-IR microscope analysis was performed to confirm the quantity and types of microplastics. The colors and shapes of microplastics in the soil were analyzed using a digital microscope. Averages of 73.4 MPs(ea)/kg and 97.8 MPs(ea)/kg of microplastics were identified in the soil at the two landfills. The main shapes of microplastics were fragments, fibers, and films, and it was confirmed that secondary plastics were found at a high rate. The major plastic types were identified as PP and PE, ranging from 62.5 to 65.3% in proportion, followed by PET, PS, nylon, PMMA, and PVC. As for the colors of microplastics, black had the highest percentage, while other microplastics were identified as being white, blue, transparent, gray, green, red, and yellow. These results can be taken as important data indicating that microplastics in the soil around landfills can be affected by landfill waste.