Effects of golf instructors' professional certification levels on amateur golfers' perception of instructor expertise, instructor credibility, and lesson participation intention: testing placebo and nocebo effects.

This study investigated the differences in amateur golfers' perceptions of instructor expertise, instructor credibility, and lesson participation intention depending on the golf instructor's certification level to investigate whether placebo and nocebo effects exist depending on the certification level. Accordingly, the study analyzed 153 amateur golfers with at least 1 year of playing experience, and the results were as follows: First, there was a difference in the perception of instructor expertise among amateur golfers depending on the golf instructor's certification level. Specifically, there were significant differences in perceived performance and teaching skills but no differences in personality and emphasis on basic principles. Second, the participants reported significant differences in their perceptions of instructor credibility depending on the instructor's certification level. Instructor credibility of the tournament professional group was the highest, whereas that of the amateur group was the lowest. Third, the results showed differences in lesson participation intention among amateur golfers depending on the instructor's certification level. Lesson participation intention was higher for semi-professional and tournament professional instructors than for amateur instructors. These results verified the presence of psychological biases, such as placebo/nocebo effects, that result in differences in the perception of instructor expertise, instructor credibility, and lesson participation intention depending on the certification level of instructors. Additionally, based on the data obtained from this study, further research is required to improve the performance of golf instructors and create an efficient teaching environment.

Relationship between Athletes' Big Five Model of Personality and Athletic Performance: Meta-Analysis.

Academic interest in athletic performance is ongoing. To examine the correlation between athletic performance and athletes' personality types, data extraction in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was completed in October 2021, and a meta-analysis was performed using 180 data from 18 selected papers using the "meta" package version 4.8-4 of R Studio 3.3.3. As a result, these selected studies proved to have reliable quality in proceeding with this study via quality assessment. The overall effect of personality on athletic performance (AP) was ESr = 0.124, p < 0.01. Furthermore, only conscientiousness (ESr = 0.178, p < 0.001) and extroversion (ESr = 0.145, p < 0.01), among the five personality types, showed statistically significant results, and these two personality types had a positive correlation with performance. In the publication bias test, this study found that (a) agreeableness had a publication bias; but, with an additional test using trim-and-fill, (b) the effect was not significant enough to be considered. In addition, the analysis of the moderating effects was conducted in four aspects, and all moderating effect analyses showed statistically significant differences between the groups, demonstrating the heterogeneity of this study. Therefore, this study found a significant relationship between personality and athletic performance and showed the importance of conscientiousness and extroversion.

Lumbricus Extract Prevents LPS-Induced Inflammatory Activation of BV2 Microglia and Glutamate-Induced Hippocampal HT22 Cell Death by Suppressing MAPK/NF-κB/NLRP3 Signaling and Oxidative Stress.

Microglia-induced inflammatory signaling and neuronal oxidative stress are mutually reinforcing processes central to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies have shown that extracts of dried Pheretima aspergillum (Lumbricus) can inhibit tissue fibrosis, mitochondrial damage, and asthma. However, the effects of Lumbricus extracts on neuroinflammation and neuronal damage have not been previously studied. Therefore, to evaluate the therapeutic potential of Lumbricus extract for neurodegenerative diseases, the current study assessed the extract's anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities in BV2 microglial cultures stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) along with its neuroprotective efficacy in mouse hippocampal HT22 cell cultures treated with excess glutamate. Lumbricus extract dose-dependently inhibited the LPS-induced production of multiple proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1ß) and reversed the upregulation of proinflammatory enzymes (inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2). Lumbricus also activated the antioxidative nuclear factor erythroid 2-relayed factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 pathway and inhibited LPS-induced activation of the nuclear factor-κB/mitogen-activated protein kinases/NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 inflammatory pathway. In addition, Lumbricus extract suppressed the glutamate-induced necrotic and apoptotic death of HT22 cells, effects associated with upregulated expression of antiapoptotic proteins, downregulation of pro-apoptotic proteins, and reduced accumulation of reactive oxygen species. Chromatography revealed that the Lumbricus extract contained uracil, hypoxanthine, uridine, xanthine, adenosine, inosine, and guanosine. Its effects against microglial activation and excitotoxic neuronal death reported herein support the therapeutic potential of Lumbricus for neurodegenerative diseases.

The antiviral activity of Thuja orientalis folium against Influenza A virus.

Thuja orientalis Folium (TOF) has been prescribed traditionally as an expectorant for inflammatory airway disease. In this study, we evaluated the anti-influenza A virus (IAV) activity of TOF by detecting GFP expressed by influenza A virus (A/PR/8/34-GFP) infection. The fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis showed that TOF potently inhibited IAV infection, dose-dependently. Consistently, immunofluorescence and Q-PCR analysis results confirmed TOF significantly represses IAV protein and RNA expression. TOF inhibited IAV infection at the binding and entry step upon viral infection and interferes with HA protein. Further, TOF exhibited a virucidal effect and inhibited the neuraminidase activity of IAV. Additionally, TOF prevented the cytopathic effect caused by H1N1 and H3N2 IAV infection. Amentoflavone among the constituents in TOF exerted the strongest anti-IAV effect. Myricetin, quercetin, and quercitrin also inhibited IAV infection. However, the potent anti-IAV effect of TOF may be related to the synergistic effect of constituents, not by a single specific compound. Our results suggest TOF exhibits a significant inhibitory effect against IAV infection at multi-stages via the blockage of viral attachment and entry, inhibition of neuraminidase, and induction of virucidal effects.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Burnout Owing to Perfectionism in Elite Athletes Based on the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS) and Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ).

Previous studies have shown that burnout negatively affects athletes' mental health. To further explore this subject, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis by combining data from previous studies. This study followed the PRISMA guidelines for systematic and reliable research and completed data extraction using 10 databases and 8 keywords in December 2021. There were 93 cases of initially extracted data from the selected articles (n = 14) and the meta-analysis was conducted using the "meta" package, version 4.8-4 of R Studio 3.3.3, with data (k = 77) excluding other-oriented perfectionism data (k = 16). The results showed that self-oriented perfectionism had a negative effect on sports devaluation (SD) (ESr = -0.246, p < 0.001), and socially prescribed perfectionism had a positive effect on emotional/physical exhaustion (ESr = 0.150, p < 0.05) and SD (ESr = 0.138, p < 0.05). Furthermore, the test for publication bias showed that no groups had asymmetrical data, and four moderator analyses were conducted to prove the heterogeneity (I2) of the total effect size; however, there was no difference among groups (QB), thereby resulting in unexplained variance. Consequently, this study presents variable data that determine the effects of perfectionism and burnout on elite athletes.

Antitumor Effect of Korean Red Ginseng through Blockade of PD-1/PD-L1 Interaction in a Humanized PD-L1 Knock-In MC38 Cancer Mouse Model.

Blocking immune checkpoints, programmed death-1 (PD-1) and its ligand PD-L1, has proven a promising anticancer strategy for enhancing cytotoxic T cell activity. Although we previously demonstrated that ginsenoside Rg3, Rh2, and compound K block the interaction of PD-1 and PD-L1, the antitumor effect through blockade of this interaction by Korean Red Ginseng alone is unknown. Therefore, we determined the effects of Korean Red Ginseng extract (RGE) on the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction and its antitumor effects using a humanized PD-1/PD-L1-expressing colorectal cancer (CRC) mouse model. RGE significantly blocked the interaction between human PD-1 and PD-L1 in a competitive ELISA. The CD8+ T cell-mediated tumor cell killing effect of RGE was evaluated using murine hPD-L1-expressing MC38 cells and tumor-infiltrating hPD-1-expressing CD8+ T cells isolated from hPD-L1 MC38 tumor-bearing hPD-1 mice. RGE also reduced the survival of hPD-L1 MC38 cells in a cell co-culture system using tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells as effector cells combined with hPD-L1 MC38 target cells. RGE or Keytruda (positive control) treatment markedly suppressed the growth of hPD-L1 MC38 allograft tumors, increased CD8+ T cell infiltration into tumors, and enhanced the production of Granzyme B. RGE exhibits anticancer effects through the PD-1/PD-L1 blockade, which warrants its further development as an immunotherapy.

Yuk-Gunja-Tang attenuates neuronal death and memory impairment via ERK/CREB/BDNF signaling in the hippocampi of experimental Alzheimer's disease model.

Yuk-Gunja-Tang (YG) is the Korean traditional medicine in East Asia for gastrointestinal disorders. In the present study, we determined the protective effects of YG on glutamate-induced cytotoxicity in HT22 hippocampal neuronal cells and mice with scopolamine-induced memory impairment. In vitro assessments were performed using a cell viability assay, flow cytometry, and Western blotting, while in vivo assessments were performed in C57BL/6 mice administered with YG for 7 days and injected with scopolamine (1 mg/kg) for 7 days. We assessed the memory function using the Y-maze, novel object recognition, and passive avoidance tests. Protein expression analyses and histological analyses were performed using hippocampal tissues. YG treatment significantly restored cell viability against glutamate-induced apoptosis. It significantly suppressed glutamate-induced reactive oxygen species accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction. It also increased Bcl-2 protein expression and decreased HO-1 protein expression. It activated the extracellular signal-regulated kinase/cAMP response element binding protein (ERK/CREB) signaling pathway and increased the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) under excitotoxic conditions. In the scopolamine-injected mice, YG ameliorated memory impairment in the Y-maze, novel object recognition, and passive avoidance tests; restored dysfunction in the acetylcholine, acetylcholinesterase expression levels; reduced neuronal damage in Nissl staining; and increased BDNF and phosphorylated ERK and CREB levels in Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. Thus, YG exerted neuroprotective effects by activating ERK/CREB/BDNF signaling in the hippocampus, indicating its potential cognition-enhancing effects, especially in Alzheimer's disease.

Quercus acuta Thunb. Suppresses LPS-Induced Neuroinflammation in BV2 Microglial Cells via Regulating MAPK/NF-κB and Nrf2/HO-1 Pathway.

Microglial activation-mediated neuroinflammation is associated with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, the management of microglial cell activation and their inflammatory response is an important therapeutic approach for preventing neurodegenerative diseases. Quercus acuta Thunb. (QA) (Fagaceae) is a tree found in Korea, China, and Japan. The current study investigated the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of QA and its mechanism of action in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglial cells. Pretreatment with a methanol extract of dried QA stems (QAE) inhibited the production of nitric oxide and proinflammatory cytokines and decreased the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2 in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglial cells. Furthermore, it inhibited the phosphorylation and degradation of inhibitory κBα and decreased the nuclear translocation and phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Moreover, QAE inhibited the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase, p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase, which is known as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Additionally, QAE treatment increased heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression by activating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling, thereby ameliorating LPS-induced intracellular hydrogen peroxide production. Finally, it was found that catechin and taxifolin, two phytochemicals of QAE, also reduced the expression of inflammatory mediators. These findings suggest that QA is beneficial for preventing microglia-mediated neuroinflammatory response through the inhibition of NF-κB, MAPK and the activation of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways.

Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb Extract Inhibits HSV-1 Infection by Regulating ER Stress and Apoptosis.

Herpes simplex Type 1 (HSV-1) is a neurotropic virus that infects the peripheral and central nervous system. Usually, after primary infection in epithelial cells, HSV-1 migrates retrograde to the peripheral nervous system (PNS), where it establishes a latent infection. HSV-1 can remain latent in the nervous system, and its reactivation in the brain can rarely cause acute HSV-1 encephalitis, often a life-threatening condition, or asymptomatic reactivations that could lead to neuronal damage and ultimately neurodegenerative disorders. Acyclovir and related nucleoside analogs have been used as therapeutic agents for HSV-1 infection, but resistance to the drug can arise, and the protective effect of HSV-1 on brain cells is limited. Therefore, there is an urgent need for research into safe and effective new antiviral agents that can protect brain cells from the damage that is caused by HSV-1 infection. Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb. (VBT) is widely distributed in Korea and China, and has pharmacological actions such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antidiabetic activity. Studies on the antiviral effect of VBT on HSV-1 infection have not been reported so far. Therefore, we sought to determine the HSV-1 antiviral effect and molecular mechanism of VBT at the cellular level. We confirmed that VBT repressed the VP16 and IE genes in both Vero and SK-N-SH cells. We also found that the generation of HSV-1 virions was inhibited by VBT treatment. VBT inhibited the activities of the HSV-1-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stressors PERK, ATF4, and CHOP. We confirmed that VBT inhibited the activity of apoptosis factors by regulating the expression of death receptor (DR) after HSV-1 infection. As HSV-1 is closely associated with brain diseases, the study of the antiviral drug effects and mechanism of VBT is meaningful. Further studies using animal models of infection will also be performed to determine the potential of VBT as an antiviral agent.

Menthae Herba Attenuates Neuroinflammation by Regulating CREB/Nrf2/HO-1 Pathway in BV2 Microglial Cells.

Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress cause microglia to be abnormally activated in the brain, resulting in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Menthae Herba (MH) has been widely used as a medicinal plant with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. In this study, we sought to evaluate the effects of MH on the inflammatory response and possible molecular mechanisms in microglia stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Transcriptional and translational expression levels of the proinflammatory factors were measured using ELISA, RT-qPCR, and Western blot analysis. MH extract inhibited the production of proinflammatory enzymes and mediators nitric oxide (NO), NO synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 in LPS-stimulated cells. Our molecular mechanism study showed that MH inhibited the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor (NF)-κB. In contrast, MH activated HO-1 and its transcriptional factors, cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), and the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathways. Thus, MH reduces ROS and NF-κB-mediated inflammatory signaling and induces CREB/Nrf2/HO-1-related antioxidant signaling in microglia. Together, these results may provide specific prospects for the therapeutic use of MH in the context of neuroinflammatory diseases, including AD.

Samhwangsasim-tang attenuates neuronal apoptosis and cognitive decline through BDNF-mediated activation of tyrosin kinase B and p75-neurotrophin receptors.

BACKGROUND: Samhwangsasim-tang (SST) is a traditional medicine used to treat hypertension and arteriosclerosis. Additionally, due to the effects of its constituent herbs, SST is considered effective for memory-related disorders. PURPOSE: We investigated the effects of SST on neuronal survival and memory in glutamate-induced hippocampal cells and in a mouse model of scopolamine-induced memory impairment. METHODS: SST components were identified using 3D-ultra performance liquid chromatography (3D-UPLC). In vitro, we induced glutamate-induced excitotoxicity in HT22 cells after SST pretreatment. We used a cell counting kit-8 and cell cytotoxicity assay, flow cytometry, and western blotting to test the protective effects of SST on neuronal death. In vivo, C57BL/6J mice were administered with 150 and 300 mg/kg SST once daily for 7 days and then intraperitoneally injected with 1 mg/kg scopolamine for 7 days to induce cognitive impairment. We then measured cognitive behavior using a novel object recognition test (NORT) and passive avoidance test (PAT) and analyzed the histological and protein changes. RESULTS: Our results showed that treatment with 50 and 100 µg/ml SST provided significant protection against glutamate-induced cell death. Flow cytometry and western blotting results suggested that 100 µg/ml SST treatment reduced oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. SST treatment also increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), its receptor, TrkB receptor, and cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) activation while reducing the P75NTR and JNK signaling activation. Our in vivo results showed that SST administration improved cognitive impairment, similar to donepezil treatment (as a positive control), in NORT and PAT. SST and donepezil decreased neuronal cell death and apoptosis, and acetylcholine levels were increased in the scopolamine-treated hippocampus. Additionally, SST promoted CREB phosphorylation and BDNF maturation while reducing JNK and P75NTR activation; in contrast, donepezil did not alter levels of these proteins in the scopolamine-treated mouse hippocampus. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that SST has neuroprotective effects to attenuate neuronal cell death and oxidative stress through CREB/JNK signaling via BDNF activation. SST may regulate endogenous survival factors in the hippocampus, which may be a safe and potential clinical treatment for cognitive impairment in AD.

Linderolide U, a new sesquiterpene from Lindera aggregata root.

A new sesquiterpene, namely linderolide U (1), was isolated from the root of Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm along with five known sesquiterpenes (2-6). The structures of the obtained compounds were identified by spectroscopic methods, specifically nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS). The acquired data were compared with those previously reported in the literature. The anticancer effects of the isolated natural products were studied using the HCT116 human colon cancer cell line. Compound 5 was found to significantly suppress cell proliferation, which was associated with induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest (G2/M and S phase). The findings of the present study suggest derivative 5 as a potential agent for the treatment of colon cancer.

Quercus acuta Thunb. (Fagaceae) and Its Component, Isoquercitrin, Inhibit HSV-1 Replication by Suppressing Virus-Induced ROS Production and NF-κB Activation.

HSV-1 is a neurotropic virus that replicates lytically during acute infection and establishes latency in peripheral neurons. Currently, the clinically approved compounds for the prevention of HSV-1 infection include acyclovir and penciclovir; however, long-term use of the drug is associated with serious side effects, and drug-resistant strains often appear. Therefore, it is important to find a safe and novel antiviral agent for HSV-1 infection. Quercus acuta Thunb. (Fagaceae) (QA) is widely distributed as an ornamental and dietary plant in Korea, Taiwan, China, and Japan. Thus far, the effects of QA extract and its active ingredients are known to have antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activity, but studies of possible antiviral effects have not been reported. We studied the antiviral effects and molecular mechanism of QA after HSV-1 infection at the cellular level. We confirmed that QA suppresses ROS expression after HSV-1 infection and also suppresses inflammatory cytokine expression through inhibition of NF-кB activity. In addition, we found that QA increases the phosphorylation activity of IRF3 through induction of TBK1 activity during HSV-1 infection. QA exhibits an antiviral effect, and we confirmed through UPLC-DAD-mass spectrometer (MS)/MS analysis that it contains five main components: catechin, chlorogenic acid, fraxin, isoquercitrin, and taxifolin. Of these, isoquercitrin was confirmed to exhibit an antiviral effect on SK-N-SH cells through ICP27 inhibition. Overall, our results suggest that QA is a novel inhibitor with antiviral effects against HSV-1 infection and may be used specifically to prevent and treat of herpes simplex virus encephalitis infection.

Phenolic Constituents from Platycodon grandiflorum Root and Their Anti-Inflammatory Activity.

Six lignols (1-6), including two new compounds (+)-(7R,8R)-palmitoyl alatusol D (1) and (+)-(7R,8R)-linoleyl alatusol D (2), along with four phenolics (7-10), a neolignan (11), three alkyl aryl ether-type lignans (12-14), two furofuran-type lignans (15-16), three benzofuran-type lignans (17-19), a tetrahydrofuran-type lignan (20), and a dibenzylbutane-type lignan (21) were isolated from the ethyl acetate-soluble fraction of the methanol extract of Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A. DC. root. The chemical structures of the obtained compounds were elucidated via high-resolution mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy analyses. The obtained spectroscopic data agreed well with literature. Among the isolated compounds, eighteen (1-7 and 11-21) were isolated from P. grandiflorum and the Campanulaceae family for the first time. This is the first report on lignol and lignan components of P. grandiflorum. The anti-inflammatory effects of the isolated compounds were examined in terms of their ability to inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-12 p40, and TNF-α in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated murine RAW264.7 macrophage cells. Nine compounds (4-6, 12, and 15-19) exhibited inhibitory effects on IL-12 p40 production, eleven compounds (1-6, 12, 15-17, and 19) exhibited inhibitory activity on IL-6 production, and eleven compounds (1-6 and 15-19) exhibited inhibitory effects against TNF-α. These results warrant further investigation into the potential anti-inflammatory activity and general benefits of the phenolic constituents of P. grandiflorum root.

Melatonin modulates nitric oxide-regulated WNK-SPAK/OSR1-NKCC1 signaling in dorsal raphe nucleus of rats.

The sleep-wake cycle is regulated by the alternating activity of sleep- and wake-promoting neurons. The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) secretes 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin), promoting wakefulness. Melatonin secreted from the pineal gland also promotes wakefulness in rats. Our laboratory recently demonstrated that daily changes in nitric oxide (NO) production regulates a signaling pathway involving with-no-lysine kinase (WNK), Ste20-related proline alanine rich kinase (SPAK)/oxidative stress response kinase 1 (OSR1), and cation-chloride co-transporters (CCC) in rat DRN serotonergic neurons. This study was designed to investigate the effect of melatonin on NO-regulated WNK-SPAK/OSR1-CCC signaling in wake-inducing DRN neurons to elucidate the mechanism underlying melatonin's wake-promoting actions in rats. Ex vivo treatment of DRN slices with melatonin suppressed neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) expression and increased WNK4 expression without altering WNK1, 2, or 3. Melatonin increased phosphorylation of OSR1 and the expression of sodium-potassium-chloride co-transporter 1 (NKCC1), while potassium-chloride cotransporter 2 (KCC2) remained unchanged. Melatonin increased the expression of tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2, serotonin-synthesizing enzyme). The present study suggests that melatonin may promote its wakefulness by modulating NO-regulated WNK-SPAK/OSR1-KNCC1 signaling in rat DRN serotonergic neurons.

8-O-(E-p-methoxycinnamoyl)harpagide Inhibits Influenza A Virus Infection by Suppressing Intracellular Calcium.

Calcium (Ca2+) dependent signaling circuit plays a critical role in influenza A virus (IAV) infection. The 8-O-(E-p-methoxycinnamoyl)harpagide (MCH) exhibits pharmacological activities that exert neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory and other biological effects. However, not have reports of antiviral effects. To investigate the antiviral activity of MCH on IAV-infected human lung cells mediated by calcium regulation. We examined the inhibitory effect of MCH on IAV infections and measured the level of viral proteins upon MCH treatment using Western blotting. We also performed molecular docking simulation with MCH and IAV M2 protein. Finally, we analyzed MCH's suppression of intracellular calcium and ROS (reactive oxygen species) in IAV-infected human lung cells using a flow cytometer. The results shown that MCH inhibited the infection of IAV and increased the survival of the infected human lung cells. The levels of IAV protein M1, M2, NS1 and PA were inhibited in MCH-treated human lung cells compared to that in infected and untreated cells. Also, docking simulation suggest that MCH interacted with M2 on its hydrophobic wall (L40 and I42) and polar amino acids (D44 and R45), which formed intermolecular contacts and were a crucial part of the channel gate along with W41. Lastly, MCH inhibited IAV infection by reducing intracellular calcium and mitochondrial Ca2+/ROS levels in infected human lung cells. Taken together, these data suggest that MCH inhibits IAV infection and increases the survival of infected human lung cells by suppressing calcium levels. These results indicate that MCH is useful for developing IAV treatments.

Isolation and Characterization of Compounds from Glycyrrhiza uralensis as Therapeutic Agents for the Muscle Disorders.

Skeletal muscle is the most abundant tissue and constitutes about 40% of total body mass. Herein, we report that crude water extract (CWE) of G. uralensis enhanced myoblast proliferation and differentiation. Pretreatment of mice with the CWE of G. uralensis prior to cardiotoxin-induced muscle injury was found to enhance muscle regeneration by inducing myogenic gene expression and downregulating myostatin expression. Furthermore, this extract reduced nitrotyrosine protein levels and atrophy-related gene expression. Of the five different fractions of the CWE of G. uralensis obtained, the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction more significantly enhanced myoblast proliferation and differentiation than the other fractions. Ten bioactive compounds were isolated from the EtOAc fraction and characterized by GC-MS and NMR. Of these compounds (4-hydroxybenzoic acid, liquiritigenin, (R)-(-)-vestitol, isoliquiritigenin, medicarpin, tetrahydroxymethoxychalcone, licochalcone B, liquiritin, liquiritinapioside, and ononin), liquiritigenin, tetrahydroxymethoxychalcone, and licochalcone B were found to enhance myoblast proliferation and differentiation, and myofiber diameters in injured muscles were wider with the liquiritigenin than the non-treated one. Computational analysis showed these compounds are non-toxic and possess good drug-likeness properties. These findings suggest that G. uralensis-extracted components might be useful therapeutic agents for the management of muscle-associated diseases.

Three-year outcome of rapid HIV testing at public health centers in Seoul, Republic of Korea: a short report.

Before 2014, the only test used for anonymous voluntary human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening at public health centers (PHCs) in the Republic of Korea was an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), which takes around 3 days to obtain results. In 2014, to encourage voluntary anonymous HIV screening tests, the Seoul Metropolitan Government adopted a rapid HIV screening test at PHCs. The rapid HIV screening test was introduced at four PHCs in 2014 and all 25 PHCs after 2015. We compared the numbers of HIV screening tests and confirmed positive individuals before and after introduction of the rapid HIV screening test. In 2012-2013, before the introduction of rapid HIV screening test, an average of 330 HIV screening tests were performed monthly (355 in 2012 and 305 in 2013) and 69 individuals were confirmed to have HIV in 2012 and 93 in 2013. After the introduction of the rapid HIV screening test, anonymous voluntary HIV screening increased to a monthly average of 447 tests in 2014, 2099 in 2015, and 2409 in 2016. These identified 38 new cases in 2014, 116 in 2015, and 143 in 2016. Adoption of the rapid HIV screening test has increased the number of HIV screening tests and confirmed cases.

Protective Effect of Flavonoids from Ohwia caudata against Influenza a Virus Infection.

To identify new potential anti-influenza compounds, we isolated six flavonoids, 2'-hydroxyl yokovanol (1), 2'-hydroxyl neophellamuretin (2), yokovanol (3), swertisin (4), spinosin (5), and 7-methyl-apigenin-6-C-ß-glucopyranosyl 2″-O-ß-d-xylopyranoside (6) from MeOH extractions of Ohwia caudata. We screened these compounds for antiviral activity using green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing H1N1 (A/PR/8/34) influenza A-infected RAW 264.7 cells. Compounds 1 and 3 exhibited significant inhibitory effects against influenza A viral infection in co-treatment conditions. In addition, compounds 1 and 3 reduced viral protein levels, including M1, M2, HA, and neuraminidase (NA), and suppressed neuraminidase (NA) activity in RAW 264.7 cells. These findings demonstrated that 2'-hydroxyl yokovanol and yokovanol, isolated from O. caudate, inhibit influenza A virus by suppressing NA activity. The moderate inhibitory activities of these flavonoids against influenza A virus suggest that they may be developed as novel anti-influenza drugs in the future.

Isolation and Identification of Lignans and Other Phenolic Constituents from the Stem Bark of Albizia julibrissin Durazz and Evaluation of Their Nitric Oxide Inhibitory Activity.

A dibenzylbutane-type lignan (16), along with eight furofuran-type (1-8), five furan-type (9-13), two dibenzylbutane-type (14 and 15), two bibenztetrahydronaphthalene-type lignans (17 and 18), two neolignans (19 and 20), and six phenolic derivatives (21-26) were isolated from an MeOH extract of the stem bark of Albizia julibrissin Durazz. The chemical structures of the obtained compounds were elucidated by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS) analyses. Of the evaluated compounds, 14 were isolated from A. julibrissin and the Fabaceae family for the first time. Anti-inflammatory effects of the isolated analogs were investigated in terms of the inhibition of the nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine RAW264.7 macrophage cells. Ten compounds (10-12, 14, and 17-22) displayed significant dose-dependent inhibitory effects against the NO production, with IC50 values ranging from 5.4 to 19.2 µM. Moreover, eight compounds (1-4, 9, 13, 15, and 16) exhibited moderate inhibitory activities, with IC50 values ranging from 21.0 to 62.5 µM.