Catalpa bignonioides extract improves exercise performance through regulation of growth and metabolism in skeletal muscles

Objective:To evaluate the effects of Catalpa bignonioides fruit extract on the promotion of muscle growth and muscular capacity in vitro and in vivo.Methods:Cell viability was measured using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay.Cell proliferation was assessed using a 5-bromo-2’-deoxyuridine(BrdU)assay kit.Western blot analysis was performed to determine the protein expressions of related factors.The effects of Catalpa bignonioides extract were investigated in mice using the treadmill exhaustion test and whole-limb grip strength assay.Chemical composition analysis was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC).Results:Catalpa bignonioides extract increased the proliferation of C2C12 mouse myoblasts by activating the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.It also induced metabolic changes,increasing the number of mitochondria and glucose metabolism by phosphorylating adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase.In an in vivo study,the extract-treated mice showed improved motor abilities,such as muscular endurance and grip strength.Additionally,HPLC analysis showed that vanillic acid may be the main component of the Catalpa bignonioides extract that enhanced muscle strength.Conclusions:Catalpa bignonioides improves exercise performance through regulation of growth and metabolism in skeletal muscles,suggesting its potential as an effective natural agent for improving muscular strength.

Evaluation of Pre-Emergence and Post-Emergence Herbicides for Weed Management in Miscanthus sacchariflorus and Miscanthus sinensis

Miscanthus,is a promising bioenergy crop,considered superior to other bioenergy crops because of its higher water and nutrient use efficiency,cold tolerance,and higher production of biomass.Broadleaf weeds and grass weeds,cause major problems in the Miscanthus field.A field experiment was conducted in 2018 and 2019,to assess the effects of pre-emergence(alachlor and napropamide)and post-emergence herbicides(nicosulfuron,dicamba,bentazon,and glufosinate ammonium)on broadleaf and grass weeds in M.sinensis and M.sacchariflorus fields.The weed control efficiency and phytotoxicity of pre-and post-emergence herbicides were evaluated at 30 days after treatment(DAT)and compared to those of the control plots.The results showed wide variations in the susceptibility of the weed species to the treated herbicides.Treatment with nicosulfuron 40 g.a.i.ha^(-1) provided the most effective overall weed control(with 10%visual injury),without affecting the height and biomass of neither Miscanthus species in the field.Post-emergence herbicides such as glufosinate ammonium 400 g.a.i.ha^(-1) and dicamba 482 g.a.i.ha^(-1) were effective and inhibited the growth and density of the majority of weeds to a 100%;however,they showed significant phytotoxicity(toxicity scale of 1-10)to both species of Miscanthus.The application of glufosinate ammonium caused severe injuries to the foliar region(90%visual injury)of both Miscanthus sps.Comparatively,M.sinensis showed a slightly higher tolerance to the herbicides nicosulfuron,bentazon and napropamide with 10%visual injury at the recommended dose than M.sacchariflorus.The present study clearly showed that infestation of broadleaf and grass weeds in Miscanthus fields can cause significant damage to the growth and biomass of Miscanthus and applying pre-emergence and post-emergence herbicides effectively controls the high infestation of these weeds.

Evaluating the effects of granular and membrane filtrations on chlorine demand in drinking water

In this study, chlorine decay experiments were conducted for the raw water from Nakdong River that is treated by Chllseo Water Treatment Plant （CWTP） situated in Haman, Korea as well as the effluents from sand and granular activated carbon （GAC） filters of CWTP and fitted using a chlorine decay model. The model estimated the fast and slow reacting nitrogenous as well as organic/inorganic compounds that were present in the water. It was found that the chlorine demand due to fast and slow reacting （FRA and SRA） organic/inorganic substances was not reduced significantly by sand as well as GAC filters. However, the treated effluents from those filters contained FRA and SRA that are less reactive and had small reaction rate constants. For the effluents from microfiltration, ultrafiltration, and nanofiltration the chlorine demand because FRA and SRA were further reduced but the reaction rate constants were larger compared to those of sand and GAC filter effluents. This has implications in the formation of disinfection by products （DBPs）. If DBPs are assumed to form due to the interactions between chlorine and SRA, then it is possible that the DBP formation potential in the effluents from membrane filtrations could be higher than that in the effluents from granular media filters.

A New Nano-Platform for Drug Release via Nanotubular Aluminum Oxide

Nanotubular materials have many favorable properties for drug delivery. We present here a pioneering study of controlled release of a model drug, amoxicillin, from the internal nanopore structure of self-ordered, periodically spaced-apart aluminum oxide with an innovative, nanotubular geometry. This aluminum oxide nanotube geometry has not yet been revealed for biological applications, thus we have selected this oxide nanotube structure and demonstrated its ability as a drug carrier. Controlled, sustained release was achieved for over 5 weeks. The release kinetics from the nanotube layer was thoroughly characterized and it was determined that the amount of drug released was proportional to the square root of time. This type of controlled release and longevity from the nanotube layer has potential for therapeutic surface coatings on medical implants. Furthermore, this type of geometry has many features that are advantageous and biologically relevant for enhancing tissue biointegration.

Stick-and-play system based on interfacial adhesion control enhanced by micro/nanostructures

The evolution of membrane-type electronics has facilitated the development of stick-and-play systems,which confer diverse electrical functions to various planar or arbitrary curvilinear surfaces.The stick-and-play concept is based on the development of thin electronic devices in a printable format and their subsequent transfer to target surfaces.The development of this technology requires control of the interfacial adhesion of the electronic prints for retrieval from a carrier and transfer to the target surface.First,we discuss the transfer printing for membrane-type electronics,starting from an overview of materials available for flexible substrates,transfer printing of electronic prints for retrieval,and assembly for further integration.Second,we explain the stick-and-play concept based on fabricated membrane-type electronics;"stick" and “play"refer to the transfer of electronic devices and the performance of their electronic functions,respectively.In particular,we broadly survey various methods based on micro/nanostructures,including gecko-inspired,interlocking,cephalopod-sucker-inspired,and cilia structures,which can be employed to stick-and-play systems for enhancing interfacial adhesion with complex target surfaces under dynamic and wet conditions.Finally,we highlight the stick-and-play system application of micro/nanostructures for skin-attachable biomedical electronics,e-textiles,and environmental monitoring electronics.