Ginseng (Panax ginseng) leaf extract modulates the expression of heme oxygenase-1 to attenuate osteoclast differentiation.

Osteoporosis is an aging disease characterized by an imbalance between bone formation and resorption. However, drugs that inhibit bone resorption have various adverse effects. Ginseng (Panax ginseng), a prominent herbal medicine in East Asia for >2000 years, is renowned for its manifold beneficial properties, including antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and anti-adipogenic activities. Despite its long history of use, the pharmacological functions of ginseng leaves are not yet fully comprehended. In this study, we evaluated the potential effects of ginseng leaf extract (GLE) on receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation in RAW264.7 macrophage cells. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining revealed that GLE had significant anti-osteoclastogenic activity. GLE significantly reduced mRNA levels of osteoclast differentiation markers including TRAP, nuclear factor of activated T cell cytoplasmic 1, and cathepsin K. It also suppressed the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and secretion of high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) in RANKL-treated RAW264.7 cells. In addition, GLE upregulated dose- and time-dependently the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), eventually suppressing ROS production and HMGB1 secretion. This effects of GLE were significantly reversed by Tin Protoporphyrin IX dichloride, an inhibitor of HO-1, and HO-1 shRNA, indicating that HO-1 potently inhibits RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation by inhibiting ROS production and HMGB1 secretion. Taken together, these observations suggest that GLE could have therapeutic potential as a natural product-derived medicine for the treatment of bone disorders.

PDZ Peptide of the ZO-1 Protein Significantly Increases UTP-Induced MUC8 Anti-Inflammatory Mucin Overproduction in Human Airway Epithelial Cells.

Mucus hyperproduction and hypersecretion are observed often in respiratory diseases. MUC8 is a glycoprotein synthesized by epithelial cells and generally expressed in the respiratory track. However, the physiological mechanism by which extracellular nucleotides induce MUC8 gene expression in human airway epithelial cells is unclear. Here, we show that UTP could induce MUC8 gene expression through P2Y2-PLCß3-Ca2+ activation. Because the full-length cDNA sequence of MUC8 has not been identified, a specific siRNA-MUC8 was designed based on the partial cDNA sequence of MUC8. siRNA-MUC8 significantly increased TNF-α production and decreased IL-1Ra production, suggesting that MUC8 may downregulate UTP/P2Y2-induced airway inflammation. Interestingly, the PDZ peptide of ZO-1 protein strongly abolished UTP-induced TNF-α production and increased IL-1Ra production and MUC8 gene expression. In addition, the PDZ peptide dramatically increased the levels of UTP-induced ZO proteins and TEER (trans-epithelial electrical resistance). These results show that the anti-inflammatory mucin MUC8 may contribute to homeostasis, and the PDZ peptide can be a novel therapeutic candidate for UTP-induced airway inflammation.

Deciphering Functional Connectivity Differences Between Motor Imagery and Execution of Target-Oriented Grasping.

This study aimed to delineate overlapping and distinctive functional connectivity in visual motor imagery, kinesthetic motor imagery, and motor execution of target-oriented grasping action of the right hand. Functional magnetic resonance imaging data were obtained from 18 right-handed healthy individuals during each condition. Seed-based connectivity and multi-voxel pattern analyses were employed after selecting seed regions with the left primary motor cortex and supplementary motor area. There was equivalent seed-based connectivity during the three conditions in the bilateral frontoparietal and temporal areas. When the seed region was the left primary motor cortex, increased connectivity was observed in the left cuneus and superior frontal area during visual and kinesthetic motor imageries, respectively, compared with that during motor execution. Multi-voxel pattern analyses revealed that each condition was differentiated by spatially distributed connectivity patterns of the left primary motor cortex within the right cerebellum VI, cerebellum crus II, and left lingual area. When the seed region was the left supplementary motor area, the connectivity patterns within the right putamen, thalamus, cerebellar areas IV-V, and left superior parietal lobule were significantly classified above chance level across the three conditions. The present findings improve our understanding of the spatial representation of functional connectivity and its specific patterns among motor imagery and motor execution. The strength and fine-grained connectivity patterns of the brain areas can discriminate between motor imagery and motor execution.

Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) extract inhibits ferroptotic cell death by modulating cellular iron homeostasis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) is a traditional Chinese medicine and use as herbal medicine which has the effects of regulating menopausal symptoms, heart problem, inflammatory disease, psoriasis and cognitive deficits. In previous reported, the studies of red clover were mainly focused on clinical practice. the pharmacological functions of red clover not fully elucidated. AIM OF THE STUDY: To identify the molecules that regulate ferroptosis, we examined whether red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) extracts (RCE) affected ferroptosis induced by chemical treatment or cystine/glutamate antiporter (xCT) deficiency. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cellular models for ferroptosis were induced by erastin/Ras-selectiv lethal 3 (RSL3) treatment or xCT deficiency in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). Intracellular iron and peroxidized lipid levels were determined using Calcein-AM and BODIPY-C11 fluorescence dyes, respectively. Protein and mRNA were quantified by Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction, respectively. RNA sequencing analysis was performed on xCT-/- MEFs. RESULTS: RCE significantly suppressed ferroptosis induced by both erastin/RSL3 treatment and xCT deficiency. The anti-ferroptotic effects of RCE correlated to ferroptotic phenotypic changes such as cellular iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation in cellular ferroptosis models. Importantly, RCE affected levels of iron metabolism-related proteins including iron regulatory protein 1, ferroportin 1 (FPN1), divalent metal transporter 1, and transferrin receptor. RNA sequencing analysis of xCT-/- MEFs identified that expression of cellular defense genes was upregulated, while expression of cell death-related genes was downregulated, by RCE. CONCLUSION: RCE potently suppressed ferroptosis triggered both by erastin/RSL3 treatment and xCT deficiency by modulating cellular iron homeostasis. This is the first report that RCE has therapeutic potential in diseases associated with ferroptotic cell death, particularly ferroptosis induced by dysregulation of cellular iron metabolism.

In Vitro Replication Inhibitory Activity of Xanthorrhizol against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2.

In spite of the large number of repositioned drugs and direct-acting antivirals in clinical trials for the management of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there are few cost-effective therapeutic options for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus 2 (SCoV2) infection. In this paper, we show that xanthorrhizol (XNT), a bisabolane-type sesquiterpenoid compound isolated from the Curcuma xanthorrhizza Roxb., a ginger-line plant of the family Zingiberaceae, displays a potent antiviral efficacy in vitro against SCoV2 and other related coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-1 (SCoV1) and a common cold-causing human coronavirus. XNT reduced infectious SCoV2 titer by ~3-log10 at 20 µM and interfered with the replication of the SCoV1 subgenomic replicon, while it had no significant antiviral effects against hepatitis C virus and noroviruses. Further, XNT exerted similar antiviral functions against SCoV2 variants, such as a GH clade strain and a delta strain currently predominant worldwide. Neither SCoV2 entry into cells nor the enzymatic activity of viral RNA polymerase (Nsp12), RNA helicase (Nsp13), or the 3CL main protease (Nsp5) was inhibited by XNT. While its CoV replication inhibitory mechanism remains elusive, our results demonstrate that the traditional folk medicine XNT could be a promising antiviral candidate that inhibits a broad range of SCoV2 variants of concern and other related CoVs.

Clinical effectiveness of the sequential 4-channel NMES compared with that of the conventional 2-channel NMES for the treatment of dysphagia in a prospective double-blind randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: To date, conventional swallowing therapies and 2-channel neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) are standard treatments for dysphagia. The precise mechanism of 2-channel NMES treatment has not been determined, and there are controversies regarding the efficacy of this therapy. The sequential 4-channel NMES was recently developed and its action is based on the normal contractile sequence of swallowing-related muscles. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare the rehabilitative effectiveness of the sequential 4-channel NMES with that of conventional 2-channel NMES. METHODS: In this prospective randomized case-control study, 26 subjects with dysphagia were enrolled. All participants received 2- or 4-channel NMES for 2-3 weeks (minimal session: 7 times, treatment duration: 300-800 min). Twelve subjects in the 4-channel NMES group and eleven subjects in the 2-channel NMES group completed the intervention. Initial and follow-up evaluations were performed using the videofluoroscopic dysphagia scale (VDS), the penetration-aspiration scale (PAS), the MD Anderson dysphagia inventory (MDADI), the functional oral intake scale (FOIS), and the Likert scale. RESULTS: The sequential 4-channel NMES group experienced significant improvement in their VDS (oral, pharyngeal, and total), PAS, FOIS, and MDADI (emotional, functional, and physical subsets) scores, based on their pretreatment data. VDS (oral, pharyngeal, and total) and MDADI (emotional and physical subsets) scores, but not PAS and FOIS scores, significantly improved in the 2-channel NMES group posttreatment. When the two groups were directly compared, the 4-channel NMES group showed significant improvement in oral and total VDS scores. CONCLUSIONS: The sequential 4-channel NMES, through its activation of the suprahyoid and thyrohyoid muscles, and other infrahyoid muscles mimicking physiological activation, may be a new effective treatment for dysphagia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrial.gov, registration number: NCT03670498, registered 13 September 2018, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03670498?term=NCT03670498&draw=2&rank=1 .

Ginseng leaf extract ameliorates the survival of endotoxemic mice by inhibiting the release of high mobility group box 1.

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a well-defined mediator involved in the pathophysiologic response to endotoxemia and sepsis. However, the mechanisms and therapeutic agents that could prevent its release are not fully elucidated. Here, the present study demonstrates that the ginseng leaf extract (GLE) regulates lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-triggered release of HMGB1 in macrophages and endotoxemic animal model. Treatment of RAW264.7 macrophages with GLE significantly inhibited the release of HMGB1 stimulated by LPS. GLE also suppressed the generation of nitric oxide (NO) and expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) in a dose-dependent manner. These effects of GLE were accompanied by inhibition of HMGB1 release stimulated by LPS, indicating a potential mechanism by which GLE regulates HMGB1 release through NO signaling. Furthermore, induction of suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 by GLE-mediated GLE-dependent suppression of HMGB1 release and NO/iNOS induction by inhibiting Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 signal in RAW 264.7 cells exposed to LPS. Finally, administration of the GLE ameliorated the survival rate of LPS-injected endotoxemic mice in a NO-dependent manner. Thus, GLE may block the LPS-stimulated release of HMGB1 by regulating cellular signal networks, thereby providing a therapeutic strategy for endotoxemia as a functional food. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is released into the extracellular milieu when immune cells are exposed to pathogen-related molecules such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), in which it acts as a critical mediator of lethality in sepsis and endotoxemia. The extract of ginseng leaf, which is a part that can be easily thrown away, ameliorated the survival rate of endotoxemic mice by inhibiting HMGB1 secretion in a NO-dependent manner. Thus, this study suggests that ginseng leaf can be used as a functional food by resolving the immune responses in the pathology of endotoxemia.

Consumer acceptability and monetary value perception of iced coffee beverages vary with drinking conditions using different types of straws or lids.

A recent trend of environmental sustainability has induced many coffee providers to offer alternatives to plastic straws. There has been little research regarding consumer perception of these alternative drinking conditions. This study aimed to determine differences in consumer perception of iced coffee beverages (without ice cubes) between plastic straw and alternative drinking conditions. Brewed samples of medium roast ground coffee beans blend were cooled down and served at 5 °C in the five drinking conditions using different straw materials (plastic, paper, or stainless steel), sippy cup lid, or no lid. Seventy-five consumers rated attribute intensities and acceptances of iced coffee beverages in all five drinking conditions. The results showed that both the mean hedonic ratings of flavor, mouthfeel, or overall impression and the mean amount consumers were willing to pay (US$) for iced coffee beverages were greater in the sippy-cup lid condition than in the paper straw condition. After analyzing consumer comments of the drinking conditions, it was also found that the sippy-cup lid condition induced a more pleasant drinking experience than the paper straw condition. Notably, no significant differences between the plastic and alternative drinking conditions were observed in attribute intensity, acceptance, and monetary value perception of iced coffee beverages. In conclusion, this study shows that consumer experience and acceptability of iced coffee beverages can vary with drinking conditions. Therefore, the coffee industry and sensory professionals should consider not only sensory aspects of coffee, but also drinking conditions to improve consumer experience with coffee beverages.

Ginsenoside Re Mitigates 6-Hydroxydopamine-Induced Oxidative Stress through Upregulation of GPX4.

Ginsenosides are active components found abundantly in ginseng which has been used as a medicinal herb to modify disease status for thousands of years. However, the pharmacological activity of ginsenoside Re in the neuronal system remains to be elucidated. Neuroprotective activity of ginsenoside Re was investigated in SH-SY5Y cells exposed to 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) to induce cellular injury. Ginsenoside Re significantly inhibited 6-OHDA-triggered cellular damage as judged by analysis of tetrazolium dye reduction and lactose dehydrogenase release. In addition, ginsenoside Re induced the expression of the antioxidant protein glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) but not catalase, glutathione peroxidase 1, glutathione reductase, or superoxide dismutase-1. Furthermore, upregulation of GPX4 by ginsenoside Re was mediated by phosphoinositide 3-kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase but not by p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase or c-Jun N-terminal kinase. Ginsenoside Re also suppressed 6-OHDA-triggered cellular accumulation of reactive oxygen species and peroxidation of membrane lipids. The GPX4 inhibitor (1S,3R)-RSL3 reversed ginsenoside Re-mediated inhibition of cellular damage in SH-SY5Y cells exposed to 6-OHDA, indicating that the neuronal activity of ginsenoside Re is due to upregulation of GPX4. These findings suggest that ginsenoside Re-dependent upregulation of GPX4 reduces oxidative stress and thereby alleviates 6-OHDA-induced neuronal damage.

Target-oriented motor imagery for grasping action: different characteristics of brain activation between kinesthetic and visual imagery.

Motor imagery (MI) for target-oriented movements, which is a basis for functional activities of daily living, can be more appropriate than non-target-oriented MI as tasks to promote motor recovery or brain-computer interface (BCI) applications. This study aimed to explore different characteristics of brain activation among target-oriented kinesthetic imagery (KI) and visual imagery (VI) in the first-person (VI-1) and third-person (VI-3) perspectives. Eighteen healthy volunteers were evaluated for MI ability, trained for the three types of target-oriented MIs, and scanned using 3 T functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) under MI and perceptual control conditions, presented in a block design. Post-experimental questionnaires were administered after fMRI. Common brain regions activated during the three types of MI were the left premotor area and inferior parietal lobule, irrespective of the MI modalities or perspectives. Contrast analyses showed significantly increased brain activation only in the contrast of KI versus VI-1 and KI versus VI-3 for considerably extensive brain regions, including the supplementary motor area and insula. Neural activity in the orbitofrontal cortex and cerebellum during VI-1 and KI was significantly correlated with MI ability measured by mental chronometry and a self-reported questionnaire, respectively. These results can provide a basis in developing MI-based protocols for neurorehabilitation to improve motor recovery and BCI training in severely paralyzed individuals.

Oxidative Stability and Quality Characteristics of Duck, Chicken, Swine and Bovine Skin Fats Extracted by Pressurized Hot Water Extraction.

The aim of this study was to investigate the oxidative status and quality characteristics of four animal skin-derived fats extracted using an identical extraction method. Pressurized hot water extraction, a green extraction method, was used to extract animal skin fats (duck, chicken, swine, and bovine skin). Multiple experiments were performed during accelerated storage at 60°C for 90 days. Quality characteristics, such as extraction yield, iodine value (IV), fatty acid composition, and fat viscosity were determined. In addition, indicators for oxidative status, including acid value (AV), peroxide value (PV), p-anisidine value (p-AV), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), conjugated dienes (CD), and total oxidation (totox) values were evaluated. The fat extraction yield was highest in bovine fat, followed by duck, swine, and chicken fats. The IV was higher in duck and chicken fats. Duck fats contained the most unsaturated fats and the least saturated fats. Fat oxidation indicators, such as PV, TBARS, and totox values, were relatively higher in duck fats during storage compared to the other fats. Other indicators, including AV, p-AV, and CD, were similar in duck, chicken, and swine fats. Viscosity was similar in all the tested fats but markedly increased after 70 days of storage in duck fats. Our data indicate that duck skin fat was more vulnerable to oxidative changes in accelerated storage conditions and this may be due to its higher unsaturated fatty acid content. Supplementation with antioxidants might be a reasonable way to solve the oxidation issue in duck skin fats.

Variations in Food Acceptability with Respect to Pitch, Tempo, and Volume Levels of Background Music.

This study aimed to determine whether pitch, tempo, and volume levels of music stimuli affect sensory perception and acceptance of foods. A traditional music piece was arranged into versions at two pitches, two tempos, and two volumes. For each session, chocolate and bell peppers were presented for consumption under three sound conditions: 1) upper or 2) lower level with respect to each of the three music elements, and 3) silence. Over three sessions, participants evaluated flavor intensity, pleasantness of flavor, texture impression, and overall impression of food samples, in addition to the pleasantness and stimulation evoked by the music stimuli. Results showed that lower-pitched and louder music stimuli increased hedonic impressions of foods compared to their respective counterparts and/or the silent condition. While the effects of music element levels on hedonic impressions differed with the type of food consumed, the participants liked the foods more when music stimuli were perceived as more pleasant and stimulating. Flavor was perceived as more intense when participants were more stimulated by the music samples. Although a specific element of music stimuli was manipulated, perceptions of other elements also varied, leading to large variations in the music-evoked pleasantness and stimulation. In conclusion, the findings provide empirical evidence that hedonic impressions of foods may be influenced by emotions evoked by music selections varying in music element levels, but it should be also noted that the influences were food-dependent and not pronounced.

Characterizing product temperature-dependent sensory perception of brewed coffee beverages: Descriptive sensory analysis.

In most previous studies, brewed coffee samples were served at specific serving temperatures for sensory evaluation. While several recent studies have illustrated that serving temperature does have an impact on sensory attribute intensities of brewed coffee, more elaboration is needed. By focusing on knowledge gaps between earlier studies, this study sought to determine whether and how sensory attributes of brewed coffee can vary as a function of serving temperature and coffee variety. In this study, 6 trained panelists rated intensities of 32 sensory attributes (3 appearances, 12 aromas, 2 tastes, 13 flavors, and 2 mouthfeels) with respect to brewed coffee samples, of each of three varieties (Ethiopian, Kenyan, and Colombian) served at four different serving temperatures: 70, 55, 40, and 25 °C, respectively. The results indicated that intensities of 18 and 7 attributes, respectively, differed significantly with serving temperature and coffee variety. A principal component analysis (PCA) showed the greater amount of data variation could be attributed to serving temperature (63.28%) rather than coffee variety (21.24%), much like the result of a hierarchical clustering analysis. Regression vector (RV) coefficients, determined by a factor score matrix of brewed coffee samples served at different temperatures, revealed that brewed coffee samples served at 70 and 55 °C were perceived differently from those served at 40 and 25 °C. In conclusion, the findings emphasize that sensory attributes of brewed coffee samples should be evaluated at multiple serving temperatures, both higher (70 to 55 °C) and lower (40 to 25 °C) ones, to better capture sensory attributes of brewed coffee than those from a traditional sensory evaluation. Further study is needed to characterize different coffee samples with respect to lessening an overwhelming effect of serving temperature.

Vision-aided brain-machine interface training system for robotic arm control and clinical application on two patients with cervical spinal cord injury.

BACKGROUND: While spontaneous robotic arm control using motor imagery has been reported, most previous successful cases have used invasive approaches with advantages in spatial resolution. However, still many researchers continue to investigate methods for robotic arm control with noninvasive neural signal. Most of noninvasive control of robotic arm utilizes P300, steady state visually evoked potential, N2pc, and mental tasks differentiation. Even though these approaches demonstrated successful accuracy, they are limited in time efficiency and user intuition, and mostly require visual stimulation. Ultimately, velocity vector construction using electroencephalography activated by motion-related motor imagery can be considered as a substitution. In this study, a vision-aided brain-machine interface training system for robotic arm control is proposed and developed. METHODS: The proposed system uses a Microsoft Kinect to detect and estimates the 3D positions of the possible target objects. The predicted velocity vector for robot arm input is compensated using the artificial potential to follow an intended one among the possible targets. Two participants with cervical spinal cord injury trained with the system to explore its possible effects. RESULTS: In a situation with four possible targets, the proposed system significantly improved the distance error to the intended target compared to the unintended ones (p < 0.0001). Functional magnetic resonance imaging after five sessions of observation-based training with the developed system showed brain activation patterns with tendency of focusing to ipsilateral primary motor and sensory cortex, posterior parietal cortex, and contralateral cerebellum. However, shared control with blending parameter α less than 1 was not successful and success rate for touching an instructed target was less than the chance level (= 50%). CONCLUSIONS: The pilot clinical study utilizing the training system suggested potential beneficial effects in characterizing the brain activation patterns.

Nanoemulsions improve the efficacy of turmeric in palmitate- and high fat diet-induced cellular and animal models.

Turmeric is a well-known functional food exhibiting multiple biological activities in health and disease. However, low aqueous solubility and poor bioavailability limit its therapeutic potential. Herein, we investigated the utility of nanoemulsions as a carrier to improve the efficacy of turmeric. Compared with turmeric extract (TE), 5% TE-loaded nanoemulsion (TE-NE), which contains 20-fold lower curcumin content than TE, achieved similar inhibition of palmitate-induced lipotoxicity in HepG2 cells. Exposure of HepG2 cells to 5% TE-NE also suppressed the palmitate-induced accumulation of lipid vacuoles and reactive oxygen species comparably with TE, and was accompanied by decreased levels of sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-1, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ2 (PPAR-γ2), cleaved caspase-3, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Consistent with these effects in HepG2 cells, oral administration of 5% TE-NE to mice fed a high fat diet (HFD) markedly suppressed lipid accumulation in liver, leading to a significant reduction in body weight and adipose tissue weight, equivalent to the effects observed with TE. Compared with TE, 5% TE-NE also equivalently inhibited the levels of SREBP-1, PPAR-γ2, cleaved caspase-3, and PARP in the liver of mice fed a HFD. Furthermore, TE and 5% TE-NE significantly improved serum lipid profiles in a similar manner. These observations indicate that nanoemulsions can improve the efficacy of turmeric, thereby eliciting more potent biological efficacy against palmitate- and high fat diet (HFD)-induced cellular damage.

Comparison of Cinnamon Essential Oils from Leaf and Bark with Respect to Antimicrobial Activity and Sensory Acceptability in Strawberry Shake.

Cinnamon leaf and bark essential oils have long been used as natural preservatives and flavoring agents in foods. This study determined antimicrobial effects of leaf and bark of cinnamon essential oils (CEOs) against 2 foodborne pathogens, Salmonella Typhimurium (S.T.) and Listeria monocytogenes (L.m.), at 2 initial bacterial levels (4- and 9-log CFU/mL) in strawberry shakes. The antimicrobial study of CEOs at 0.1% and 0.5% in strawberry shakes against S.T. and L.M. showed a significant difference (P < 0.05) in log reductions of both bacterial growth at low (4-log CFU/mL) and high (9-log CFU/mL) initial bacterial levels. Addition of 0.5% CEOs into strawberry shakes at 4 °C completely inhibited both bacteria after a period of 8 d storage. Shelf-life study showed that acidity and total solid content were not affected during storage. The strawberry shakes containing bark CEO had higher ratings of sensory acceptability compared to leaf CEO, with or without the addition of 1% masking agent. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that CEO derived from bark was better than that from leaf in terms of their antimicrobial activity and sensory aspect. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study demonstrates that essential oils derived from cinnamon bark and leaf have the potential to be used as natural antimicrobial ingredient in milk beverages with respect to sensory aspect. This finding promotes the acceptance of natural antimicrobials among consumers, while providing enhanced safer products to the food industry application.

Subcritical water-hydrolyzed fish collagen ameliorates survival of endotoxemic mice by inhibiting HMGB1 release in a HO-1-dependent manner.

To investigate potential mechanisms underlying the bioactivity of hydrolyzed fish collagen, we examined the anti-inflammatory actions of subcritical water-hydrolyzed fish collagen (SWFC) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-triggered inflammation and endotoxemia. SWFC markedly inhibited LPS-stimulated release of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in murine RAW264.7 macrophages, along with decreased cytosolic translocation of HMGB1. Both the protein and mRNA levels of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were significantly upregulated in SWFC-treated RAW 264.7 cells in an Nrf2-dependent manner. In line with these effects of SWFC, both HO-1 siRNA and ZnPPIX (zinc protoporphyrin IX) actually attenuated the effects of SWFC on HMGB1 release stimulated by LPS, indicating a possible mechanism by which SWFC modulates HMGB1 release through HO-1 signaling. Notably, administration of SWFC improved the survival rates of LPS-injected endotoxemic mice, in which the serum level of HMGB1 was significantly reduced. Taken together, these results indicate that the anti-inflammatory activities of SWFC are achieved by inhibiting HMGB1 release induced by LPS in a HO-1-sensitive manner.

A Dalbergia odorifera extract improves the survival of endotoxemia model mice by inhibiting HMGB1 release.

BACKGROUND: Dalbergia odorifera T. Chen (Leguminosae) is an indigenous medicinal herb that is widely used as a popular remedy in northern and eastern Asia. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying the biological activity of D. odorifera are not fully elucidated. METHODS: Anti-inflammatory effect of D. odorifera extract (DOE) was determined through intraperitoneal injection in a mouse model of endotoxemia induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). RAW 264.7 cells, a murine macrophage, were also treated with LPS to generate a cellular model of inflammation, and investigated the anti-inflammatory activity and underlying mechanisms of DOE and its constituent isoliquiritigenin. RESULTS: DOE dose-dependently inhibited LPS-induced release of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a late proinflammatory cytokine, and decreased cytosolic translocation of HMGB1 in RAW264.7 cells. This inhibitory effect of DOE on HMGB1 release was observed in cells treated with DOE before or after LPS treatment, suggesting that DOE is effective for both treatment and prevention. In addition, DOE significantly inhibited LPS-induced formation of nitric oxide (NO) and expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) in a dose-dependent manner. These effects of DOE were accompanied by suppression of HMGB1 release triggered by LPS, suggesting a possible mechanism by which DOE modulates HMGB1 release through NO signaling. Isoriquiritigenin, a constituent of DOE, also attenuated LPS-triggered NO formation and HMGB1 release in RAW264.7 cells, indicating that isoriquiritigenin is an indexing molecule for the anti-inflammatory properties of DOE. Furthermore, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, but not extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p38, mediated DOE-dependent inhibition of HMGB1 release and NO/iNOS induction in RAW 264.7 cells exposed to LPS. Notably, administration of DOE ameliorated survival rates in a mouse model of endotoxemia induced by LPS, where decreased level of circulating HMGB1 was observed. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that DOE confers resistance to LPS-triggered inflammation through NO-mediated inhibitory effects on HMGB1 release.

Tea-induced calmness: Sugar-sweetened tea calms consumers exposed to acute stressor.

The food and beverage industry has been increasingly replacing sugar with non-nutritive sweeteners in their sweetened products to control or reduce total calories. Research comparing the effect of nutritive and non-nutritive sweeteners on emotional state of participants exposed to acute stressors is still limited. This study aimed to determine the effect of drinking tea sweetened with either a nutritive sweetener (sugar) or a non-nutritive sweetener (sucralose or stevia) on emotional state, in terms of calmness and pleasantness, of participants exposed to an acute stressor. Effects of acute stress on sweetness intensity and overall liking of tea beverages were also determined. Results showed that the possibility of tea-induced calmness, calculated as the difference between calmness ratings after and before drinking a tea sample, was established on stress session in the sugar-sweetened tea. Overall liking, but not the sweetness intensity, of the sugar-sweetened tea was affected by acute stress. In conclusion, this study provides empirical evidence that the consumption of tea sweetened with nutritive sweetener, but not with non-nutritive sweetener, has calming effect on consumers with acute stress, suggesting that this effect may not be due to the sweet taste of sugar, but due to the caloric nature of the sweetener.

Bioactivity of a Rice Bran-Derived Peptide and its Sensory Evaluation and Storage Stability in Orange Juice.

A pentapeptide prepared from rice bran demonstrated growth inhibition on human lung, liver, breast, and colon cancer cell lines. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the human prostate cancer growth inhibition by the pentapeptide and its 6-mo storage stability by incorporating spray-dried orange juice, and determining sensory acceptability. The pentapeptide showed inhibition of human prostate cancer cells by 45% at 460 µg/mL concentration. When incorporated in spray-dried orange juice, and reconstituted with water and tested, there was an approximately 10% degradation of the peptide at 620 µg/mL concentration under refrigerated conditions over a 6 mo storage period, whereas at ambient temperature the degradation was 30%. Larger degradation was observed when 240 or 460 µg/mL pentapeptide was used. Overall, consumer panelists liked sensory aspect of the reconstituted pentapeptide incorporated orange juice beverage. Also consumer panelists liked the color and mouthfeel attributes, their hedonic impression of flavor attribute was slightly low due to unpalatable bitter note caused by the presence of the peptide. Incorporation of the pentapeptide in spray-dried orange juice has the potential to serve as a functional food ingredient that can offer health benefits to consumers. It is possible that the structural instability can be minimized by encapsulation.