New semi-crystalline photovoltaic polymers were synthesized and the optimized device exhibited 9.39% efficiency in a ∼300 nm thick single-cell device.

Seoritae is a type of black soybean that is known to have health-promoting effects due to its high isoflavone and anthocyanin contents. We evaluated whether Seoritae extract (SE) had beneficial effects on the reduction of prostate weight in a rat model of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH was induced by intramuscular injections of testosterone enanthate once a week for 5 weeks in Sprague-Dawley rats, and rats were treated with or without daily oral doses of SE during BPH induction. After 5 weeks, the oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine), apoptosis (caspase-3), and activity of 5-alpha reductase were evaluated in the serum and prostate. The SE treatment group showed a significant decrease in prostate weight, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and 5-alpha reductase activity compared to the nontreated BPH group. These results show that SE is effective in decreasing the weight and proliferation of the prostate, and suggest that SE may be an effective treatment for BPH.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cyanidin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (C3G) concentrated materials from mulberry fruit on improvement and protection of erectile function. Materials and Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats (12 weeks old) were divided into three groups (n = 12 in each): normal control, diabetes mellitus (DM), and DM with C3G concentrated material treatment (DM + C3G). DM and DM + C3G group rats received a single injection of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg), and 4 weeks after induction of diabetes, the DM + C3G group rats were treated with daily concentrated material treatment (10 mg/kg) dissolved in water for 8 weeks. After 12 weeks of streptozotocin injections, the rats in each group underwent intracavernosal pressure measurement and then the corporal tissues were sampled. Results: The DM group rats showed markedly lower erectile parameters than those in the control group, whereas rats in the DM + C3G group showed improved erectile function by minimizing corporal apoptosis and increasing the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and neuronal NOS protein. A significant increase in 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) was shown in the DM group compared with the normal group. However, in the DM + C3G group, 8-OHdG was statistically significantly reduced compared with the DM group. Conclusions: The current study is the first to suggest that C3G concentrated materials may have a potency to improve and protect erectile function under conditions of diabetes-induced oxidative stress.

We explored the effect of extracts of dried Platycodon grandiflorum on production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), glutathione (GSH) and nitric oxide (NO). To determine antioxidant activity in the presence of H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress, DCFH-DA (dichlorodihydrofluorescin diacetate) assay was employed. Acetone/methylene chloride (A+M) and methanolic (MeOH) extracts of P. grandiflorum reduced intracellular ROS levels. Of the various tested fractions, n-BuOH fraction showed the highest protective effect in terms of lipid peroxide production. Total GSH levels were measured after treatment of HT1080 cells with the A+M and MeOH extracts, and other solvent fractions, at various concentration. The A+M extacts and 85% (v/v) aqueous MeOH fraction significantly increased GSH levels (p<0.05). When lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO production was evaluated, all tested crude extracts, and fractions thereof, significantly reduced NO production (p<0.05), and the n-BuOH and 85% (v/v) aqueous MeOH fractions (at 0.05 mg/mL) showed the strongest inhibitory effects. The results showed that the n-BuOH fraction inhibited both cellular oxidation and NO production, and this fraction may thus contain valuable active compounds.

The clinical characteristics and the effect of viral RNA loads on fatality in 56 patients with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) were analyzed. The non-survival group (12 patients) demonstrated a significantly higher mean age (77 years) than the survival group (44 patients, 65 years) (p = 0.003). The survival rates were 91.7% and 8.3% in patients with Ct values ≥30 and differed significantly (p = 0.001) in the survival and non-survival groups, respectively. The survival rates were 52.4% and 47.6% in patients with viral copy numbers ≥10,000 and 94.3% and 5.7% in patients with viral copy numbers <10,000 in the survival and non-survival groups, respectively (p = 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, viral copy numbers and initial Acute Psychologic Assessment and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores were identified as the factors affecting fatality (p = 0.015 and 0.011, respectively). SFTS viral RNA loads can be useful markers for the clinical prediction of mortality and survival.