We utilize AKARI's slitless spectroscopic capability to detect the 3.3 μm polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emission and measure star formation (SF) activity for various AKARI programs. First, we obtain 2∼5μm spectra of 20 flux-limited galaxies with mixed SED classes in order to calibrate the 3.3 μm PAH luminosity (LPAH 3.3) as a star formation rate (SFR) indicator. We find that LPAH3.3 correlates with LIR as well as with the 6.2 μm PAH luminosity ( LPAH 6.2). The correlations does not depend on SED classes. We find that ULIRGs deviate from the correlation between PAH luminosities and LIR, while they do not for the correlation between PAH luminosities. We suggest possible effects to cause this deviation. On the other hand, how AGN activity is linked to SB activity is one of the most intriguing questions. While it is suggested that AGN luminosity of quasars correlates with starburst (SB) luminosity, it is still unclear how AGN activity is connected to SF activity based on host galaxy properties. We are measuring SFRs for the LQSONG sample consisting of reverberation mapped AGNs and PG-QSOs. This is an extension of the ASCSG program by which we investigated the connection between SB and AGN activities for Seyferts type 1s at z ~ 0.36. While we found no strong correlation between LPAH3.3 and AGN luminosity for these Seyferts 1s, LPAH3.3 measured from the central part of galaxies correlates with AGN luminosity, implying that SB and AGN activities are directly connected in the nuclear region.

The aim of this study was to investigate the suppressive activity of 70% ethanol extract and its dichloromethane fraction from Auricularia auricula-judae against adipogenesis and lipogenesis in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. The ethanol extract and its dichloromethane fraction suppressed the differentiation and decreased lipid droplets in vitro. The dose-dependent increasing concentration of glycerol and lower triglycerides accumulation were found significantly (P < 0.05) with the treatment of both fractions from 70% ethanolic Auricularia auricula-judae extract and the glycerol-3-3phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity was also inhibited by both extracts. Further, the expression of adipogenic mRNAs were investigated by RT-PCR amplification. The key transcriptional factors, PPARγ and C/EBPα were decreased significantly at dose-dependent manner by both extracts of Auricularia auricula-judae. The expressions of LPL and FAS were also decreased by presence of these extracts. The decreased expressions of C/EBPβ, C/EBPγ and ACC1 were observed only by ethanol extract at 300 μg/ml concentration, while the expression of SREBP-1c, GLUT4 and aP2 were not altered in the 3T3-L1 adipocytes. These changes were occurred without the cytotoxic effect of both extracts against 3T3-L1 adipocytes in vitro. A positive control, fenofibrate inhibited the differentiation, triglycerides accumulation through PPARγ signaling by 2/3 reduction of PPARγ expression. Thus, these findings suggest that both extracts of Auricularia auricula-judae might be used to inhibit the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and reduction of triglycerides accumulation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the antitumor activity of solvent fractions from Auricularia auricula-judae 70% ethanol extract and confirmed the active components of dichloromethane fraction showing a potent antitumor activity than other fractions in the broncheoalveolar and gastric cancer cells. The solvent fractions of Auricularia auricula-judae extract, inhibited the growth proliferation of tumor cells in dose-dependent manner. The principle components of dichloromethane fraction were 5,11,17,23-tetrakis (1,1-dimethyl)-28-methoxypentacyclo [19.3.1.1 (3,7).1 (… (65.85%) and diazane (6.17%). The antitumor active components, diazane and gibberellic acid (GA3) were identified in this fraction by GC-MS analysis and lower antitumor activities than dichloromethane fraction. The unknown components of dichloromethane fraction were responsible for its cytotoxic effects on tumor cells. Based on IC50 value, gibberellic acid was little cytotoxic itself. According to PCR amplification, the apoptosis of tumor cells were induced by the down-regulation of Bcl-2 and over-expression of P53 on the presence of solvent fractions, diazane and gibberellic acid. Thus, these findings suggest that the dichloromethane might be used as functional feed additive that suppress the tumor growth in the body than other solvent fractions of Auricularia auricula-judae extracts.

We have made a comprehensive statistical study on the coronal mass ejections(CMEs) associated with helmet streamers. A total number of 3810 CMEs observed by SOHO/LASCO coronagraph from 1996 to 2000 have been visually inspected. By comparing their LASCO images and running difference images, we picked out streamer-associated CMEs, which are classified into two sub-groups: Class-A events whose morphological shape seen in the LASCO running difference image is quite similar to that of the pre-existing streamer, and Class-B events whose ejections occurred in a part of the streamer. The former type of CME may be caused by the destabilization of the helmet streamer and the latter type of CME may be related to the eruption of a filament underlying the helmet streamer or narrow CMEs such as streamer puffs. We have examined the distributions of CME speed and acceleration for both classes as well as the correlation between their speed and acceleration. The major results from these investigations are as follows. First, about a quarter of all CMEs are streamer-associated CMEs. Second, their mean speed is 413 km s-1 for Class-A events and 371 km s-1 for Class-B events. And the fraction of the streamer-associated CMEs decreases with speed. Third, the speed-acceleration diagrams show that there are no correlations between two quantities for both classes and the accelerations are nearly symmetric with respect to zero acceleration line. Fourth, their mean angular width are about 60°, which is similar to that of normal CMEs. Fifth, the fraction of streamer-associated CMEs during the solar minimum is a little larger than that during the solar maximum. Our results show that the kinematic characteristics of streamer-associated CMEs, especially Class-A events, are quite similar to those of quiescent filament-associated CMEs.