In this study, silk sericin solutions and films were prepared with different solvents: formic acid and water. Also, silk sericin film from aqueous solution was prepared at different casting temperature. Regardless of solvent type, silk sericin solutions showed a shear thinning implying highly molecular entangled state of silk sericin. Silk sericin aqueous solution showed a higher turbidity than that of formic acid solution. Silk sericin aqueous solution showed shorter gelation time than formic acid. FTIR results showed β-sheet crystallization of silk sericin was affected by casting solvent and temperature. Silk sericin film from aqueous solution showed more β-sheet conformation as the casting temperature was decreased. Silk sericin film from formic acid showed higher crystallinity index than silk sericin films cast from aqueous solution. XRD diffraction measurement showed similar results to those of FTIR. In case of mechanical properties, tensile strength of sericin film from formic acid was higher than sericin films from aqueous solution.

To investigate the effect of carnosine on exhaustive exercise, swimming tests were conducted weekly with loads corresponding to 5% of body weight attached to the tails of mice, and the swimming time to exhaustion was measured. Eighty male ICR mice were divided into four groups, to which carnosine was administered at doses of 0 (control), 10, 50, and 250 mg/kg/day, respectively, for a period of four weeks. At the end of swimming exercise challenges, serum biochemistry, oxidative stress enzyme activity, and antioxidant enzyme activity in tissues were determined. Treatment with 250 mg/kg carnosine resulted in a significant increase in swimming times to exhaustion, compared to the control group in the first (P<0.01) and third week (P<0.05). Significantly lower serum lactate levels were observed after the swimming exercise in the carnosine-treated groups (10 and 250 mg/kg), compared with the control (P<0.01). Malondialdehyde levels in the liver (10 and 50 mg/kg carnosine treated groups) and skeletal muscle (250 mg/kg carnosine treated group) were significantly lower, compared with the control (P<0.05). Significantly lower protein carbonyl levels in skeletal muscle were observed in the 50 and 250 mg/kg carnosine treated groups, compared with the control (P<0.01). Superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in skeletal muscle did not differ significantly among the groups. These results indicate that carnosine may improve swimming exercise capacity by attenuating production of lactate and reducing oxidative stress in mice.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the association between the appearance of hypodense hepatic nodules on dynamic CT images and acute alcoholic hepatitis in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. Sixty-two patients (male:female=57:5, mean age=51.4±10.9 years) with alcoholic cirrhosis were included. Patients were divided into 3 groups; group A (nodules, n=23), group B (fatty liver < 40 Hounsfield unit (HU) without nodules, n=18), and group C (control, n=21). Liver nodules in Group A had characteristic low density during pre- and all post-contrast phases versus liver parenchyma and fewer or complete resolution of nodules on follow up CT after alcohol withdrawal. Densities (HU) of nodules and hepatic parenchyma, ascites scores, and laboratory values were analyzed. Mean densities of hepatic parenchyma in groups A and B were significantly lower than in the control group. Serum bilirubin, AST (aspartate transaminase), ALT (alanine transaminase), PT (prothrombin time), and ascites scores were significantly higher in group A than in the other two groups. As numbers of liver nodules increased nodules’ attenuation decreased. Mean serum AST and ALT were higher in patients with many nodules than in patients with few nodules. Hypodense hepatic nodules in alcoholic steatohepatitis in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis are probably benign nodules resulting from focal steatosis or hepatocellular necrosis rather than metastases.