• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.192-197
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• 2010

The seeds of Raphanus sativus L. (RSL) and Phaseolus calcaratus Roxburgh (PHCR), the root of Scutellaria baicalensis (SB), and the flower of Lonicera japonica (LJ) have been traditionally used as herbal medicines for anti-inflammation. Unlike the SB and LJ, little information is available for the scientific bases that show the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of RSL and PHCR. In this study, we prepared boiled water extracts from the medicines and determined their potentials in inhibiting nitric oxide (NO) production, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-$\alpha$ and interleukin (IL)-6 secretion in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The effects of the medicines on serum IgE levels in ovalbumin (OVA)-administrated mice were also studied. The medicines inhibited production of TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-6, and COX-2 expression in LPSstimulated macrophages. Especially, PHCR water extract showed more potent inhibition on TNF-$\alpha$ production than SB and LJ extracts, but RSL extract did not exert these effects. Similar to the cases of SB and LJ, PHCR extract prevented the phosphorylation of $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ and c-Jun, and the activation of NF-${\kappa}B$-DNA binding. Further, oral supplementation of PHCR extract attenuated significantly serum levels of total and OVA-specific IgE in OVAtreated animals. These results suggest a possibility that PHCR water extract can be used for the treatment of inflammatory and allergic diseases.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.495-507
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• 2017

The effect of clonidine administered intrathecally (i.t.) on the mortality and the blood glucose level induced by sepsis was examined in mice. To produce sepsis, the mixture of D-galactosamine (GaLN; 0.6 g/10 ml)/lipopolysaccharide (LPS; $27{\mu}g/27{\mu}l$) was treated intraperitoneally (i.p.). The i.t. pretreatment with clonidine ($5{\mu}g/5{\mu}l$) increased the blood glucose level and attenuated mortality induced by sepsis in a dose-dependent manner. The i.t. post-treatment with clonidine up to 3 h caused an elevation of the blood glucose level and protected sepsis-induced mortality, whereas clonidine post-treated at 6, 9, or 12 h did not affect. The pre-treatment with oral D-glucose for 30 min prior to i.t. post-treatment (6 h) with clonidine did not rescue sepsis-induced mortality. In addition, i.t. pretreatment with pertussis toxin (PTX) reduced clonidine-induced protection against mortality and clonidine-induced hyperglycemia, suggesting that protective effect against sepsis-induced mortality seems to be mediated via activating PTX-sensitive G-proteins in the spinal cord. Moreover, pretreatment with clonidine attenuated the plasma tumor necrosis factor ${\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$) induced by sepsis. Clonidine administered i.t. or i.p. increased $p-AMPK{\alpha}1$ and $p-AMPK{\alpha}2$, but decreased p-Tyk2 and p-mTOR levels in both control and sepsis groups, suggesting that the up-regulations of $p-AMPK{\alpha}1$ and $p-AMPK{\alpha}2$, or down-regulations of p-mTOR and p-Tyk2 may play critical roles for the protective effect of clonidine against sepsis-induced mortality.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.317-322
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• 2016

Mitochondrial biogenesis is a complex process requiring coordinated expression of nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activator 1-alpha (PGC-$1{\alpha}$) is a key regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis, and it controls mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication within diverse tissues, including muscle tissue. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on mtDNA copy number and PGC-$1{\alpha}$ promoter activity in $C_2C_{12}$ muscle cells. mtDNA copy number and mRNA levels of genes related to mitochondrial biogenesis such as PGC-$1{\alpha}$, nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1) and mitochondrial transcription factor A (Tfam) were assayed by quantitative real-time PCR. The PGC-$1{\alpha}$ promoter from -970 to +412 bp was subcloned into the pGL3-basic vector, which includes a luciferase reporter gene. Both EPA and DHA significantly increased mtDNA copy number, dose and time dependently, and up-regulated mRNA levels of PGC-$1{\alpha}$, NRF1, and Tfam. Furthermore, EPA and DHA stimulated PGC-$1{\alpha}$ promoter activity in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that EPA and DHA may modulate mitochondrial biogenesis, which was partially associated with increased mtDNA replication and PGC-$1{\alpha}$ gene expression in $C_2C_{12}$ muscle cells.

• East Asian mathematical journal
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.233-240
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• 2005

Let $CS^{\alpha}(\beta)$ denote the class of normalized strongly $\alpha$-logarithmic close-to-convex functions of order $\beta$, defined in the open unit disk $\mathbb{U}$ by $$\|arg\{\(\frac{f(z)}{g(z)}\)^{1-\alpha}\(\frac{zf'(z)}{g(z)\)^{\alpha}\}\|\leq\frac{\pi}{2}\beta,\;(\alpha,\beta\geq0)$$ where $g{\in}S^*$ the class of normalized starlike functions. In this paper, we prove sharp $Fekete-Szeg\"{o}$ inequalities for functions $f{\in}CS^{\alpha}(\beta)$.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.867-872
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• 1994

Progesterone catabolizing enzyme, the enzyme $20{\alpha}$-hydroxysteroid dehydrgenase($20{\alpha}$-HSD) is pivotal in the regulation of ovarian function in rodents, which catabolizes progesterone into biologically inactive $20{\alpha}$-hydroxypregn-4-en-3-one($20{\alpha}$-OHP). In this study was carried out the influence of $20{\alpha}$-HSD activity of ovarian function, we investigated changes in ovarian cytosol $20{\alpha}$-HSD activity and serume progesterone concentration during the estrous cycles and pregnancy in rat. During the estrous cycles, the $20{\alpha}$-HSD activities were highest on the progestrous, but serum progesterone concentration was lowest on this phase. During the pregnancy, the $20{\alpha}$-HSD activities were relatively higher early pregnancy(day-1-3 gestation) and late pregnancy(day 21 to parturition), serum progesterone concentration was maintained significantly high to day 19 of gestation. The $20{\alpha}$-HSD activities were lower during the middle pregnancy. From these results, ovarian $20{\alpha}$-HSD activities may possibly act as physiologically very important in the control and maintenance of estrous cycles in rat.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.163-167
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• 2010

[ $\alpha$ ]Glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.20) is a glycosidase that hydrolyzes disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides resulting in the release of α-D-glucose. In this study, $\alpha$-glucosidase activity in the hemolymph and midgut of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori and Japanese oak silkmoth Antheraea yamamai was measured using maltose, sucrose, trehalose, and p-nitrophenyl $\alpha$-D-glucopyranoside as substrates. In general, hemolymph $\alpha$-glucosidase activity was higher in B. mori than in A. yamamai. In contrast, midgut $\alpha$-glucosidase activity was higher in A. yamamai than in B. mori for all of the substrates tested. $\alpha$-Glucosidase activity in the midgut of both B. mori and A. yamamai showed similar responses to changes in pH and temperature for all of the substrates tested. Native (7.5%) PAGE of hemolymph and midgut proteins from B. mori and A. yamamai followed by staining with 4-methylumbelliferyl $\alpha$-D-glucoside (MUG) indicated that the $\alpha$-glucosidases of these related lepidopterans are functionally similar but structurally different. In comparison to $\alpha$-glucosidase activity from A. yamamai, $\alpha$-glucosidase activity from B. mori was generally less sensitive to the $\alpha$-glucosidase inhibitors, 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), acarbose, and voglibose when the activity was determined using maltose, sucrose, and trehalose.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.97-100
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• 2000

Acid-catalyzed porphyrin formation from meso-aryltripyrromethanes and $25-bis({\alpha}$, - hydroxyl - $\alpha$ -phenyl) methylfuran is studied. The condensation resulted in selective scrambling of tripyrromethanes when the condensation was carried out with catalytic amounts of $BF_3$ in methylene chloride. But the reaction carried out with p-TsOH or $BEt_3$ catalysts in the presence of $NH_4Cl$ in acetonitrile, single porphyrin product was isolated without scrambling of starting tripyrromethane. The yields of porphyrin in these studies were somewhat lower than those of 2+2 condensations or aldehyde-pyrrole condensations.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.618-622
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• 2000

The '3+1'type condensation of 16-thiatripyrromethane with $N-alkyl-24-bis[(\alpha+hydroxy-\alpha-phenyl)methyl]pvrole$, in the presence of acid catalyst afforded core-modified, N-confused porphyrins bearing alkyl groups at the rim nitrogen. The proton NMR spectra indicate that the bulkiness of the N-alkyl substituents is somewhat relatedwith the tiltedness of the inverted pyrrole ring. The changes in chemical shift of inner methine protons depending on the N-alkyl group and protonation site is discussed.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 1990

-4,9-dione derivatives were prepared from $2-chloro-3-({\alpha}-accetyl-{\alpha}-ethoxycarbonyl-methyl)-1,4-naphthoquinone$ and 2-chloro-3-N-phenylamino-1,4-naphthoquinone. $2-Chloro-3-({\alpha}-acetyl-{\alpha}-ethoxycarbonyl-methyl)-1,4-naphthoquinone$ was reacted with amines to give $2-amino-3-({\alpha}-acetyl-{\alpha}-ethoxycarbonyl-methyl)-1,4-naphthoquinone$ derivatives. Subsequent treatment of $2-amino-3-({\alpha}-acetyl-{\alpha}-ethoxycarbonyl-methyl)-1,4-naphthoquinone$ with sodium ethoxide gave -4,9-dione derivatives. When 2-chloro-3-N-phenylamino-1,4-naphthoquinone reacted with sodium ${\alpha}-cyano$ ethyl acetate, 2-amino-3-ethoxycarbonyl-N-phenyl--4,9-dione was obtained. However, with sodium diethyl malonate, not -4,9-dione but 2-chloro-3-bis-(methoxycarbonyl)-methyl-2H-3-N-phenylamino-1,4-naphthoquinone was obtained.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.101-107
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• 2002

The essential oils isolated from leaves, flowers, stems, and fruits of Vitex rotundifolia by steam distillation and extraction (SDE) method were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 76 components detected by GC, 42 components were identified positively by GC-MS and GC co-injection with authentic standards, and 34 components were identified tentatively by mass spectral data only. They included 16 monoterpene hydrocarbons, 30 oxygenated hydrocarbons, 10 sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, 8 oxygenated sesquiterpenes, 3 diterpenes, and 9 miscellaneous components. The major components in the oil from the leaves were ${\alpha}-pinene$ (30.25%), 1,8-cineole (19.89%), sabinene (9.56%), ${\alpha}-terpineol$ (7.94%), ${\beta}-pinene$ (5.69%), and terpinen-4-ol (2.37%), and those in the flower oil were ${\alpha}-pinene$ (25.47%), 1,8-cineole (7.69%), manoyl oxide (6.21%), ${\beta}-pinene$ (4.20%), ${\alpha}-te.pineol$ (3.76%), and sabinene (2.78%). The major components in the oil from the stems were ${\alpha}-pinene$ (13.24%), ${\alpha}-terpineol$ (10.64%), 1,8-cineole (4.40%), manoyl oxide (4.02%), ${\beta}-pinene$ (2.39%), and terpinen-4-ol (2.21%) while those in the oil from the fruits were ${\alpha}-pinene$ (20.24%), 1,8-cineole (11.47%), ${\beta}P-pinene$ (9.79%), ${\alpha}-terpineol$ (7.08%), sabinene (3.68%), and limonene (2.77%). The percentage composition of monoterpenes in the oils from the leaves and the fruits were higher than in those from the flowers and the stems, whereas the oil from the flowers and the stems were characterized by a large content of sesquiterpenes, diterpenes and other unknown high molecular weight components.