• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 2007.12a
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• pp.57-58
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• 2007

Purpose: Ginseng is a well-known medical plant used in traditional Oriental medicine. Korean red ginseng (KRG) has been known to have potent biological activities such as radical scavenging, vasodilating, anti-tumor and anti-diabetic activities. However, the mechanism of the beneficial effects of KRG on diabetes is yet to be elucidated. The present study was designed to investigate the anti-diabetic effect and mechanism of KRG extract in C57BL/KsJ db/db mice. Methods: The db/db mice were randomly divided into six groups: diabetic control group (DC), red ginseng extract low dose group (RGL, 100 mg/kg), red ginseng extract high dose group (RGH, 200 mg/kg), metformin group (MET, 300 mg/kg), glipizide group (GPZ, 15 mg/kg) and pioglitazone group (PIO, 30 mg/kg), and treated with drugs once per day for 10 weeks. During the experiment, body weight and blood glucose levels were measured once every week. At the end of treatment, we measured Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood glucose, insulin, triglyceride (TG), adiponectin, leptin, non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA). Morphological analyses of liver, pancreas and white adipose tissue were done by histological observation through hematoxylin-eosin staining. Pancreatic islet insulin and glucagon levels were detected by double-immunofluorescence staining. To elucidate an action of mechanism of KRG, DNA microarray analyses were performed, and western blot and RT-PCR were conducted for validation. Results: Compared to the DC group mice, body weight gain of PIO treated group mice showed 15.2% increase, but the other group mice did not showed significant differences. Compared to the DC group, fasting blood glucose levels were decreased by 19.8% in RGL, 18.3% in RGH, 67.7% in MET, 52.3% in GPZ, 56.9% in PIO-treated group. With decreased plasma glucose levels, the insulin resistance index of the RGL-treated group was reduced by 27.7% compared to the DC group. Insulin resistance values for positive drugs were all markedly decreased by 80.8%, 41.1% and 68.9%, compared to that of DC group. HbA1c levels in RGL, RGH, MET, GPZ and PIO-treated groups were also decreased by 11.0%, 6.4%, 18.9%, 16.1% and 27.9% compared to that of DC group, and these figure revealed a similar trend shown in plasma glucose levels. Plasma TG and NEFA levels were decreased by 18.8% and 16.8%, respectively, and plasma adiponectin and leptin levels were increased by 20.6% and 12.1%, respectively, in the RGL-treated group compared to those in DC group. Histological analysis of the liver of mice treated with KRG revealed a significantly decreased number of lipid droplets compared to the DC group. The control mice exhibited definitive loss and degeneration of islet, whereas mice treated with KRG preserved islet architecture. Compared to the DC group mice, KRG resulted in significant reduction of adipocytes. From the pancreatic islet double-immunofluorescence staining, we observed KRG has increased insulin production, but decreased glucagon production. KRG treatment resulted in stimulation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation in the db/db mice liver. To elucidate mechanism of action of KRG extract, microarray analysis was conducted in the liver tissue of mice treated with KRG extract, and results suggest that red ginseng affects on hepatic expression of genes responsible for glycolysis, gluconeogenesis and fatty acid oxidation. In summary, multiple administration of KRG showed the hypoglycemic activity and improved glucose tolerance. In addition, KRG increased glucose utilization and improved insulin sensitivity through inhibition of lipogenesis and activation of fatty acid $\beta$-oxidation in the liver tissue. In view of our present data, we may suggest that KRG could provide a solid basis for the development of new anti-diabetic drug.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.1672-1679
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• 2012

The effect of high stocking density (HSD) on the expression of stress and lipid metabolism associated genes in the liver of broiler chickens was examined by chicken genome array analysis. The chickens in a control group were randomly assigned to a $495cm^2/bird$ stocking density, whereas the chickens in a HSD group were arranged in a $245cm^2/bird$ stocking density with feeding ad libitum for 35 days. The chickens assigned to the HSD group had a significantly lower body weight, weight gain, and feed intake compared with those of the control group (p<0.05). The mortality of chickens was higher in the HSD group than in the control group. The microarray analysis indicated up-regulation of stress associated genes such as HMGCR, $HSP90{\alpha}$, HSPA5 (GRP78/Bip), DNAJC3 and ATF4, and down-regulation of interferon-${\gamma}$ and PDCD4 genes. The endoplasmic reticulum stress associated genes, HSPA5 (GRP78/Bip), DNAJC3 and ATF4, were highly expressed in the HSD group. The genes, ACSL5, TMEM195 and ELOVL6, involved in fatty acid synthesis, were elevated in the HSD group. The genes, ACAA1, ACOX1, EHHADH, LOC423347 and CPT1A, related to fatty acid oxidation, were also activated in the HSD group. These results suggest that a HSD rearing system stimulates the genes associated with fatty acid synthesis as well as fatty acid oxidation in the liver of broiler chickens.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.342-351
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• 2010

The SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites were fabricated by combining 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 vol. % of zirconium diboride ($ZrB_2$) powders with silicon carbide (SiC) matrix. The SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites and the sintered compacts were produced through spark plasma sintering (SPS) under argon atmosphere, and its physical, electrical, and mechanical properties were examined. Also, the thermal image analysis of the SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites was examined. Reactions between $\beta$-SiC and $ZrB_2$ were not observed via x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The apparent porosity of the SiC+30vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+35vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+40vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+45vol.%$ZrB_2$ and SiC+50vol.%$ZrB_2$ composites were 7.2546, 0.8920, 0.6038, 1.0981, and 10.0108%, respectively. The XRD phase analysis of the sintered compacts demonstrated a high phase of SiC and $ZrB_2$. Among the $SiC+ZrB_2$ composites, the SiC+50vol.%$ZrB_2$ composite had the lowest flexural strength, 290.54MPa, the other composites had more than 980MPa flexural strength except the SiC+30vol.%$ZrB_2$ composite; the SiC+40vol.%$ZrB_2$ composite had the highest flexural strength, 1011.34MPa, at room temperature. The electrical properties of the SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites had positive temperature coefficient resistance (PTCR). The V-I characteristics of the SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites had a linear shape in the temperature range from room to $500^{\circ}C$. The electrical resistivities of the SiC+30vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+35vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+40vol.%$ZrB_2$ SiC+45vol.%$ZrB_2$ and SiC+50vol.%$ZrB_2$ composites were $4.573\times10^{-3}$, $1.554\times10^{-3}$, $9.365\times10^{-4}$, $6.999\times10^{-4}$, and $6.069\times10^{-4}\Omega{\cdot}cm$, respectively, at room temperature, and their resistance temperature coefficients were $1.896\times10^{-3}$, $3.064\times10^{-3}$, $3.169\times10^{-3}$, $3.097\times10^{-3}$, and $3.418\times10^{-3}/^{\circ}C$ in the temperature range from room to $500^{\circ}C$, respectively. Therefore, it is considered that among the sintered compacts the SiC+35vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+40vol.%$ZrB_2$ and SiC+45vol.%$ZrB_2$ composites containing the most outstanding mechanical properties as well as PTCR and V-I characteristics can be used as an energy friendly ceramic heater or ohmic-contact electrode material through SPS.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.65-77
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• 1986

To elucidate the effect of exercise on blood concentrations of ethanol, lactate and glucose in men who show facial flush after ethanol ingestion, 59 healthy male college students were studied. After 6 or more hours of fasting, the subjects were administered 3 ml of 25% ethanol solution(Soju) per liter of total body water. For control experiment Soju was replaced with the same dose of water. Exercise performed was vertical jumping on a rebounder for 3 min immediately after drinking. The subjects were classified into 6 groups: water ingestion(W), flushed (F) and non-flushed (N) groups after ethanol ingestion, water ingestion and exercise(WE), flushed(FE) and non-flushed (NE) groups after ethanol ingestion and exercise. Blood ethanol concentration in the exercise groups(NE, FE) was lower until 60 min after drinking than that in the non-exercise groups(N,F). Factor k representing the rate of ethanol absorption was markedly lower in the exercise groups than in the non-exercise groups. The flushed groups(F,FE) showed higher blood ethanol level than the non-flushed groups (N,NE) from 30 to 120 min after drinking. Blood lactate concentration in WE group was elevated immediately after exercise and returned to the resting level at 60 min after exercise. Ethanol increased blood lactate level from 30 to 120 min after ethanol drinking, Exercise after ethanol ingestion produced a sharp increase and then drop in blood lactate level which was stilled significantly higher than the resting level all the way through 120 min. Blood glucose concentration was decreased at 15 min after exercise. Ethanol-administered groups except F group showed a steady decrease in blood glucose level from 30 through 120 min. Heart rate was elevated by ethanol only in the flushed groups. Heart rate in F group was significantly increased at 4 min after ethanol and was maintained at high level until 120 min. In WE and NE groups, heart rate was significantly increased immediately after exercise and returned to the resting level at 60 min. The FE group, however, showed a consistently elevated heart rate throughout the 120-min experimental period. Taken together, the exercise alone produced a delayed ethanol absorption, a prompt increase in heart rate and blood lactate level and a decrease in blood glucose level early in the recovery period from exercise. After ethanol administration, blood lactate was elevated and blood glucose was lowered from 30 to 120 min. Flushed subjects showed rapid increase in heart rate after ethanol drinking and higher blood ethanol level than non-flushed ones from 30 to 120 min after drinking.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.388-397
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• 1999

Purpose: Propranolol is known to decrease portal pressure by reducing blood flow of portal vein. Perrectal portal scintigraphy with Tc-99m pertechnetate has been introduced to evaluate the portal circulation and early diagnosis of liver cirrhosis. We evaluated the effects of propranolol on portal circulation by using per-rectal portal scintigraphy. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the portal hemodynamics by per-rectal portal scintigraphy in 51 patients with liver cirrhosis, 10 chronic hepatitis and 10 normal subjects. 38 patients with cirrhosis underwent per-rectal portal scintigraphy before and after propranolol medication. Perrectal portal scintigraphy was performed after per-rectal administration of 370 MBq of Tc-99m pertechnetate. The shunt index was calculated as the ratio, expressed as a percentage of heart radioactivity to the sum of heart and liver radioactivity during the first 30 seconds. Results: The shunt index in 40 patients with cirrhosis ($59.8{\pm}27.2%$) was significantly higher than that of normal control ($5.0{\pm}1.2%$. p<0.01) and chronic hepatitis ($11.4{\pm}3.5%$, p<0.01). Shunt index was significantly different according to Child's classification and the degree of esophageal varix (p<0.01). After propranolol medication, shunt index was significantly decreased from $59.9{\pm}27.3%$ to $51.3{\pm}15.3%$ (p<0.01) in 38 patients with liver cirrhosis. There was no significant difference of the amount of shunt index reduction after propranolol according to Childs' classification and the degree of esophgageal varix. Conclusion : The effect of propranolol on portal circulation was demonstrated as decreasing shunt index on per-rectal portal scintigraphy in patients with liver cirrhosis. Per-rectal portal scintigraphy may be useful to evaluate the portal circulation and to predict the effect of propranolol in patients with liver cirrhosis.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.204-209
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate the anti-diabetic activity of Kocat-D1, which is widely used in traditional medicine to treat diabetes in Shandong, China. Sprague Dawley rats (8 weeks of age) were separated into 4 groups: a normal control, streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat group (DM control), Kocat-D1-1 (diabetic rat treated with 0.25 g/kg/day hot water extract), and Kocat-D1-2 (diabetic rat treated with 1 g/kg/day hot water extract). After eight weeks of treatment, the fasting blood glucose levels of the Kocat-D1-1 ($334.3{\pm}32.9\;mg/dL$) and Kocat-D1-2 group ($259.5{\pm}35.0\;mg/dL$) were significantly lower when compared to the DM control group ($451{\pm}42.6\;mg/dL$). Furthermore, the levels of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), albumin and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in the serum of the Kocat-D1-2 group were significantly normalized when compared to the DM control group. However, significant differences were not observed between the Kocat-D1-1 group and the DM control group. Histochemical staining of the liver of the Kocat-D1-2 group revealed no fat accumulation. The insulin level was significantly upregulated in the Kocat-D1-2 group ($0.13{\pm}0.02\;ng/mL$) when compared to the DM control group ($0.05{\pm}0.04\;ng/mL$). The relative volume of $\beta$-cells in the pancreas of the Kocat-D1-2 group ($49.4{\pm}4.2%$) also increased significantly when compared to the DM control group ($12.9{\pm}7.9%$). These results suggest that Kocat-D1 exerts an anti-hyperglycemic effect through the enhancement of insulin secretion.

• Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.630-634
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• 2009

"Hyedang", a new covered cultivar derived from the crosses between "Suwon300" and "Haganemugi//CI08397/Haganemugi" developed at the Honam Agricultural Research Institute (HARI), NICS, RDA in 2007. The origin of "Hyedang" is "Iksan 407" (SB951033-B-B-B-72). The initial cross was made in 1995 and the selected line showed a high yield and good quality characteristics under yield trial test in 2004. "Iksan407" consistently performed well for three years (2005-2007) from the four locations of regional yield trial (RYT) in Korea and released as "Hyedang". The characteristics of "Hyedang" were the following: rate III growth habit, green leaf and stem, compact spike and with long rough awns. The heading date was April 25 in upland and April 17 in paddy field, which was 2 and 3 days earlier than that of check cultivar, "Olbori". The culm length was 80 cm which was 8 cm shorter than those of check cultivar. It showed spike length of 4.3 cm and 696 spikes per $m^2$, 51 grains per spike, 35.0 g of 1,000 grain weight and 704 g of test weight. It showed stronger winter hardiness and higher resistance to barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV) than those with check cultivar. It showed similar protein content and higher whiteness than those of the check cultivar and diastatic power was higher than that of Olbori. The average yield of the pearled grain in the RYT was $4.17ton\;ha^{-1}$ in upland and $4.27ton\;ha^{-1}$ in paddy field, which was 23% and 9% higher than that of the check cultivar, respectively. This cultivar would be suitable for the area above the daily minimum mean temperature of $-8^{\circ}C$ in January in Korean peninsula.

• Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.420-427
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• 2017

'Pungwonmi', a new sweetpotato variety, was developed for table use by Bioenergy Crop Research Institute, National Institute of Crop Science (NICS), RDA in 2014. This variety was derived from the cross between 'Benisatsuma' and 'Luby3074' in 2006. The seedling and line selections were performed from 2007 to 2009, and preliminary and advanced yield trials were carried out from 2010 to 2011. The regional yield trials were conducted at five locations from 2012 to 2014, and it was named as 'Pungwonmi'. This variety has cordate leaf shape, and its leaves, stems, nodes, and petioles are green. Storage root of 'Pungwonmi' has an elliptical shape, red skin, and light orange flesh. 'Pungwonmi' was moderately resistant to fusarium wilt, and resistant to root-knot nematode. Dry matter content was 31.2%, and texture of steamed storage root was intermediate. Total sugar content of raw and steamed storage roots of 'Pungwonmi' was higher than that of 'Yulmi'. ${\beta}$-carotene content of 'Pungwonmi' was 9.1 mg/100g DW. Yield of marketable storage root over 50 g of 'Pungwonmi' was 24.3 MT/ha under the early season culture, which was 46% higher than that of 'Yulmi'. The number of marketable storage roots per plant was 2.8 and the average weight of marketable storage root was 156 g under the optimal and late season culture. Marketable storage root yield of 'Pungwonmi' was 24.1 MT/ha under the optimum and late season culture, which was 26% higher than that of 'Yulmi'. (Registration No. 6428).

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.400-408
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• 2018

Biodiversity has continued to degrade in the $21^{st}$ century due to global warming occasioned by destruction of the environment around the world.. The Nagoya protocol places Korea in a unique position to effectively develop and protect its domestic genetic resources. Microalgae under study in this research contains large amount of antioxidant substances such as beta carotene and astaxanthin, that can be used as biological resource owing to the large amounts of biomass that can be secured through photosynthesis. However, it is difficult to preserve it since cryopreservation method used for long-term preservation is yet to be developed. A basic study for long term cryopreservation was carried out on Nizschia frustulum and Nitzschia amabilis which belong to marine diatoms. As cryoprotectants (CPAs), glycerol, DMSO, and methanol which penetrate into cells were prepared at 5%, 10%, and 15% concentrations each, in case of methanol, it was tested at concentrations of 5%, 10% and 12% by its nature. Two kinds of microalgae, N. frustulum and N. amabilis, were diluted with $10^2$, $10^3$ and $10^4cells\;ml^{-1}$, respectively. The highest survival rate was shown at12% concentration of methanol, and the figures were $6.94{\pm}0.31%$ in N. frustulum and $8.85{\pm}0.16%$ in N. amabilis. As a result of 3 weeks cultivation of thawed microalgae after freezing, the result is shows that N. frustulum increased about 10 times faster and N. amabilis increased about 12 times the original concentration.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.375-381
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• 2018

The consumption of oats (Avena sativa L.) with high nutritional utility is accelerating due to the increased consumers' demand for functional foods. In Korea, naked oats are used as food, while covered oats are used for animal feed. However, it is difficult to distinguish naked oats from covered oats when the husk is removed from the grains by a special process. The present study was carried out to investigate experimental methods that would be beneficial in the segregation of different types of oats after husk removal. Grain quality-related biochemical compounds were analyzed in a bid to differentiate the oat dehulling characteristics. In addition, 61 SSR markers were examined for genetic relationship and variety identification of oats using five naked and seven covered oat varieties. Results showed that, the contents of protein, lipid, and ${\beta}-glucan$ were not significantly different among the oat varieties and this could not be used as an index for distinguishing oats husk character. However, in the fatty acid composition ratio,, naked oats had a higher ratio of stearic acid (C18:0) and oleic acid (C18:1) than covered oats, and covered oats had a higher ratio of linoleic acid (C18:2) and linoleic acid (C18:3) than naked oats. The assessment of SSR marker genotype revealed that 33 polymorphic bands among 12 oat varieties and 1 variety could be distinguished through the combination of polymorphic markers thus indicating the usability of these markers for variety identification in oats.