• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.264-270
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• 2017

Brassinosteroid (BR), a plant steroid hormone, plays a critical role in the growth and developmental processes through its canonical signaling and crosstalk with various internal and external signaling pathways. Recent studies have revealed the essential interplay mechanisms between BR and ABA during seed germination and early seedling establishment. However, molecular mechanisms for this important signaling crosstalk are largely unknown. To understand the crosstalk between BR-mediated signaling pathways and ABA functions during early seedling development, we carried out a comparative genome-wide transcriptome analysis with an Agilent Arabidopsis $4{\times}44K$ oligo chip. We selected and compared the expression patterns of ABA response genes in ABA-insensitive bes1-D mutant with wild type seedlings on which ABA was exogenously applied. As a result, we identified 2,353 significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in ABA-treated bes1-D and wild type seedlings. GO enrichment analysis revealed that ABA signaling, response, and metabolism were critically down-regulated by BR-activated signaling pathways. In addition, the genome-wide transcriptome analysis data revealed that BR-regulated signaling pathways were tightly connected to diverse signal cues including abiotic/biotic stress, auxin, ROS etc. In this study, we newly identified the molecular mechanisms of BR-mediated repression of ABA signaling outputs. Also, our data suggest that interplay among diverse signaling pathways is critical for the adaptive response of the plant to various environmental factors.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.1019-1024
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• 2013

The aims of this study were to determine antioxidation effect and neuroblastoma cell protection effect of donkey's bone and skin extracts (DBSE). DBSE was extracted by a pressure-cooker for 48 h and lyophilized. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity was significantly increased with increased doses of DBSE and 40 mg/ml of DBSE showed 95.43% of the DPPH scavenging effect, which was equivalent to 1 mg/ml of vitamin C. The 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6- sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity was also increased in a dose-dependent manner, and 20 mg/ml of DBSE showed 88.73% of the ABTS scavenging effect. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (${\mu}M$ Trolox equivalent) of DBSE was significantly increased at a concentration of 10 mg/ml, which showed $132.53{\mu}M$ TE. The viability of oxidatively stressed brain cells induced by $500{\mu}M\;H_2O_2$ was protected by DBSE at concentrations greater than $50{\mu}M$. Cell viability after DBSE treatment at 50 and $100{\mu}g/ml$ was 53.78 and $54.34{\mu}M$ TE, respectively. There was no significant difference between both doses; however, 200 and $500{\mu}g/ml$ of DBSE showed 59.74 and 66.08% of cell viability, respectively indicating that DBSE protected SK-N-SH from oxidation stress. These results suggest that DBSE may have potential to be used as natural antioxidants in food industry, while in vivo evidence is necessary to support DBSE's in vitro-based antioxidative efficiency.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.1296-1302
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• 2005

Laminariae Thallus has been known to be effective for the treatment of obesity. Te show the effectiveness of Laminariae Thallus in a more scientific way, Laminariae Thallus extract was prepared and evaluated in high fat diet rats by measuring the changes of body weight and lipid metabolism as described briefly below. 200 g of crushed Laminariae Thallus was extracted with methyl alcohol. The extract was evaporated under reduced pressure to give 14.4g. For 10 weeks, control group rat were ingested high fat diet, while the test group rat were fed with a fat diet pius Laminariae Thallus extract. Normal group was fed with normal diet. 150 mg of Laminariae Thallus extract per 1 kg of body weight was added to the diet in a test group rats. Control group rats on a high fat diet gained weight significantly, whereas the test group rats on a high fat diet plus Laminariae Thallus extract gained weight less. Significant increase of liver weight caused in a high fat diet was also inhibited by the Laminariae Thallus extract treatment. Total lipid, triglyceride, phospholipid and total cholesterol levels of serum in the high fat diet rats were remarkably increased, whereas their levels on a high fat diet plus Laminariae Thallus extract were less increased. While serum HDL-cholesterol levels was remarkably decreased in a high fat diet, its level was less decreased in a high fat diet plus Laminariae Thallus extract. Furthermore, we observed that the activities of hepatic acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthetase increased in a high fat diet, while their activities in a high fat diet plus Laminariae Thallus extract were getting back nearly to the normal levels of normal diet rats. These result showed that the obesity caused by a high fat diet was effectively inhibited by a Laminariae Thallus extract. Our results also showed that the abnormal lipid metabolism caused by a high fat diet was effectively cured by adding Laminariae Thallus extract.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.387-391
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• 2007

Recently, much attention has been paid to developing various kinds of fermented herbal extracts, a new type of traditional herbal medicine, in the field of Korean traditional medicine. The fermentation of medicinal herbs is intended to exert a favorable influence on digestability, bioavailavility and pharmacological activity of herbal extract in the gastrointestinal tract. It also produces a number of fermentation products that intensify the nutritional and pharmacological aspects of the medicinal herbs. In order to develop a functional beverage of alleviating the aftereffects of the previous drinks, the extracts (HP-1) of fermented herbal mixture, including Artemisia capillaris Thunb., Lonicera japonica Thunberg, and Hovenia dulcis Thunb., were prepared and the medicinal effect as a hangover cure was evaluated in ethanol-loaded rats. The enzyme activities of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) were analyzed by measuring the concentration of blood ethanol and acetaldehyde. The mRNA expression of ADH and ALDH2 was also investigated through RT-PCR analysis. In the HP-1-treated group, the concentration of blood ethanol was significantly reduced at one hour after loading of ethanol, as compared to that in the saline-treated group. The reduced ethanol was converted to acetaldehyde, which resulted in rapid increase in acetaldehyde concentration in an hour. Acetaldehyde was started to decrease at 5 hours after ethanol loading. It implies that HP-1 is highly effective to stimulate the activities of ADH and ALDH2. The HP-1 treatment also activated the mRNA expression of ADH and ALDH. This study suggests that fermented herbal extract, HP-1 can be used as a functional beverage of alleviating the alcohol-induced hangover symptoms by stimulating the activities and gene expression of hepatic alcohol metabolizing enzymes.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.110-117
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• 1986

In southeastern sea of Korea, ammonium excretion rates of mixed macrozooplankton population ranged from 0.90 to 2.32$\mu\textrm{g}$ atoms NH$\_$4/-Nm$\^$-3/h$\^$-1/ and zooplankton excretion contributed from 3 to 15% of total nitrogen requirement by phytoplankton. Wet weight specific ex cretion rate was averaged to be 3.45$\mu\textrm{g}$ atoms NH$\_$4/-Ng$\^$-1/wet weight h$\^$-1/. Zooplankton biomass in wet weight and protein tended to increase to ward outer outer shelf. GDH assay of macrozooplankton demonstrated a typical Michaelis-Mentenkinetics with 5.1mM of half saturation constant(Km). Protein specific GDH activity in the present study ranged from 1.5 to 3.2$\mu\textrm{g}$ atoms NH $\_$4/-N mg$\^$-1/protein h$\^$-1/. Higher protein specific GDH activity in the outer shelf implies that zooplankters in the outer shelf were more active in nitrogen metabolism grazing higher primary production in the outer shelf. In the present study, averaged GDH/excretion ratio was 18.8${\pm}$2.6(n=6)showing high correlation between zooplankton GDH activity and direct ammonium excretion rate by zooplankton. GDH assay can be extremely useful in the future study for the ammonium regeneration by different size zooplankton fraction in various marine environments.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.164-170
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• 1998

In this study a commercial fermented milk produced in Korea and a Lactobacillus strain used for the product (L. casei) were found to affect mold growth and inhibit aflatoxin production by Aspergillus parasiticus ATCC 15517. Aflatoxins were determined using an HPLC system that consisted of a $C_{18}$ column and a fluorescence detector. When the fermented milk was added to the yeast-extract broth the levels of aflatoxin $B_{1}\;and\;G_{1}$ significantly decreased by 48.6~58.1% and 29.8~34.2%, respectively (p$B_{1}\;and\;G_{1}$ were found in comparison with the control (monoculture). L. casei was found to be very inhibitory to the growth of A. parasiticus for 5 days, but no significant difference of mycelial weight was observed between the mixed culture and control at the end of incubation. The pH values of the culture broth in mixed culture were observed to be significantly lower than those in monoculture (p

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.326-332
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• 2013

Geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB) are volatile organic compounds responsible for the majority of unpleasant taste and odor events in drinking water. Geosmin and 2-MIB are byproducts of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) with musty and earthy odors. These compounds have odor threshold concentration at ng/L levels. It is needed to develop a sensitive method for determination of geosmin and 2-MIB to control the quality of drinking water. In this study, geosmin and 2-MIB in water samples were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SMPE). The detection limits of this method were 1.072 ng/L and 1.021 ng/L for geosmin and 2-MIB, respectively. Good accuracy and precision was also obtained by this method. Concentrations of the two compounds were measured in raw waters from Nakdong River in the cyanobacterial blooming season. Water bloom formed by cyanobacteria has been occurred currently in Nakdong River. It is needed to investigate the concentrations of geosmin and 2-MIB to control the quality of drinking water from Nakdong River. Both geosmin and 2-MIB were detected in raw waters from Nakdong River at concentrations ranging from 4 to 24 ng/L and 6 to 16 ng/L, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.337-344
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• 1999

This study was carried out to investigate the influence of spa sewage on water quality and chemical contents in the paddy soil along stream from 1997 to 1998. Concentration of $PO_4, SO_4, Cl, NH_{4}, Ca, Na$ and COD in the spa sewage were lower than standard for agricultural usage, and were lowered as the sewage flew to the into stream. The concentration of $SO_4$in spa sewage was over the criteria for agricultural usage in the inlet, but was lower than criteria for agricultural usage by inlet of non polluted stream water. Concentration of pollutants in the sediment of water channel were the highest in the inlet site. There were no pollutants accumulation in the paddy soil where spa sewage was irrigated. It may be resulted from nutrients uptake of rice plant and self purification of paddy soil. On the while, considering electric conductivity and nitrate in spa sewage, this results suggest that long-term irrigation of the spa sewage may be required general management with some decreasing fertilization.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.40-48
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• 2010

This study was carried out to investigate the physicochemical and functional properties of Yacon (Polymnia Sonchifolia) powder. The proximate composition of Yacon powder as a dry matter basis was 3.53% moisture content, 1.13% crude protein, 0.40% crude fat, 0.79% crude ash, 1.63% dietary fiber and 92.52% carbohydrate. The major free sugars were identified as fructose and glucose. Analysing total amino acids, 18 kinds of components were isolated from Yacon powder. The essential amino acid contained in Yacon powder accounted for 28.40% of total amino acid, while the non-essential amino acid accounted for 73.61%. Analysing total fatty acids, only 2 kinds - palmitic acid and lauric acid - were detected. Oxalic acid was the major organic acid. The contents of vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E were 0.057 mg%, 0.670 mg% and 0.001 mg%, respectively. The mineral contents of Yacon powder were in the order of Zn

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.361-365
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• 2001

The effects of purine catabolites in growth media on the biosynthesis of Serratia marcescens and Lactobacillus plantarum purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) activity were examined. Serratia PNP activity was decreased approximately by 30% in the presence of high concentrations of inosine $(5{\sim}15\;mM)$, but was not affected at low concentrations of inosine $(0.1{\sim}1\;mM)$. However, Lactobacillus PNP activity was increased above 60% by inosine among the range from 5 to 15 mM. Serratia PNP activity was decreased approximately by 45% in the presence of high concentrations of hypoxanthine $(5{\sim}15\;mM)$, but was not affected at low concentrations of hypoxanthine $(0.1{\sim}0.5\;mM)$. Lactobacillus PNP activity was increased approximately by 20% in the presence of low concentrations of hypoxanthine $(0.1{\sim}0.5\;mM)$, and increased approximately by $50{\sim}65%$ in the presence of concentrations of hypoxanthine $(1{\sim}15\;mM)$. Serratia and Lactobacillus PNP activity was increased 20% by low concentrations of uric acid (0.5 mM), but was decreased $40{\sim}80%$ at high concentrations of same purine catabolite $(10{\sim}15\;mM)$. These data suggest that purine nucleoside phosphorylase in Serratia marcescens ATCC 25419 and Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 8014 is positively regulated by a low uric acid concentration, and then may play a regulatory role in a purine nucleotide catabolic pathway.