• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.81-93
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• 1979

Metabolic changes of early mouse embryos treated with progesterone were investigated in order to elucidate the mode of action of progesterone on embryogenesis in vitro. The embryos were cultured, and labelled with radioactive precursors of macromolecules for certain periods in the absence or presence of various concentrations of progesterone by employing the microtube culture technique. The changes of transport and macromolecular synthesis systems of the embryos were examined by measuring the amounts of uptake and incorporation of the precursors. The results obtained were as follows: 1. Progesterone stimulated markedly the uptake of amino acids, but rather suppressed their incorporation by embryonic cells. 2. Progesterone suppressed both the uptake and incorporation of nucleotide precursors (uridine and thymidine) by embryonic cells. 3. Progesterone penetrated into the embryonic cell membranes and was taken up by them. The present results seem to indicate that the inhibition of the progesterone on the mammalian embryogenesis in vitro may not be directly related to the membrane transport system. They seem to imply that progesterone would penetrate into the embryonic cells and may directly block the biosynethetic pathways of macromolecules, and so lead to the inhibition of the embryogenesis in vitro.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.11
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• pp.1528-1534
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• 2009

This study was designed to evaluate the anti-obesity and hypoglycemic effects of Gugija (Lycium chinense Mill) extracts in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We investigated the $\alpha$-amylase and $\alpha$-glucosidase inhibitory activities of extracts from Gugija. Gugija was extracted by 70% EtOH and 80% MeOH and aqueous, respectively. A single oral dose of Gugija extract inhibited the increase of blood glucose levels significantly at 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min and decreased incremental response areas under the glycemic response curve. These results suggest that Gugija 70% EtOH extracts may delay carbohydrate digestion and reduce postprandial hyperglycemia. In addition, triglyceride content in 3T3-L1 adipocytes decreased at higher concentrations of Gugija 70% EtOH extract. Free fatty acid content in 3T3-L1 adipocytes was increased at higher concentrations of Gugija 70% EtOH extract. Also, glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4), the key insulin signaling pathway transcription factor, was remarkably increased by the Gugija 70% EtOH extract when compared to those of control cells in protein expression levels. Therefore, Gugija can be developed as an effective anti-obesity and hypoglycemic agent.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.271-278
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• 1994

Mode of safening action of N-(4-chlorophenyl)maleimide (CPMI) on metolachlor [2-chloro-N-(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)-N-(2-methoxy-l-methylethyl) acetamide] was investigated in sorghum(Sorghum bicolor L.). CPMI was synthesized by dehydration of N-(4-chlorophenyl)maleamic acid (CPMA) which was obtained from amination with maleic anhydride and 4-chloroaniline. Melting points of CPMA and CPMI (>95% purity) were $200-202^{\circ}C$ and $116-118^{\circ}C$, respectively. Growth response study indicated that seed treatment of CPMI increased tolerance of sorghum shoot to metolachlor approximately threefold. Sorghum shoot was more sensitive to injury caused by metolachlor and CPMI activity than the root. Metolachlor was initially absorbed by sorghum shoot and metabolized to the metolachlor-glutathione conjugate in CPMI-untreated and treated shoots. However, CPMI treatment significantly accelerated metabolism of $[^{14}C]$metolachlor in sorghum shoot, resulting in decrease in metolachlor content and increase in formation of the glutathione conjugate. It was concluded that the protection against metolachlor injury conferred by CPMI appeared to be correlated to detoxification of metolachlor in sorghum shoot tissue.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.12
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• pp.1231-1240
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• 2007

Purpose : Bartter syndrome is a renal tubular defect in electrolyte transport characterized by hypokalemia, metabolic alkalosis and other clinical signs and symptoms. The aims of this study were to analyze the clinical manifestations and the short- and long-term outcomes of Bartter syndrome. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed clinical history, laboratory finding of blood and urine, renal ultrasonography, and hearing tests of five patients who were diagnosed and managed with Bartter syndrome at Asan Medical Center from April 1992 to May 2007. We also evaluated height and body weight periodically after institution of therapy. Results : All patients had poor oral intake, failure to thrive and polyuria. Three of them had maternal history of polyhydramnios and premature delivery. The mean age at diagnosis was 11.8 months. All children presented with hypokalemia, metabolic alkalosis, hyperreninemia. Their blood pressures were normal. One patient had nephrocalcinosis on renal ultrasonography and all of them had normal result in hearing tests. After treatment with indomethacin or other prostaglandin inhibitors and potassium supplementation,their clinical features improved with catch-up growth and improvement in the development during long-term follow-up. Conclusion : We emphasize that early diagnosis and proper treatment in patient with Bartter syndrome are related to better prognosis.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1988.08a
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• pp.47-54
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• 1988

Cholesterol a component of all eucaryotic plasma membranes. is essential for the growth and viability of cells in higher organisms. However. too much cholesterol can be lethal because of atherosclerosis resulting from the deposition of cholesterol ester plaques. It was attempted in this study to understand the preventive effect of ginseng saponin. one of the major components of the roots of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer. against hypercholesterolemia induced by high cholesterol diet. $^{125}I-LDL$ was injected intravenously to rabbits and rats. which were fed a high cholesterol diet with and/or without ginseng saponin for 12 days. The disappearance of the radioactivity occurred faster in the test group than the control. The effect of saponin fraction from Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer and the purified ginsenosilks. $Rb_1,\;Rb_2,\;Re\;and\;Rg_1,$ on LDL receptor biosynthesis in high cholesterol fed rat has been investigated. Analysis of LDL receptors from various organs such as liver. kidney. adrenal cortex and testis showed that the population of LDL receptors of test group significantly higher than that of the control. It was also found that liver homogenate containing ginsenosides $(10^{-3}-10^{-4}\%)$ stimulated the biosynthesis of bile acid form cholesterol. From the above results. it seemed that ginsenosides lower the cholesterol level by stimulating cholesterol metabolism. which result in the suppression of the inhibitory action of cholesterol on LDL receptor biosynthesis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1364-1370
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• 2014

Ascorbic acid (AA) is a multifunctional metabolite in plants that is essential for plant development and growth. We examined the effect of AA, an antioxidant, on the gravitropic response of primary roots in maize. The application of $10^{-3}$ M AA to the elongation zone did not affect the gravitropic response and slightly inhibited the root growth. However, treatment with both $10^{-5}$ M and $10^{-3}$ M AA at the root tip increased the gravitropic response and inhibited root growth. Differences in indole-3- acetic acid (IAA) activity between the upper and lower hemispheres of the root resulted in differential elongation along the horizontal root. Roots are extremely sensitive to IAA, and increasing the amount of IAA in the lower hemisphere of the root inhibited elongation. Therefore, we examined the effect of IAA in the presence of AA. The inhibitory effect of AA on the gravitropic response was greater in combination with IAA. To understand the role of AA in the regulation of root growth and the gravitropic response, we measured ethylene production in the presence of AA in the primary roots of maize. AA stimulated ethylene production via the activation of the 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) oxidase gene, which regulates the conversion of ACC to ethylene. These results suggest that AA alters the gravitropic response of maize roots through modification of the action of ethylene.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.219-226
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• 2023

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of rhubarb extract on osteoclast differentiation in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs). Osteoclasts are vital for bone resorption and remodeling. Osteoclast dysregulation can contribute to various bone-related disorders that directly affect oral health. Rhubarb, a medicinal plant with anti-inflammatory properties, has been shown to modulate bone metabolism. Methods: BMMs were isolated from the femurs and tibias of 5-week-old C57BL/6 mice and cultured in the presence of mouse macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) for 3 days. Subsequently, BMMs were treated with M-CSF and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) to induce osteoclast differentiation. Results: Rhubarb extract effectively suppressed osteoclast differentiation in BMMs. Furthermore, rhubarb extract inhibited the mRNA expression of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) and cathepsin K (CTSK), which are essential for osteoclastogenesis. Moreover, it inhibited the RANKL-induced expression of nuclear factor of activated T cell c1 (NFATc1), a crucial transcription factor in osteoclast differentiation. Conclusions: These results suggest that rhubarb extract promotes oral health by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis in BMMs. Thus, rhubarb extract shows promise as a therapeutic agent for bone-related disorders that directly affect oral health, particularly those associated with abnormal osteoclast activity. Further research and exploration of the underlying mechanisms are warranted to fully understand their potential clinical applications.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.266-287
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• 2004

The non infecting, plant associated bacteria have attracted increased attention for stimulating plant growth and as environmental friendly plant protecting agents. Pink-pigmented facultatively methylotrophic bacteria (PPFMs), classified as Methylobacterium spp., are persistent colonizers of plant leaf surfaces. As the leaves of most or all plants harbor PPFMs that utilize leaf methanol as their sole source of carbon and energy, which is a specific attribute of the genus Methylobacterium. Although they are not well known, these bacteria are co-evolved, interacting partners in plant metabolism. This claim is supported, for example, by the following observations: (1) PPFMs are seed-transmitted, (2) PPFMs are frequently found in putatively axenic cell cultures, (3) Low numbers of seed-borne PPFMs correlate with low germinability, (4) Plants with reduced numbers of PPFM show elevated shoot/root ratios, (5) Foliar application of PPFMs to soybean during pod fill enhances seed set and yield, (6) Liverwort tissue in culture requires PPFM-produced vitamin B12 for growth, (7) treated plants to suppress or decrease disease incidence of sheath blight caused by Rhizoctonia solani in rice, and (8) the PPFM inoculation induced number of stomata, chlorophyll concentration and malic acid content, they led to increased photosynthetic activity. Methylobacterium spp. are bacterial symbionts of plants, shown previously to participate in plant metabolism by consuming plant waste products and producing metabolites useful to the plant. There are reports that inform about the beneficial interactions between this group of bacteria and plants. Screening of such kind of bacteria having immense plant growth promoting activities like nitrogen fixation, phytohormone production, alleviating water stress to the plants can be successfully isolated and characterized and integration of such kind of organism in crop production will lead to increased productivity.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.113-123
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• 1996

It has been well known that polyamines ensure the stability of chromatin structure and the fidelity of DNA transcription. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of polyamines on the apoptosis of mouse thymocytes induced by dexamethasone and polyamine synthesis inhibitors. 1) In the histological death findings of thymocytes double-stained with acridine orange and ethidium bromide, the apoptotic and the necrotic fractions (AF; NF) in the control group were $9.4{\pm}4.2%$ and $4.5{\pm}5.3%$, respectively. Dexamethasone $(3\;{\times}\;10^{-8}\;M:\;DX)$ in creased AF upto $52.0{\pm}8.1%$ and did not change NF, but A23187 $(5\;{\times}\;10^{-7}\;M:\;A2)$ increased AF and NF upto $45.0{\pm}8.9%$ and $20.5{\pm}10.6%$, respectively. 2) The thymocyte viability was significantly reduced by DX, DHEA $(1\;{\times}\;10^{-4}\;M)$, A2, DFMO $(1\;{\times}\;10^{-4}\;M)$, and $MGBG\;(1\;{\times}\;10^{-4}\;M)$, respectively. It was, however, little affected by $aminoguanidine\;(1\;{\times}\;10^{-4}\;M:\;AG)$, $putrescine\;(1\;{\times}\;10^{-5}\;M:\;PT)$, $spermidine\;(1\;{\times}\;10^{-5}\;M:\;SD)$, and $spermine\;(1\;{\times}\;10^{-5}\;M:\;SM)$. 3) The genomic DNA of mouse thymocyte was markedly fragmented by DX and A2, respectively, and to a lesser extent, by DHEA, but was little affected by MGBG, DFMO, AG, and each of polyamines. 4) The DX induced reduction of thymocyte viability was moderately attenuated by DHEA, but little affected by DFMO, MGBC, and AG. However, SM significantly attenuated the viability reduction induced by A2 as well as DX. 5) The thymocyte viability reduction by MGBG and DFMO was significantly attenuated by only SM among three polyamines applied in this study. 6) The thymocyte viability redution by combined treatments of DX with DFMO and MGBG, respectively, was significantly attenuated by SM, and moderately by PT. But the viability reduction by combined treatment of DX with AG or DHEA was not affected by polyamines. These results suggest that polyamines, particularly spermine, might play the inhibitory role in thymocyte apoptosis and the inhibitory effect can be ascribed in part to the increase of polyamine uptake by thymocytes pretreated with DFMO and MGBG.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.73-87
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• 2004

전통적인 면역억제제와 면역활동제인 녹용수용추출액(DAA)은 뼈의 재생에 있어서 중요한 역할을 한다고 여겨진다. 녹용약침이 비활성 연골세포의 분화를 야기시킬수 있는 지를 결정하기 위해, 융합된 세포 배양균을 녹용약침과 함께 24, 36, 48, 72, 120 시간동안 먼저 처리하였다. 이러한 처리후에 배양액을 10-10 ~ 10-8M 1,25-(OH)2D3를 포함하는 새로운 배양액으로 바꾸어 세포들을 추가로 24시간동안 배양했다. 앞선 연구에서 더 성숙된 활성연골세포가 이러한 Vit D3 대사산물에 반응한다는 것을 보여주었기 때문에 이러한 두 번째 처리를 선택하였다. 세포성숙에 있어서 녹용약침의 전처리 효과는 ALPase의 특이활동을 측정하는 것으로 확인하였다. 기질 단백질 합성의 변화는 35SO4 결합이 proteoglycan으로의 변화되는것과 collagen 합성을 측정함으로써 증명되었다. 비활성 연골세포가 녹용약침과 함께 120시간동안 전처리되고 다시 1,25-(OH)2D3를 추가한 처치에서 ALPase 특이활동과 collagen 합성이 농도 의존적으로 증가를 일으켰다. 그러나 proteoglycan의 생성에는 영향을 미치지 않았다. 1,25-(OH)2D3와 함께 전처리 된 비활성 연골 세포는 어떠한 전처리도 받지 않았던 비활성 연골세포처럼 반응했다. 이러한 결과는 녹용약침이 직접적으로 비활성 연골 세포를 활성 연골세포로 성숙시키는데 관여한다는 것을 알려준다. 그러므로 녹용약침은 연골내 골화과정에서 연골세포의 성숙을 조절하는데 중요한 역할을 하는 것으로 나타났다.