• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.291-298
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• 2021

Purpose: The Pedisole is a newly developed shoe-mounted wearable assessment system for analyzing balance and gait. This study aimed to determine the reliability and validity of the parameters provided by the system for static balance and gait analysis of healthy adults. Methods: This study included 38 healthy adults (22.4±1.9 years) with no history of injury in the lower limbs. All participants were asked to perform balance and gait tasks for undertaking measurements. For analysis of balance, both the smart Pedisole and Pedoscan systems were concurrently used to analyze the path length of the center of pressure (COP) and the weight ratio of the left and right for 10 s. Gait was measured using the smart Pedisole and GaitRite walkway systems simultaneously. The participants walked at a self-selected preferred gait speed. The cadence, stance time, swing time, and step time were used to analyze gait characteristics. Using the paired t-test, the intra-class coefficient correlation (ICC) was calculated for reliability. The Spearman correlation was used to assess the validity of the measurements. In total, data for balance from 36 participants and the gait profiles of 37 participants were evaluated. Results: There were significant differences between the COP path lengths (p<.050) derived from the two systems, and a significant correlation was found for COP path length (r=.382~.523) for static balance. The ICC for COP path length and weight ratio was found to be greater than .687, indicating moderate agreement in balance parameters. The ICC of gait parameters was found to be greater than .697 except for stance time, and there was significant correlation (r=.678~.922) with the GaitRite system. Conclusion: The newly developed smart insole-type Pedisole system and the related application are useful, reliable, and valid tools for balance and gait analysis compared to the gold standard Pedoscan and the GaitRite systems in healthy individuals.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.304-310
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• 2014

Antioxidative, immunostimulating, and antihypertensive activities of hot water extracts of fermented Hizikia fusiformis were evaluated. Fermentation with lactic acid bacteria generally increased the biological activities of H. fusiformis. Fermentation with isolated Weissella sp. SH-1 resulted in 13.83-62.15% DPPH radical scavenging activity and 34.90-59.25% SOD-like activity. The maximal inhibition of ACE was 82.25%, and the maximal reduction in NO production was 46.53%. Fermentation with Lactobacillus casei resulted in 11.98-72.84% DPPH radical scavenging activity and 14.17-33.62% of SOD-like activity. The maximal inhibition of ACE was 73.31%, and the maximal reduction in NO production was 65.20%. These results hint at the applicability of fermentation with lactic acid bacteria to improve the diverse biological activities of H. fusiformis and to develop functional materials or foods.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.38-43
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• 2015

In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of fermented Hizikia fusiformis extracts in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages. The fermentation was performed using Lactobacillus casei in mixture of carbon source at $30^{\circ}C$ for 30 days. The sample groups were prepared with/without L. casei group in order to demonstrate the anti-inflammatory activity of fermented H. fusiformis in regard to lactic acid bacteria. As a result, we confirmed the inhibitory effect of H. fusiformis extracts on LPS-stimulated NO production and expression of $TNF{\alpha}$, while it had no regulatory effect on the expression of iNOS, COX-2, $IL-1{\beta}$ and IL-6 as important inflammatory factors. However, L. casei fermented group significantly suppressed the expression of the above factors. In particular, the difference between the two groups in the matter of mRNA expression of iNOS, which is directly associated with NO production, indicated that the fermentation with lactic acid bacteria effectively suppressed NO production by regulating iNOS expression. Also, effective suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines showed that the fermentation using L. casei may provide an increment towards extraction of active ingredients that are effective anti-inflammatory agents.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.10 no.11
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• pp.168-176
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• 2020

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) damage DNA and cause cancer. Therefore, the research is being conducted on the development of antioxidants for the removal of ROS. This study was performed to investigate antioxidant activity and protective effect against oxidative DNA damage using ethyl acetate fractions from the cone of Pinus rigida × taeda (ERT). The antioxidant activity was evaluated using the DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging assay, reducing power assay, and Fe2+ chelating assay. Also, the contents of phenolic compounds and vitamin C related to antioxidant activity were analyzed to confirm phytochemicals. The DNA protective effect against oxidative stress was confirmed by the φX-174 RF I plasmid DNA cleavage assay. As a result, ERT showed DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities in a concentration-dependent manner. The results of reducing power and Fe2+ chelating activities were 77.32 ± 2.28% and 64.09 ± 1.01% at 200 ㎍/㎖. Also, ERT showed a DNA protective effect against oxidative stress.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1617-1624
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• 2008

Chitin and chitosan, which is deacetylated form of chitin, are one of the most abundant biomass on the earth. They showed various biological activities including antimicrobial activity, heavy metal chelating, immune system activation, and have very diverse applications in food, pharmaceutical, medicinal, and environmental industry. There have been reported many chitin/chitosan-hydrolyzing enzymes, their structures and genes from three domains, archaea, bacteria, and eukarya. Carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes are classified in CAZy (Carbohydrate Active Enzymes) database according to their amino acid sequence similarity. Interestingly, chitinases and chitosanases are classified in various glycosyl hydrolase(GH) families, GH2, GH5, GH7, GH8, GH18, GH19, GH20, GH46, GH48, GH73, GH75, GH80, GH84, and GH85. Here, we review characteristics and structures of chitin/chitosan hydrolyzing enzymes according to glycosyl hydrolase families in order to provide information about gene mining.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.100-108
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• 2011

The object of this study was two. One was if Polygonati Rhizoma preparata had a benzo(a)pyrene, the other was to evaluate the single dose toxicity of 9 repetitive steaming and fermenting processed Polygonati Rhizoma, dried root parts of Polygonati Rhozoma preparata extract, in male and female mice. We measured a content of benzo(a)pyrene in Polygonati Rhozoma preparata using a method with HPLC/FLD. And for single dose toxicity, aqueous extracts of Polygonati Rhozoma preparata (EPP; Yield = 35.4 %) was administered to female and male ICR mice as an oral dose of 2,000, 1,000 and 500 mg/kg (body weight) according to the recommendation of Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) Guidelines. Animals were monitored for the mortality and changes in body weight, clinical signs and gross observation during 14 days after dosing, upon necropsy; organ weight and histopathology of 12 principle organs were examined. As results, we could not find any mortality, clinical signs, and changes in the body and organ weight except for slight soft feces sporadically detected in EPP treated male mice at 1 day after administration. In addition, no EPP-treatment related abnormal gross findings and changes in histopathology of principle organs were detected except for some sporadic accidental findings. The results obtained in this study suggest that benzo(a)pyrene was not existed in Polygonati Rhozoma preparata and the 50% lethal dose and approximate lethal dose of EPP aqueous extracts in both female and male mice were considered as over 2,000 mg/kg, the limited highest dosage recommended by KFDA Guidelines. However, it also observed that the possibilities of digestive disorders, like soft feces when administered over 500 mg/kg of EPP aqueous extracts in the present study.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.565-588
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• 2019

This study aimed to understand current flora of Western Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) in Korea. Some areas that located at Paju-si and Yeoncheon-gun were selected as representative survey area (Jangdan-myeon, Deokjin mountain fortress, Ilwol peak of Mt. Seokbyeong, Imjinriver, Sunaecheon stream, Sewolcheon stream in Paju and Banjeong-ri in Yeoncheon). Through this survey, 461 vascular plant specimens were collected from April 2012 to September 2014, twice a month and from October 2014 to October 2018, once a month. These were finally classified into 96 families 305 genera 413 species 4 subspecies 41 varieties 6 forms totally 464 taxa. There are remarkable plants such as 6 taxa of Korean endemic species, 44 taxa of specified species on a floristics aspect, and 35 taxa of alien and naturalized plants (7.5%). Meanwhile, it has not been observed any endangered plant species during the activities in this area.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.557-562
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• 2022

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a mucopolysaccharide, occurring naturally in living organisms. It is one of the most hydrophilic molecules, so it has been known as being related to skin hydration and skin aging. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Cimicifuga heracleifolia ethanol extract on the hyaluronic acid synthesis and the inhibition of hyaluronidase activity. To determine cytotoxicity, hyaluronic acid synthase 2 (HAS2) gene expression, HA production and, hyaluronidase inhibitory effects, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-ly)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, real time - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), hyaluronic acid enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (HA-ELISA), and hyaluronidase assay were used, respectively. When the Cimicifuga heracleifolia extract was treated in the HaCaT cells up to 500 ㎍/mL concentration, cytotoxicity was confirmed by the Cimicifuga heracleifolia extract at concentrations above 200 ㎍/mL. Therefore, the optimum concentration of all experiments used in this study was determined to be 200 ㎍/mL. HAS2 gene expression increased by Cimicifuga heracleifolia extract in a concentration-dependent manner at all treatment concentrations. The production rate of HA was tended to decrease at the highest concentration of 200 ㎍/mL. The hyaluronidase activity inhibition effect of Cimicifuga heracleifolia extract was very high compared to the control group. Based on these results, Cimicifuga heracleifolia extract was expected to have a moisturizing effect on human skin and special attention should be paid to the determination of the concentration of Cimicifuga heracleifolia when developing cosmetic materials using it.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.379-386
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• 2024

Basophils and mast cells are specialized effector cells in allergic reactions. Haliotis discus hannai (abalone), is valuable seafood. Abalone male viscera, which has a brownish color and has not been previously reported to show anti-allergic activities, was extracted with acetone. Six different acetone/hexane fractions (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 100%) were obtained using a silica column via β-hexosaminidase release inhibitory activity-guided selection in phorbol myristate acetate and a calcium ionophore, A23187 (PMACI)-induced human basophils, KU812F cells. The 40% acetone/hexane fraction (A40) exhibited the strongest inhibition of PMACI-induced-β-hexosaminidase release. This fraction dose-dependently inhibited reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and calcium mobilization without cytotoxicity. Western blot analysis revealed that A40 down-regulated PMACI-induced MAPK (ERK 1/2, p-38, and JNK) phosphorylation, and the NF-κB translocation from the cytosol to membrane. Moreover, A40 inhibited PMACI-induced interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 production. Anti-allergic activities of A40 were confirmed based on inhibitory effects on IL-4 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) production in compound (com) 48/80-induced rat basophilic leukemia (RBL)-2H3 cells. A40 inhibited β-hexosaminidase release and cytokine production such as IL-4 and TNF-α produced by com 48/80-stimulated RBL-2H3 cells. Furthermore, it's fraction attenuated the IgE/DNP-induced passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction in the ears of BALB/c mice. Our results suggest that abalone contains the active fraction, A40 is a potent therapeutic and functional material to treat allergic diseases.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.897-904
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• 2023

This study was done to develope genetic markers with the unique characteristics of genes according to the genomic information of Bacillus velezensis K10. B. velezensis K10 maintained a total of 4,159,835 bps, which was found to encode 5,136 open reading frames (orfs). B. velezensis K10 was found to have much more gene migration due to external factors overall compared to standard strain B. velezensis JS25R. In order to discover genetic selection markers, orfs on the genome to be easily induced to gene mutation were surveyed such as recombinase, integrase, transposase, and phage-related genes. As a result of the investigation, 9 candidate markers were isolated with high possibility as genetic selection markers. Although a part in the various origin's areas showed specificities in comparison with homology, the selected markers were all existed in phage-related areas because they were relatively lower homologies in phage-related genes. PCR analysis was done on B. licheniformis K12, B. velezensis K10, B. subtilis, and B. cereus to establish them as inter-species candidate selection markers. As a result, it was confirmed that B. velezensis K10-specific PCR products were formed in a total of 6 primer sets such as BV3 and BV5 to 9. On the other hand, analysis at the subspecies level observed the formation of B. velezensis K10-specific PCR products in 4 primer sets such as BV3, 5, 8, and 9. Among them, since BV5 and BV8 were detected by very specific results, we suggest that BV5 and 8 can be used as B. velezensis K10 gene selection markers at the species and sub-species level.