• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.351-359
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• 2012

Objectives: This study was conducted in order to investigate the specific correlation between physicochemical properties and bioactivity in ecdysteroids found in living organisms. Methods: The examined steroidal compounds were classified into three groups according to their relevance to ecdysone activity. Each compound molecule was completely drawn to automatically calculate its physicochemical parameters and docked against 20-hydroxyecdysone to calculate the total distance. Electronic charge distribution was also observed for each molecule. All procedures were conducted using a computational chemistry program. Results: Ecdysone agonists showed different ranges of parameter values, such as log P, hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB), solubility parameter (SP), hydrophilic surface (HPS), hydrogen bond (HB) and Kappa 2, when compared with antagonists and steroids without ecdysone activity. They also showed a similar electronic charge distribution that is significantly different from the electron charge distribution of antagonists and steroids without ecdysone activity. The total distance values of agonists, estimated by docking them with 20-hydroxyecdysone, were relatively small but showed no correlation with binding affinity with receptor ligand. Conclusions: These results suggest that physicochemical properties such as steric and electronic effects, hydrophobicity and hydrogen bonding may operate in combination to determine the binding activity of ecdysteroids to the receptor protein.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.309-313
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• 2008

The insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) has been investigated as a candidate gene for growth promoting effects in beef cattle and a modulator of IGF bioactivity. Previously, we have reported twenty two sequence variants discovered in Korean native cattle (Hanwoo). In this study, we examined the association between gene-specific polymorphisms of IGFBP3 and cold carcass weight (CW) and marbling score (MS) among Korean native cattle. Among twenty two polymorphisms, four common polymorphic sites (-854G>C, -100G>A, +421G>T and +3863C>A) were genotyped in our beef cattle (n = 437). Statistical analysis revealed that one common polymorphism in the promoter region (-854G>C) showed putative associations with MS (p = 0.03). IGFBP3 variation/haplotype information analyzed in this study will provide valuable information into strategies for the production of a commercial line of beef cattle.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.315-322
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• 2005

In this study we report on the estrogen activity of silkworm pupa and herb extracts in vitro. The estrogenic activity of these resources was investigated by competition binding assays with estrogen receptor $\alpha(ER{\alpha})\;or\;ER{\beta}$, and viability of MCF-7 cells, a human breast cancer cell line. Saturation ligand-binding analysis of $ER{\alpha}\;and\;ER{\beta}$ revealed that all plant extracts competed with estrogen ligand for binding to both ER subtypes with a similar preference and degree and competed stronger with ligand for binding to $ER{\beta}\;than\;to\;ER{\alpha}$. The highest $ER{\alpha}-binding$ sample was silkworm pupa aqueous extract The highest $ER{\beta}-binding$ sample was silkworm pupa oil. These samples were further tested for bioactivity based on their ability to regulate cell growth rate in ER(+) breast cancer cell line, MCF-7 cells. Our studies showed that silkworm pupa, soritae, sesame, yam, pueraria, malt, ginseng, Polygonum multiflorum, and Curcuma longa significantly stimulated the growth of MCF-7 cells (P<0.05). In summary, these results suggested that silkworm pupa and herbs might be useful as potential phytoestrogens.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.203-208
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• 2009

Lunasin is a unique 43-amino acid peptide which has shown a chemopreventive in mammalian cells and in a skin cancer mouse model. In search for new sources of lunasin and the role of cereals in cancer prevention, we report here the properties of lunasin purified from millet. Stability of millet lunasin was measured by in vitro digestibility assay using pepsin and pancreatin. Inhibition of HAT (histone acetyltransferase) and nuclear localization in mammalian cells were used to measure lunasin bioactivity as the cancer chemopreventive agent. Lunasin present in millet crude protein was stable to pepsin and pancreatin in in vitro digestion and inhibited the activities of HATs. When added exogenously, lunasin purified from millet internalized in the nuclei of mouse fibroblast cells. On the base of this result, we conclude that lunasin in millet is bioactive and consumption of millet may play an important role on cancer prevention in millet-consuming populations.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.1-4
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• 2007

The present study was performed to elucidate the ability of anti-$TNF-{\alpha}$ antibodies produced in sheep colostrums to neutralise $TNF-{\alpha}$ action in a cell-based bioassay and in a small animal model of intestinal inflammation. Colostrums from sheep immunized against $TNF-{\alpha}$ significantly inhibited $TNF-{\alpha}$ bioactivity in the cell based assay. The higher than anticipated variability in the two animal models precluded assessment of the ability of antibody to prevent $TNF-{\alpha}$ induced intestinal damage in the intact animal.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.158-164
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• 2020

Helicobacter pylori is a well-known pathogen that is responsible for gastric disorders. Overcoming of the antibiotic-resistance is a main barrier to treat H. pylori infection. In our search for anti-H. pylori compounds from natural resources, bioactivity-guided isolation on the ethyl acetate fraction of Fraxinus mandshurica bark that had shown anti-H. pylori activity gave twelve compounds (1 - 12) of six coumarins, three phenylethanoids, two secoiridoids, and a lignan using silica gel column chromatography, Sephadex-LH 20, and recrystallization. The chemical structures were identified by spectroscopic data analysis, including 1D, 2D NMR, and mass spectrometry. Among them, compounds 2, 10, and 11 showed moderate growth inhibitory activity against three strains of H. pylori, compared with positive controls of quercetin and metronidazole. Compounds 5, 6, 8, and 12 exhibited the inhibitory activity against strains 26695 or 43504. This is the first report on the anti-H. pylori activity of this plant and the isolated compounds.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.335-342
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• 2007

The objective of the study is to investigate the distribution patterns of airborne bacteria and fungi in the feedstuff manufacture factory. The mean levels of airborne bacteria and fungi in the feedstuff manufacture factory were $113({\pm}18)cfu/m^3$ and $89({\pm}5)cfu/m^3$ for pelleting process and $198({\pm}5)cfu/m^3$ and $124({\pm}12)cfu/m^3$ for powdering process, respectively. The percentage of respirable and total concentration of airborne bacteria and fungi in the feedstuff manufacture factory ranged from 60% to 90% and were higher in pelleting process than powdering process. The ratio of indoor and outdoor airborne microorganism exceeded 1.0 regardless of types of feedstuff manufacture process. Based on the result of the study, there would be an association between environmental factors such as relative humidity and carbon dioxide and airborne microorganism's bioactivity.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.179-183
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• 2002

Lycopene as a natural antioxidant may provide protection against a broad range of epithelial cancers and chronic diseases. Lycopene concentrate extracted from tomatoes can be used as functional food. Lycopene would undergo degradation via isomerization and oxidation under different processing conditions, which impact its bioactivity and reduce the fuuctionality for health benefits. Heat and light induce lycopene oxidation and isomerization of all-trans form to cis form. The effects of thermal treatment and light irradiation on the stability of lycopene were determined. Results have shown that lycopene stability depends on the extent of oxidation and isomerization. Cir-isomers are less stable than trans-isomers. The level of cis-isomers increased as treatment time increased but only for a short period during the beginning of the treatment. The major effect of thermal treatment and light irradiation was a significant decrease in the total lycopene content. A true assessment of health benefits of lycopene concentrate depends on the lycopene content and the composition of all trans-isomers and cia-isomers.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.312-316
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• 1998

Efficacy and in vivo bioassay of recombinant human erythropoietin (rho-EPO), was investigated. Efficacy studies were conducted in normal, and cisplatin-induced anemic rats. Normal and anemic animals were treated intravenously with rhu-EPO for 5 days, and the changes in the number of red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin concentration (Hb), hematocrit value (Hct) and percentage reticulocyte value (Ret, reticulocyte/RBC) were examined. In normal rats, rho-EPO significantly increased RBC, Hb, Hct and Ret at the doses of 50∼ 1,250 lU/kg/day in a dose-dependent fashion. Cisplatin-induced anemic rats showed significant increase of RBC, Hb, Hct and Ret after administration of rho-EPO (50-200 lU/kg/day) in a dose-dependent manner. These changes of hematological parameters disappeared gradually after cessation of the treatment. The in vivo bioassay results in polycythemic mice showed that rho-EPO had 90% of bioactivity compared to NIBSC standard rhu-EPO. These results suggest that rho-EPO might be useful for the therapy of anemia originated from renal failure and chemotherapy-induced anemia.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.138-142
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• 1997

To elucidate antidiabetic activity of Lycii Fructus. The extract of the Lycii Fructus was subjected to bioactivity-guided fractionation. The extract of the Lycii Fructus was partitioned suceesively with hexane, dichloromethane, ethylacetate and butanol. The butanol fraction, which is most abundant in the Lycii Fructus was subjected to silica gel column chromatography and resulted in seven fractions namely Fr. I - Fr. VII. Among tested several subfractions, Fr IV. Showed the highest antidiabetic activity in the streptozotocin-induced model rat.