• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.371-378
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• 2020

Background: In this study, the radix of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge extract fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Weissella cibaria, and Pediococcus pentosaceus to increase the levels of isoflavonoid aglycone contents. Methods and Results: In order to change the in isoflavonoids, we fermented the radix of A. membranaceus extracts with microorganisms that have β-glucosidase activity. Besed on the β-glucosidase activity, we selected three strains, Weissella cibaria, Pediococcus pentosaceus, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. HPLC analysis revealed that the levels of isoflavonoid aglycones were increased in all fermentation cases, and the extracts fermented by S. cerevisiae showed the highest levels of isoflavonoid aglycones. We evaluated the antioxidant activity, anti-wrinkle effects and whitening effects of the S. cerevisiae-fermented extracts using the DPPH assay, tyrosinase inhibition activity assay, and collagenase inhibition activity assay. We confirmed higher activity in S. cerevisiae-fermented extracts than in control, with the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) value of 565.1 ± 59.1 ㎍/㎖ in DPPH radical scavenging activity, tyrosinase inhibition rate of 78.4 ± 0.9%, and collagenase inhibition rate of 83.8 ± 1.1%. Conclusions: We selected three stains of microorganisms showing high β-glucosidase activity, W. cibaria, P. pentosaceus and S. cerevisiae. Isoflavonoid glycones in the radix of A. membranaceus were converted to isoflavonoid aglycones by fermentation. In addition, the fermented radix of A. membranaceus exhibited antioxidant activity, anti-wrinkle effect, whitening effect and radical scavenging activity.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.223-231
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• 2005

In order to know the residual pattern of pesticides and predict to the degradation period until below MRL, we experimented diazinon, iprodinon and chlorfenapyr for shallot. They were the most detected pesticide in shallot by NAQS (National Agricultural product Quality management Service) survey. In this experiment, we sprayed those pesticides 15days before harvest and analyzed 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14 day sample to establish logical equation and to calculate $DT_{50}$. During the cultivating period, the residue amount of diazinon was changed from 1.02 mg/kg (0 day) to 0.01 mg/kg (14 day), $DT_{50}$ was 2.19 days, and iprodione was changed from 1.45 mg/kg (0 day) to 0.14 mg/kg (14 day), $DT_{50}$ was 4.15 days, and chlorfenapyr was changed from 1.5 mg/kg (0 day) to 0.01 mg/kg (14 day), $DT_{50}$ was 1.97 days. The $DT_{50}$ of double amount in those pesticides, diazinon was 2.24 days, iprodione was 4.82 days, and chlorfenapyr was 2.24 days, respectively.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.416-425
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• 2015

NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a basic leucine zipper transcription factor, has recently received a great deal of attention as an important molecule that enhances antioxidative defenses and induces resistance to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. In this study, we investigated the apoptosis-inducing and Nrf2- upregulating effects of quercetin on malignant mesothelioma (MM) MSTO-211H and H2452 cells. Quercetin treatment inhibited cell growth and led to upregulation of Nrf2 at both the mRNA and protein levels without altering the ubiquitination and extending the half-life of the Nrf2 protein. Following treatment with quercetin, analyses of the nuclear level of Nrf2, Nrf2 antioxidant response element-binding assay, Nrf2 promoter-luc assay, and RT-PCR toward the Nrf2-regulated gene, heme oxygenase-1, demonstrated that the induced Nrf2 is transcriptionally active. Knockdown of Nrf2 expression with siRNA enhanced cytotoxicity due to the induction of apoptosis, as evidenced by an increase in the level of proapoptotic Bax, a decrease in the level of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 with enhanced cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP proteins, the appearance of a sub-$G_0/G_1$ peak in the flow cytometric assay, and increased percentage of apoptotic propensities in the annexin V binding assay. Effective reversal of apoptosis was observed following pretreatment with the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD. Moreover, Nrf2 knockdown exhibited increased sensitivity to the anticancer drug, cisplatin, presumably by potentiating the oxidative stress induced by cisplatin. Collectively, our data demonstrate the importance of Nrf2 in cytoprotection, survival, and drug resistance with implications for the potential significance of targeting Nrf2 as a promising strategy for overcoming resistance to chemotherapeutics in MM.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.637-641
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• 2012

TPDex, a putative dextranase from Thermoanaerobacter pseudethanolicus, was purified as a single 70 kDa band of 7.37 U/mg. Its optimum pH was 5.2 and the enzyme was stable between pH 3.1 and 8.5 at $70^{\circ}C$. A half-life comparison showed that TPDex was stable for 7.4 h at $70^{\circ}C$, whereas Chaetominum dextranase (CEDex), currently used as a dextranase for sugar milling, was stable at $55^{\circ}C$. TPDex showed broad dextranase activity regardless of dextran types, including dextran T2000, 742CB dextran, and alternan. TPDex showed the highest thermostability among the characterized dextranases, and may be a suitable enzyme for use in sugar manufacture without decreased temperature.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.676-681
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• 2004

Acetyl-L-camitine (ALC), a naturally occurring endogenous compound, has been shown to improve the cognitive performance of patients with senile dementia Alzheimer＇s type, and to be involved in cholinergic neurotransmission. Because ALC is an endogenous compound, valida-tion of the analytical methods of ALC in the biological fluids is very important and difficult. This study was presented validation and correction for plasma ALC concentrations and pharmacok-inetics after oral administration of ALC to human volunteers. ALC concentrations in human plasma were corrected by subtracting the concentration of blank plasma from each sample. Precision and accuracy (bias %) for uncorrected ALC concentrations were below 2.6 and 6.5% for intra-days, and 4.0 and 9.4% for inter-days, respectively. Precision and accuracy (bias %)for corrected ALC concentrations were below 10.9 and 6.0% for intra-days, and 10.5 and 16.9% for inter-days, respectively. Quantitation limit was $0.1{\;}\mu\textrm{g}／mL$. After oral administration of a 500 mg ALC tablet to 8 healthy volunteers, the principle pharmacokinetic parameters were 4.2 h of the half-life$ (t_{1/2},{\beta})$, the area under the curve $(AUC_{0{\rightarrow}8){\;}of{\;}9.88{\;}\mu\textrm{g}{\cdot}h/mL$, and 3.1 h of the time ($T_{max}$) to reach $C_{max}$. This study first describes the pharmacokinetic study after oral admin-istration of a single dose of ALC in human volunteers.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.225-230
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• 1995

The effect of long-term ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) administration on the clearance of carboxyhemoglobin (CO-Hb) and the property of blood gases was investigated in rats. Rats were received ginseng water extract (0.025% in drinking water) for 42 weeks starting at the age of 6 weeks. They were exposed to the diluted mainstream smoke generated from 15 filter cigarettes for 20 min in a round polycarbonate chamber (D37 cmXH13 cm). Under this condition, the mean CO-Hb content of control and the ginseng-treated rats immediately after the exposure was nearly the same as 13.8$\pm$2.9 f) and 13.9$\pm$1.6%, respectively. However, CO-Hb was more rapidly removed from blood in the ginseng treated rats than in untreatEd control with the laps of time, namely, its biological half life In the former was 36.9$\pm$1.5 min and in the latter was 56.9$\pm$13.2 min. Although long-term ginseng treatment did not affect the content of hemoglobin and blood pH of rats, it slightly increased blood oxygen content and its partial pressure value, and decreased levels of carbon dioxide and bicarbonate. These results suggest that long-term administration of rats with ginseng extract accelerate the elimination of CO from the blood. This effect seems to be related to the enhancement of oxygen consumption of the rat by a certain action of ginseng components as previously reported.

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.06a
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• pp.13-28
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• 2000

Human spermatozoa exhibit a capacity to generate ROS and initiate peroxidation of the unsaturated fatty acids in the sperm plasma membrane, which plays a key role in the etiology of male infertility. The short half-life and limited diffusion of these molecules is consistent with their physiologic role in key biological events such as acrosome reaction and hyperactivation. The intrinsic reactivity of these metabolites in peroxidative damage induced by ROS, particularly $H_2O_2$ and the superoxide anion, has been proposed as a major cause of defective sperm function in cases of male infertility. The number of antioxidants known to attack different stages of peroxidative damage is growing, and it will be of interest to compare alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid with these for their therapeutic potential in vitro and in vivo. Both spermatozoa and leukocytes generate ROS, although leukocytes produce much higher levels. The clinical significance of leukocyte presence in semen is controversial. Seminal plasma confers some protection against ROS damage because it contains enzymes that scavenge ROS, such as catalase and superoxide dismutase. A variety of defense mechanisms comprising a number of antioxidants can be employed to reduce or overcome oxidative stress caused by excessive ROS. Determination of male infertility etiology is important, as it will help us develop effective therapies to overcome excessive ROS generation. ROS can have both beneficial and detrimental effects on the spermatozoa and the balancing between the amounts of ROS produced and the amounts scavenged at any moment will determine whether a given sperm function will be promoted or jeopardized. Accurate assessment of ROS levels and, subsequently, OS is Vital, as this will help clinicians both elucidate the fertility status and identify the subgroups of patients that respond or do not respond to these therapeutic strategies. The overt commercial claims of antioxidant benefits and supplements for fertility purposes must be cautiously looked into, until proper multicentered clinical trials are studied. From the current data it appears that no Single adjuvant will be able to enhance the fertilizing capacity of sperm in infertile men, and a combination of the possible strategies that are not toxic at the dosage used would be a feasible approach.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.330-341
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• 2017

Tropical forests play a key role for functioning of the planet and maintenance of life. These forests support more than half of the world's species, serve as regulators of global and regional climate, act as carbon sinks and provide valuable ecosystem services. Forest floor biomass and litterfall dynamics was measured in different sites influenced by fire in a seasonally dry tropical forest of Bhoramdeo wildlife sanctuary of Chhattisgarh, India. The forest floor biomass was collected randomly placed quadrats while the litterfall measured by placing stone-block lined denuded quadrat technique. The seasonal mean total forest floor biomass across the fire regimes varied from $2.00-3.65t\;ha^{-1}$. The total litterfall of the study sites varied from $4.75-7.56t\;ha^{-1}\;yr^{-1}$. Annual turnover of litter varied from 70-74% and the turnover time between 1.35-1.43 years. Monthly pattern of forest floor biomass indicated that partially decayed litter, wood litter and total forest floor were differed significantly. The seasonal variation showed that leaf fall differed significantly in winter season only among the fire regimes while the wood litter was found non significant in all the season. This study shows that significant variation among the site due to the forest fire. Decomposition is one of the ecological processes critical to the functioning of forest ecosystems. The decomposing wood serves as a saving account of nutrients and organic materials in the forest floor. Across the site, high fire zone was facing much of the deleterious effects on forest floor biomass and litter production. Control on such type of wildfire and anthropogenic ignition could allow the natural recovery processes to enhance biological diversity. Chronic disturbances do not provide time for ecosystem recovery; it needs to be reduced for ecosystem health and maintaining of the high floral and faunal biodiversity.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.249-257
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• 1979

Using the whole cell immobilized glucose isomerase which was prepared in the previous work (Korean J. Food Sci. & Technol., 11(3), 192 (1979), the specific activity of the immobilized enzyme was 48.1 units in the batch reaction system and 114 units in the continuous reaction system per g of matrix, respectively. In the continuous reactor the voidity was 0.36, which was suitable for the packed bed reactor. This immobilized enzyme showed a good operational stability of 115 days of half life which was sufficient for the continuous operation. The experimental result showed that 55 % of the substrate was converted to the product in the packed bed reactor. The productivity was dependent on the flow rate, column geometry, enzyme loading, and substrate concentration. An intrapaticle diffusion was observed by the effectiveness factor of 0.75 and interparticle diffusion by the decrease of Km' with increasing the superficial velocity.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.335-343
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• 2004

Carmustine (l,3-bis(2-chloroethyI)-1-nitrosourea, BICNU) used as antineoplastic drug for the treatment of brain tumor is not appropriate for the long term delivery, because it has short biological half life. Therefore, poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) is useful as drug carrier for the long term delivery due to bulk erosion property. Glycolide monomer is applied to release of BICNU owing to non-toxic and monomeric components after biodegradation of PLGA. In this study, BICNU-loaded PLGA wafers with or without glycolide monomer were fabricated by conventional direct compression method for the sustained release of BICNU. These wafers were observed for their release profiles of BICNU and degradation rates by SEM, NMR, and GPC. Furthermore, we make multi-layer wafers and compare them with release profiles of conventional wafer. From these results, drug release of BICNU-loaded PLGA wafers was increased with increasing the glycolid monomer contents. We confirmed that glycolide monomer and BICNU contents in barrier-layer influenced the drug release profiles and degradation rate.