• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.58 no.5
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• pp.307-313
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• 2014

Rumex crispus (curled dock), which is a perennial wild plant, has long been used as a laxative, astringent, and medicine to treat blood and skin diseases. We recently reported that the roots of R. crispus are an effective nutraceutical for bone. This study prepared ethanol extracts of the leaves and roots of R. crispus, and analyzed the major constituents using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. In addition, their effects on the proliferation and differentiation of human osteoblast-like MG-63 cells, such as cell viability, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, collagen content, and mineralization, were compared. The chromatograms of the chemical constituents of the two extracts exhibited quite different profiles: quercetin and quercitrin were identified as major peaks in the leaf extract, whereas cinnamtannin B1 and procyanidin isomers were the major peaks for the root extract. Neither extract was cytotoxic at concentrations of < $25{\mu}g/ml$. ALP activity and collagen synthesis-which are markers of the early stage of osteogenesis-in MG-63 cells were significantly increased upon the addition of the root extract compared with the addition of the leaf extract. In contrast, the leaf extract had a more stimulatory effect on mineralization-which is marker of the late stage of osteogenesis-in MG-63 cells than did the root extract. In conclusion, extracts of both leaves and roots of R. crispus stimulated the bone-forming activity of osteoblasts; in particular, the root extract was more effective in the early stage of osteoblast differentiation, while the leaf extract was more effective in the late stage. This difference in anabolic activity may be due to differences in the constituents of the leaves and roots. The leaves and roots of R. crispus appear to complement each other as stimulators of bone formation.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.173-181
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• 2016

Skin basement membrane (BM) is a specialized structure that binds dermis and epidermis of the skin and plays an important role in maintaining skin structure. Structural change and destruction of BM is reported to appear due to UV exposure and aging, which may contribute to skin aging including wrinkle formation and a decrease in elasticity of the skin. One of the key components of the BM is laminin-332 (LN-332), and is a major contributor to epidermal-dermal attachment. In this study, we elucidated the effects of Meladrium firmum hexane fraction (MFHF) on LN-332 expression in HaCaT, a human keratinocyte cell line. Quantitative real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and immunoblot analysis revealed that MFHF induced upregulation of LN-332 gene and protein expression. Next, cells were treated with p38 MAPK inhibitor (SB202190) prior to MFHF treatment to analyze the signaling pathway contributing to LN-332 expression. The mRNA and protein levels of LN-332 expression were suppressed completely by pretreatment with p38 MAPK inhibitor. Furthermore, MFHF also increased the mRNA level of collagen type VII and integrin ${\alpha}6$ of skin BM component. These results collectively suggest that MFHF may have potential as an effective agent to stimulate the synthesis of BM components, and could be used to improve phenomenon of skin aging ascribed to the structural and functional impairments of BM in aged human skin.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.397-403
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• 2015

Heavy metals reduce the photosynthetic efficiency and disrupt metabolic reactions in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, by replacing the metal ions in metalloproteins that use essential metal ions, such as Cu, Zn, Mn, and Fe, as co-factors, heavy metals ultimately lead to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These, in turn, cause destruction of the cell membrane through lipid peroxidation, and eventually cause the plant to necrosis. Given the aforementioned factors, this study was aimed to understand the physiological responses of rice to cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) toxicity and the effect of essential metal ions on homeostasis. In order to confirm the level of physiological inhibition caused by heavy metal toxicity, hydroponically grown rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Dongjin) plants were exposed with $0-50{\mu}M$ cadmium (Cd, $CdCl_2$) and arsenic (As, $NaAsO_2$) at 3-leaf stage, and then investigated malondialdehyde (MDA) contents after 7 days of the treatment. With increasing concentrations of Cd and As, the MDA content in leaf blade and root increased with a consistent trend. At 14 days after treatment with $30{\mu}M$ Cd and As, plant height showed no significant difference between Cd and As, with an identical reduction. However, As caused a greater decline than Cd for shoot fresh weight, dry weight, and water content. The largest amounts of Cd and As were found in the roots and also observed a large amount of transport to the leaf sheath. Interestingly, in terms of Cd transfer to the shoot parts of the plant, it was only transported to upper leaf blades, and we did not detect any Cd in lower leaf blades. However, As was transferred to a greater level in lower leaf blades than in upper leaf blades. In the roots, Cd inhibited Zn absorption, while As inhibited Cu uptake. Furthermore, in the leaf sheath, while Cd and As treatments caused no change in Cu homeostasis, they had an antagonist effect on the absorption of Zn. Finally, in both upper and lower leaf blades, Cd and As toxicity was found to inhibit absorption of both Cu and Zn. Based on these results, it would be considered that heavy metal toxicity causes an increase in lipid peroxidation. This, in turn, leads to damage to the conductive tissue connecting the roots, leaf sheath, and leaf blades, which results in a reduction in water content and causes several physiological alterations. Furthermore, by disrupting homeostasis of the essential metal ions, Cu and Zn, this causes complete heavy metal toxicity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.705-711
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• 2019

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common urogenital disorder in men, benign tumor and is a typical disease deteriorating the quality of old men's lives, and its prevalence increases with age. Though the molecular pathogenesis of BPH has not yet been clearly revealed, it is known that the variation and aging of the endocrine including sex hormone may cause BPH. Especially the hypertrophy of the prostate cell by the formation of the excessive dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is estimated to cause BPH. If testosterone exists excessively in blood, a lot of DHT is produced in prostate by $5{\alpha}-reductase$. Thus, in this study we tried to analyze haematological change and histopathological change by using the model rat with BPH caused by hypodermic injection of testosterone to prove the effect of Houttuynia cordata extracts on BPH. Rats were divided into four experimental groups: no treatment group (N), the testosterone injection and D.W treatment group (DO), the testosterone injection and Houttuynia cordata treatment group (HO) and testosterone injection and finasteride treatment group (FO). Prostate weight, volume and weight ratio in the HO and FO groups were significantly lower than the DO group. Testosterone and DHT levels in the HO group were significantly lower than the DO group. The HO and FO groups showed trophic symptoms and were lined by flattened epithelial cells, thus, the stromal proliferation is relatively low as compared to the DO group. These results suggest that Houttuynia cordata may control benign prostatic hyperplasia.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.12
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• pp.1016-1023
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• 2018

Regenerative orthopedics needs significant devices to transplant human stem cells into damaged tissue and encourage automatic growth into replacements suitable for the human skeleton. Soft biomaterials have similarities in mechanical, structural and architectural properties to natural extracellular matrix (ECM), but often lack essential ECM molecules and signals. Here we engineer mineralized polysaccharide beads to transform MSCs into osteogenic cells and osteoid tissue for transplantation. Bone morphogenic proteins (BMP-2) and indispensable ECM proteins both directed differentiation inside alginate beads. Laminin and collagen IV basement membrane matrix proteins fixed and organized MSCs onto the alginate matrix, and BMP-2 drove differentiation, osteoid tissue self-assembly, and small-scale mineralization. Augmentation of alginate is necessary, and we showed that a few rationally selected small proteins from the basement membrane (BM) compartment of the ECM were sufficient to up-regulate cell expression of Runx-2 and osteocalcin for osteoid formation, resulting in Alizarin red-positive mineral nodules. More significantly, nested BMP-2 and BM beads added to a non-union skull defect, self-generated osteoid expressing osteopontin (OPN) and osteocalcin (OCN) in a chain along the defect, at only four weeks, establishing a framework for complete regeneration expected in 6 and 12 weeks. Alginate beads are beneficial surgical devices for transplanting therapeutic cells in programmed (by the ECM components and alginate-chitosan properties) reaction environments ideal for promoting bone tissue.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.397-410
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• 2018

When considering the long-term safety assessment of spent-nuclear fuel management, americium is one of the most radio-toxic actinides. Although spectroscopic methods are widely used for the study of actinide chemistry, application of those methods to americium chemistry has been limited. Herein, we purified $^{241}Am$ to obtain a highly pure stock solution required for spectroscopic studies. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of purified $^{241}Am$ were carried out using liquid scintillation counting, and gamma and alpha radiation spectrometry. Highly sensitive absorption spectrometry coupled with a liquid waveguide capillary cell and time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy were employed for the study of Am(III) hydrolysis and oxalate (Ox) complexation. $Am^{3+}$ ions under acidic conditions exhibit maximum absorbance at 503 nm, with a molar absorption coefficient of $424{\pm}8cm^{-1}{\cdot}M^{-1}$. $Am(OH)_3(s)$ colloidal particles formed under near neutral pH conditions were identified by monitoring the absorbance at around 506-507 nm. The formation of ${Am(Ox)_3}^{3-}$ was detected by red-shifts of the absorption and luminescence spectra of 4 and 5 nm, respectively. In addition, considerable enhancements of the luminescence intensities were observed. The luminescence lifetime of ${Am(Ox)_3}^{3-}$ increased from 23 to 56 ns, which indicates that approximately six water molecules are replaced by carboxylate ligands in the inner-sphere of the Am(III). These results suggest that ${Am(Ox)_3}^{3-}$ is formed through the bidentate coordination of the oxalate ligands.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.141-146
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• 2019

Sparassis crispa is an edible mushroom that is distributed in Korea, Japan, Europe, and North America. It exerts various biological activities such as immunopotentiation, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. Recently, we separated the health functional non-aqueous fraction from the chloroform extract of S. crispa (SCF4). In this study, we evaluated the antiangiogenic activity of SCF4 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). SCF4 effectively inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced cell growth at concentrations ($5-25{\mu}g/mL$) showing no cytotoxic effects. SCF4 inhibited VEGF-induced invasiveness and tube formation ability, which are in vitro angiogenic features of HUVECs, in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, SCF4 markedly suppressed in vivo angiogenesis of chorioallantoic membrane from growing chick embryos without cytotoxicity. Furthermore, SCF4 downregulated the phosphorylation of VEGFR2, AKT, and ERK1/2, which are major angiogenic signal mediators. These results suggest that SCF4 inhibited angiogenesis by suppressing the VEGFR2 signaling pathways without cytotoxicity.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.186-196
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• 2021

In this study, we investigated inhibitory effect of red sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) on triglyceride biosynthesis in Rhodosporidium toruloides. There was no significant difference in the total lipid content of all the experimental groups including 0.02, 0.1 and 0.5% (w/v) of red sweet pepper 70% ethanol extract treatment (RSPE). However, the triglyceride content was significantly decreased in RSPE group campared to the control group. When the formation of lipid droplet in the oleaginous yeast was examined, a small amount of fluorescence was observed compared to the control as the concentration of RSPE increased. The number of cells and free fatty acid increased in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that RSPE has an anti-obesity effect.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.280-286
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• 2021

Oryzalin is a herbicide that disrupts the arrangement of microtubules by binding to tubulin, thereby blocking the anisotropic growth of plant cells. Microtubules and microfilaments are cytoskeleton components that have been implicated in plant growth through their influence on the formation of cell walls. Microtubules also play roles in the sedimentation of amyloplasts in the root tip columella cells; this sedimentation is related to gravity sensing and results in downward root growth in the soil for absorption of water and minerals. However, the orientation of microtubules changes depending on the level of ethylene in plant cells. A recent study reported that oryzalin stimulated ethylene production via 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase and ACC oxidase and caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of root growth and gravitropic responses. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possibility that oryzalin-induced inhibition might be recovered by the application of inhibitors of ethylene production, such as 10-4 M cobalt ions and 10-8 M aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG). The inhibition of root growth and gravitropic response was overcome by 10-20% by an 8 hr treatment with cobalt ions or AVG. These results suggest that ethylene levels could regulate root growth and gravitropic responses in Arabidopsis.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.479-485
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• 2011

Pt-Bi/C catalysts supported on carbon black with various Pt/Bi ratios were synthesized by a reduction method. Chloroplatinic acid hydrate ($H_2PtCl_6{\cdot}xH_2O$) and bismuth (III) nitrate pentahydrate ($Bi(NO_3)_3{\cdot}5H_2O$) were used as precursors for Pt and Bi, respectively. Before loading metal on carbon, heat treatment and pretreatment of carbon black in an acidic solution was conducted to enhance the degree of dispersion. The physical property of the synthesized catalysts was investigated by X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The XRD pattern of untreated Pt-Bi/C catalyst showed BiPt and $Bi_2Pt$ peaks in addition to Pt peaks. These results imply that Bi atoms were incorporated into the Pt crystal lattice by Pt-Bi alloy formation. The catalytic activity for methanol oxidation was measured using cyclic voltammetry in a mixture of 0.5 M $H_2SO_4$ and 0.5 M $CH_3OH$ aqueous solution. The addition of proper amount of Bi was found to significantly improve catalytic activity for methanol oxidation. The catalytic activity for methanol oxidation was closely related to the stability between electrode and electrolyte. In order to investigate the stability of catalysts, chronoamperometry analysis was carried out in the same solution at 0.6 V.