• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.461-474
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• 2020

Background: Ginseng effectively reduces fatigue in both animal models and clinical trials. However, the mechanism of action is not completely understood, and its molecular targets remain largely unknown. Methods: By screening for proteins that interact with the primary components of ginseng (ginsenosides) in an affinity chromatography assay, we have identified muscle-type creatine kinase (CK-MM) as a potential target in skeletal muscle tissues. Results: Biolayer interferometry analysis showed that ginsenoside metabolites, instead of parent ginsenosides, had direct interaction with recombinant human CK-MM. Subsequently, 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD), which is a ginsenoside metabolite and displayed the strongest interaction with CK-MM in the study, was selected as a representative to confirm direct binding and its biological importance. Biolayer interferometry kinetics analysis and isothermal titration calorimetry assay demonstrated that PPD specifically bound to human CK-MM. Moreover, the mutation of key amino acids predicted by molecular docking decreased the affinity between PPD and CK-MM. The direct binding activated CK-MM activity in vitro and in vivo, which increased the levels of tissue phosphocreatine and strengthened the function of the creatine kinase/phosphocreatine system in skeletal muscle, thus buffering cellular ATP, delaying exercise-induced lactate accumulation, and improving exercise performance in mice. Conclusion: Our results suggest a cellular target and an initiating molecular event by which ginseng reduces fatigue. All these findings indicate PPD as a small molecular activator of CK-MM, which can help in further developing better CK-MM activators based on the dammarane-type triterpenoid structure.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.4251-4256
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• 2015

Background: Exposure to cigarette may affect human health and increase risk of a wide range of diseases including pulmonary diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, lung fibrosis and lung cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis induced by cigarettes still remain obscure even with extensive studies. With systemic view, we attempted to identify the specific gene modules that might relate to injury caused by cigarette smoke and identify hub genes for potential therapeutic targets or biomarkers from specific gene modules. Materials and Methods: The dataset GSE18344 was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and divided into mouse cigarette smoke exposure and control groups. Subsequently, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to construct a gene co-expression network for each group and detected specific gene modules of cigarette smoke exposure by comparison. Results: A total of ten specific gene modules were identified only in the cigarette smoke exposure group but not in the control group. Seven hub genes were identified as well, including Fip1l1, Anp32a, Acsl4, Evl, Sdc1, Arap3 and Cd52. Conclusions: Specific gene modules may provide better understanding of molecular mechanisms, and hub genes are potential candidates of therapeutic targets that may possible improve development of novel treatment approaches.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.587-592
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• 2002

A new digital correlator fur an airborne synthetic aperture radiometer was designed in order to replace the conventional analog correlator unit which will become very complicated while the number of channels is increasing. The digital correlator uses digital IQ demodulator instead of the intermediate frequency (IF) phase shifter to make the correlation processing performed digitally at base band instead of analogly at IF. This technique has been applied to the digital receiver in softradio. The down-converted IF signals from each pair of receiver channels become low rate base-band digital signals after under-sampled, Digitally Down-Converted (DDC), decimated and filtered by FIR filters. The digital signals are further processed by two digital multipliers (complex correlation), the products are integrated by the integrators and finally the outputs from the integrators compose of the real part and the imaginary part of a sample of the visibility function. This design is tested by comparing the results from digital correlators and that from analog correlators. They are agreed with each other very well. Due to the fact that the digital correlators are realized with the help of Analog-Digital Converter (ADC) chips and the FPGA technology, the realized volume, mass, power consumption and complexity turned out to be greatly reduced compared with that of the analog correlators. Simulations show that the resolution of ADC has an influence on the synthesized antenna patterns, but this can be neglected if more than 2bit is used.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.855-862
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• 2010

Among the known interferon-induced antiviral mechanisms, the Mx pathway is one of the most powerful pathways. The Mx protein has direct antiviral activity and inhibits a wide range of viruses by blocking an early stage of the viral replication cycle. Cloning, characterization, and expression of Mx in vivo and in vitro have been conducted. The chicken Mx gene spans 21 kb and is made up of 14 exons and 13 introns, of which the promoter region was analyzed. The real-time PCR results showed that Mx expression was increased in chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) after 12- and 24-h induction with polyI: C. Induction of Mx expression by poly I: C in vivo revealed tissue-specific patterns among the chicken tissues tested. A trace expression of Mx was detected in healthy chicken liver tissues from adult chickens without inducement; the expression levels in the liver, heart, and gizzard were higher than in the muscle and kidney. This is the first report to demonstrate the expression of a glutathione-S-transferase-tagged-Mx fusion protein of 75 KDa, as well as the biological activity tested by SDS-PAGE and western blotting.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.52-59
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• 2012

BACKGROUND: Cultivation of genetically modified(GM) crops rapidly has increased in the global agricultural area. Among those, herbicide resistant GM crops are reported to have occupied 89.3 million hectares in 2010. However, cultivation of GM crops in the field evoked the concern of the possibility of gene transfer from transgenic plant into soil microorganisms. In our present study, we have assessed the effects of herbicide-resistant GM Chinese cabbage on the surrounding soil microbial community. METHODS AND RESULTS: The effects of a herbicide-resistant genetically modified (GM) Chinese cabbage on the soil microbial community in its field of growth were assessed using a conventional culture technique and also culture-independent molecular methods. Three replicate field plots were planted with a single GM and four non-GM Chinese cabbages (these included a non-GM counterpart). The soils around these plants were compared using colony counting, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and a species diversity index assessment during the growing periods. The bacterial, fungal and actinomycetes population densities of the GM Chinese cabbage soils were found to be within the range of those of the non-GM Chinese cabbage soils. The DGGE banding patterns of the GM and non-GM soils were also similar, suggesting that the bacterial community structures were stable within a given month and were unaffected by the presence of a GM plant. The similarities of the bacterial species diversity indices were consistent with this finding. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that soil microbial communities are unaffected by the cultivation of herbicide-resistant GM Chinese cabbage within the experimental time frame.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.417-423
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• 2013

Recently, there is the huge interest to promote the export of Korean agro-food to Chinese market. However, small number of papers analyze the Chinese consumer to find the strategy for launching Korean agro-food in Chinese market. The purpose of this paper is to analyze Chinese consumer for Korean agro-food in Chine. Survey analysis was conducted in 4 big city (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Tsingtao) for this research. The results of studies present a few findings: First, many Chinese consumers prefer Korean agro-food. Second, among big cities, Beijing shows the highest level of preference for Korean agro-food, Third, Chinese consumers can pay higher price for Korean agro-food, Fourth, Chinese consumer usually buy small amount of agro-food. Fifth, the image of Korea is also important to promote the exportation of Korean agro-food to Chinese market.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.607-615
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to analyze the characteristics of Chinese foods in main ingredients, sauces, and cooking methods, and to assess the applicability of kochujang in Chinese foods. Twenty Chinese foods and commercial kochujang were selected by a Chinese head cook. The main ingredients were 24 kinds such as pork, chicken, shrimp, bok choy, bean curd, Chinese noodles etc., which were generally used in Korean foods. The main Chinese sauces were 11 kinds, and soy sauce was used in 12 foods, shang loo tau soy sauce in 2, wine in 8, oyster sauce in 7, rice wine in 6. The classification of cooking units in all Chinese foods was performed and the cooking frequency was deep frying>pan frying>boiling>stir frying>steaming>roasting. The proper amount of kochujang (weight ratio) was decided by pre-test of the Chinese head cook and Chinese food added kochujang was assessed by a Chinese focus group. The overall preference of Chinese food added kochujang was assessed highly and was related to the kinds of sauces, and to the kinds of main ingredients. The foods which used soy sauce or shang loa tau soy sauce were preferred. Sweetness by using kochujang wasn't preferred in several foods. Saltiness and aftertaste by using kochujang didn't affect the food preference, and the intensity of color and pungency were evaluated as a moderate level. An increased amount of kochujang would be possible in several foods. However, the increase in the amount of kochujang for intensive color and pungency in Chinese foods was directly related to the increase of sweetness, which had been discussed as the main problem in lowering the preference. Therefore, the screening of various Chinese foods harmonized with kochujang and the determination of the proper mixing ratio with Chinese sauces are very important. The results of this study could be used as basic data for the promotion of kochujang consumption in the Chinese market.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 1994.02a
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• pp.10-10
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• 1994

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.1287-1288
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• 2003

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.145-147
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• 2022