• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.73-78
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• 2003

The Fontan operation has undergone a number of major modifications and clinical results have been improving over time. Nevertheless, during the follow-up period, life-threatening complications develop and affect the long-term outcomes. Surgical interventions for these complications are needed and are increasing. Material and Method: From April 1988 to January 2000, 16 patients underwent reoperations for complications after Fontan operation. The mean age at reoperation was 8.8 :-5.5 years. Initial Fontan operations were atriopulmonary connections in 8 and total cavopulmonary connections in 8. Total cavopulmonary connections were accomplished with intracardiac lateral tunnel in 5 and extracardiac epicardial lateral tunnel in 3. Five patients had variable sized fenestrations. The reasons for reoperations included residual shunt in 6, pulmonary venous obstruction in 3, atrial flutter in 3, atrioventricular valve regurgitation in 2, Fontan pathway stenosis in 1, and protein-losing enteropathy in 1 Result: There were 3 early and late deaths respectively Patients who had residual shunts underwent primary closure of shunt site (n=2), atrial reseptation for separation between systemic and pulmonary vein (n=2), conversion to lateral tunnel (n=1), and conversion to one and a half ventricular repair (n=1). Four patients who had stenotic lesion of pulmonary vein or Fontan pathway underwent widening of the lesion (n=3) and left pneumonectomy (n=1) In cases of atrial flutter, conversion to lateral tunnel after revision of atriopulmonary connections was performed (n=3). For the atrioventricular valve regurgitation (n=2), we performed a replacement with mechanical valve. In one patient who had developed protein-losing enteropathy, aorto-pulmonary collateral arteries were obliterated via thoracotomy. Cryoablation was performed concomitantly in 4 patients as an additional treatment modality of atrial arrhythmia. Conclusion: Complications after Fontan operation are difficult to manage and have a considerable morbidity and mortality. However, more accurate understanding of Fontan physiology and technical advancement increased the possibility of treatment for such complications as well as Fontan operation itself. Appropriate surgical treatment for these patients relieved the symptoms and improved the functional class, Although the results were not satisfactory enough in all patients.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 1967

The metabolic patterns of C-1 and C-6-carbon atoms of glucose were observed in the tissue homogenates of the Ehrlich ascites tumor tissue which was incubated for 3 hours in the Dubnuff metabolic shaking incubator. $C^{14}-1-and\;C^{14}-6-glucose$ were used as tracers. The glucose media in which tissue homogenate was incubated was kept at a concentration of 200mg% glucose of carrier and appropriate amount of $C^{14}-1-or\;C^{14}-6-tracer$. At the end of 3 hour incubation, respiratory $CO_2$ samples trapped by alkaline which is placed in the tenter well of incubation flask were analyzed for the total $CO_2$ production rates and their radioactivities. The tissue homogenate samples after incubation were analyzed for their concentrations of glucose, lactate, pyruvate and glycogen and calculations were made on the glucose consumption rate, pyruvate and lactate accumulation rates. The following results were obtained. Data obtained in each group are as follows: 1. In the tissue homogenate, which was incubated with $C^{14}-1-glucose as a substrate, total $CO_2$ production rate averaged $19.0{\pm}5.0{\mu}M/hr/gm$ and the mean specific activity of respiratory $CO_2$ was $840{\pm}296\;cpm/mgC.$ Relative specific activity (RSA) which means the fraction of $CO_2$ derived from medium $C^{14}-1-glucose$ to total $CO_2$ production rate was calculated by ratio of SA of respiratory $CO_2$ and medium $C^{14}-1-glucose.$ RSA was $14.3{\pm}5.0%,$ Accordingly actual $CO_2$ production rate from medium $C^{14}-1-glucose$ showed a mean value of $2.79{\pm}1.35\;{\mu}m$ of which amount was equivalent to the mean value of total glucose consumption rate $(RGDco_2)$, namely, $5.1{\pm}1.3%.$ Lactate and pyruvate appearance rates averaged $7.13{\pm}1.26\;and\;0.21{\pm}0.02{\mu}M/hr/gm,$ respectively. Assuming that these 3 carbon compounds appeared in the medium were derived from glucose, calculations were made that relative glucose disappearance rate into lactate $(RGD_L)$ was $38.0{\pm}5.4%\;and\;RGD_P$ was $1.23{\pm}0.03%.$ Therefore, about 43.3% of the total glucose consumed were accounted for by conversion into the respiratory $CO_2$, lactate and pyruvate. 2. In the second group, which was incubated with $C^{14}-1-glucose$ as a substrate, glucose consumption rate, lactate and pyruvate appearance rates showed almost the same order as the values of the $C^{14}-1-glucose$ substrate group. However, RSA was remarkably decreased showing a mean value of $1.02{\pm}0.13%.$ This fact means that the C-6 carbon of glucose take the minor part in the oxidative metabolism of glucose. The glycogen level in both substrate tissue homogenate showed less than 0.3% of tissue weight. These low value suggested that there was an inhibition of carbohydrate synthesis in the Ehrlich ascites tumor tissue. 3. The catabolic pathway of glucose in the tumor tissue were analyzed on the basis of Bloom's principle from the values of RSA. It was found that in the tumor tissue more than 90% of $CO_2$ derived from glucose were oxidized via the alternate pathway other than principal EMP-TCA cycle such as hexose monophosphate pathway (HMP). From the data described above, it was assumed that in the Ehrlich tumor tissue anaerobic glycolysis proceeds normally although, the oxidation of products of anaerobic glycolysis via the TCA cycle is inhibited resulting in the accumulation of lactate and almost all of oxidative energy from glucose is released by oxidative pathway such as HMP.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 1998

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGR) catalyzes the conversion of HMG-CoA to mevalonic acid, the first intermediate of isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway in plants. The enzyme was solubilized with 0.4% Brij (polyoxyethylene ether) W-1 from a microsomal fraction of etiolated rice seedlings (Oryza sativa L.) in which its maximal activity was observed on the fourth day after germination. HMGR was purified to near homogeneity by employing $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ fractionation plus chromatographic procedures including DEAE-Sephadex A-50 and HMG-CoA-hexane-agarose affinity column. The size of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 55 kDa when judged by SDS-PAGE analysis with silver staining method. The apparent $K_m$ and $V_{max}$ values for HMG-CoA were determined to be $180\;{\mu}M$ and 107 pmol/min/mg, and those for NADPH were $810\;{\mu}M$ and 32.1 pmol/min/mg, respectively.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.337-346
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• 2023

Background: Ginsenoside Rb2, a major active component of Panax ginseng, has various physiological activities, including anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the mechanisms underlying the rejuvenation effect of Rb2 in human skin cells have not been elucidated. Methods: We performed a senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining assay to confirm cellular senescence in human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). The regulatory effects of Rb2 on autophagy were evaluated by analyzing the expression of autophagy marker proteins, such as microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain (LC) 3 and p62, using immunoblotting. Autophagosome and autolysosome formation was monitored using transmission electron microscopy. Autophagic flux was analyzed using tandem-labeled GFP-RFP-LC3, and lysosomal function was assessed with Lysotracker. We performed RNA sequencing to identify potential target genes related to HDF rejuvenation mediated by Rb2. To verify the functions of the target genes, we silenced them using shRNAs. Results: Rb2 decreased β-galactosidase activity and altered the expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins in senescent HDFs. Rb2 markedly induced the conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II and LC3 puncta. Moreover, Rb2 increased lysosomal function and red puncta in tandem-labeled GFP-RFP-LC3, which indicate that Rb2 promoted autophagic flux. RNA sequencing data showed that the expression of DNA damage-regulated autophagy modulator 2 (DRAM2) was induced by Rb2. In autophagy signaling, Rb2 activated the AMPK-ULK1 pathway and inactivated mTOR. DRAM2 knockdown inhibited autophagy and Rb2-restored cellular senescence. Conclusion: Rb2 reverses cellular senescence by activating autophagy via the AMPK-mTOR pathway and induction of DRAM2, suggesting that Rb2 might have potential value as an antiaging agent.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.657-663
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• 1998

The enzyme responsible for the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) from L-arginine in mammalian tissues is known as nitric oxide synthase (NOS) (EC.1.14.13.39). In the present study, the role of NO in the regulation of exocrine secretion was investigated in rat pancreatic acinar cells. Treatment of rat pancreatic acinar cells with cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK-OP) resulted in an increase in the arginine conversion to citrulline, the amount of $NO_X$, the release of amylase, and the level of CGMP. Especially, CCK-OP-stimulated increase of arginine to citrulline transformation, the amount of $NO_X$, and CGMP level were completely counteracted by the inhibitor of NOS, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (MMA), by contrast, that of amylase release was partially reduced. Furthermore, MMA-induced decrease of NOS activity and amylase release showed dose-dependent pattern. The data on the time course of CCK-OP-induced citrulline formation and CGMP rise indicate that NOS and guanylate cyclase were activated by treatment of CCK-OP. However, the mechanism of agonist-stimulated guanylate cyclase activation in acinar cells remains unknown. Therefore, activation of NOS is one of the early events in receptor-mediated cascade of reactions in pancreatic acinar cells and NO, not completely, but partially mediate pancreatic enzyme exocrine secretion.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.90.1-90.1
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• 2010

Due to the rapidly diminishing energy sources and higher energy production cost, the interest in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) has been increasing dramatically in recent years. A typical DSSC is constructed of wide band gap semiconductor electrode such as $TiO_2$ or ZnO that are anchored by light-harvesting sensitizer dyes and surrounded by a liquid electrolyte with a iodide ion/triiodide ion redox couple. DSSCs based on one-dimensional nano-structures, such as ZnO nanorods, have been recently attracting increasing attention due to their excellent electrical conductivity, high optical transmittance, diverse and abundant configurations, direct band gap, absence of toxicity, large exiton binding energy, etc. However, solar-to-electrical conversion performances of DSSCs composed of ZnO n-type photo electrode compared with that of $TiO_2$ are not satisfactory. An important reason for the low photovoltaic performance is the dissolution of $Zn^{2+}$ by the adsorption of acidic dye followed by the formation of agglomerates with dye molecules which could block the I-diffusion pathway into the dye molecule on the ZnO surface. In this paper, we prepared the DSSC with the ZnO electrode using the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method under low temperature condition (< $100^{\circ}C$). It was demonstrated that the ZnO seed layers played an important role on the formation of the ZnO nanostructures using CBD. To achieve truly low-temperature growth of the ZnO nanostructures on the substrates, a two-step method was developed and optimized in the present work. Firstly, ZnO seed layer was prepared on the FTO substrate through the spin-coating method. Secondly, the deposited ZnO seed substrate was immersed into an aqueous solution of 0.25M zinc nitrate hexahydrate and 0.25M hexamethylenetetramine at $90^{\circ}C$ for hydrothermal reaction several times.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2016

Background: It is very difficult to set a regulatory guidance or criteria for the protection of non-human species from the ionizing radiation, because there are no generally or internationally accepted methods for demonstrating the compliance with such criteria. It is needed that Korea develop the primary dose rate standards for the protection of both aquatic and terrestrial biota in the near future. Materials and Methods: The potential dose rates due to both external and internal radiation exposures to marine organisms such as plaice/flounder, gray mullet, and brown seaweed collected within territorial seas around the Korean Peninsula were estimated. Results and Discussion: The total dose rates to plaice/flounder, gray mullet and brown seaweed due to $^{40}K$, a primordial radionuclide in marine environment, were found to be 0.2%, 0.08% and 0.3% of approximately the values of the Derived Consideration Reference Levels (DCRLs, i.e. $1-10mGy{\cdot}d^{-1}$), respectively, as suggested by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) publication 124. The total dose rates to marine fishes and brown seaweed due to anthropogenic radionuclides such as $^{90}Sr$, $^{137}Cs$ and $^{239+240}Pu$ were considered to be negligible compared to the total dose rate due to $^{40}K$. The external exposure to benthic fish due to all radionuclides was much higher than that of pelagic fish. Conclusion: From this study, it is recommended that the further study is required to develop a national regulatory guidance for the evaluation of doses to non-human species.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.344-351
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• 2011

Ginsenoside $Rb_1$ is the main component in ginsenosides. It is a protopanaxadiol-type ginsenoside that has a dammarane-type triterpenoid as an aglycone. In this study, ginsenoside $Rb_1$ was transformed into gypenoside XVII, ginsenoside Rd, ginsenoside $F_2$ and compound K by glycosidase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides DC102. The optimum time for the conversion was about 72 h at a constant pH of 6.0 to 8.0 and the optimum temperature was about $30^{\circ}C$. Under optimal conditions, ginsenoside $Rb_1$ was decomposed and converted into compound K by 72 h post-reaction (99%). The enzymatic reaction was analyzed by highperformance liquid chromatography, suggesting the transformation pathway: ginsenoside $Rb_1$ ${\rightarrow}$ gypenoside XVII and ginsenoside Rd${\rightarrow}$ginsenoside $F_2{\rightarrow}$compound K.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.394-399
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• 2009

Aldose reductase (AR) is a critical enzyme in the development of the diabetic complications. AR, the first enzyme in the polyol pathway, catalyzes the reduction of the aldehyde form of glucose to sorbitol with concomitant conversion of NADPH to $NADP^+$. None of aldose reductase inhibitor (ARI) has achieved worldwide use because of limited efficacy or undesirable side effects. Therefore, evaluating natural sources for ARI potential may lead to the development of safer and more effective agents against diabetic complications. Forty eight Chinese herbal medicines have been investigated for inhibitory activities on AR. Among them, seven herbal medicines, Buddleja officinalis (whole plant), Lonicera japonica (leaf and flower), Polygonum aviculare (aerial part), Polygonum aviculare (whole plant), Salvia miltiorrhiza (root), Schisandra chinensis (stem), and Zanthoxylum armatum (leaf and stem) exhibited a significant inhibitory activity against AR. Particularly, L. japonica and P. aviculare showed two times more potent inhibitory activity than the positive control, 3,3-tetramethyleneglutaric acid (TMG).

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.101-109
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• 2010

Efficient L-lactic acid production from Jerusalem artichoke tubers, by Lactobacillus casei G-02, using simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) in a fed-batch culture, is demonstrated. A kinetic analysis of the SSF revealed that the inulinase activity was subjected to product inhibition, whereas the fermentation activity of G-02 was subjected to substrate inhibition. It was also found that the intracellular NADH oxidase (NOX) activity was enhanced by the citrate metabolism, which dramatically increased the carbon flux of the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas (EMP) pathway, along with the production of ATP. As a result, when the SSF was carried out at $40^{\circ}C$ after an initial hydrolysis of 1 h and included a sodium citrate supplement of 10 g/l, an L-lactic acid concentration of 141.5 g/l was obtained after 30 h, with a volumetric productivity of 4.7 g/l/h. The conversion efficiency and product yield were 93.6% of the theoretical lactic acid yield and 52.4 g lactic acid/l00 g Jerusalem artichoke flour, respectively. Such a high concentration of lactic acid with a high productivity from Jerusalem artichokes has not been reported previously, making G-02 a potential candidate for the economic production of L-lactic acid from Jerusalem artichokes on a commercial scale.