• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.18
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• pp.7505-7513
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• 2014

Several toxic substances have been detected in plants which are responsible for animal and human diseases. Bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) is one example, widely distributed in many parts of the world. It is known to cause cancer in humans and other animals. In fact, man can be directly or indirectly exposed to the danger by consuming fern, contaminated water, milk, meat, and spore inhalation. Experimental studies have shown an association between bracken exposure and gastric cancer, and research has shown genotoxic and cytotoxic effects in vitro. This paper describes and reviews toxic, carcinogenic, genotoxic/cytotoxic, and immunomodulatory effects of bracken and included possible toxic agents. The chemistry of Ptaquiloside (PT) reactions is emphasized, along with bracken problems in livestock, possible pathways of exposure in man, and control for human health.

• Mycobiology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2013

Msi1-like (MSIL) proteins, which are eukaryote-specific and contain a series of WD40 repeats, have pleiotropic roles in chromatin assembly, DNA damage repair, and regulation of nutrient/stress-sensing signaling pathways. In the fungal kingdom, the functions of MSIL proteins have been studied most intensively in the budding yeast model Saccharomyces cerevisiae, an ascomycete. Yet their functions are largely unknown in other fungi. Recently, an MSIL protein, Msl1, was discovered and functionally characterized in the pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans, a basidiomycete. Interestingly, MSIL proteins appear to have redundant and unique roles in both fungi, suggesting that MSIL proteins may have evolutionarily divergent roles in different parts of the fungal kingdom. In this review, we will describe the current findings regarding the role of MSIL proteins in fungi and discuss future directions for research on this topic.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.145-152
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• 2001

Dried parts of the herb medicines are difficult to distinguish morphologically. Heracleum moellendorffii cordata has often been sold instead of Aralia cordata in herbal medicine markets. Therefore, this study was conducted to develop the key for discrimination between them using the RAPD analysis and morphological characteristics. Thirty decarmer oligonucleotide primers were screened for the RAPD analysis, and four primers generated distinct RAPD markers specific to Aralia cordata, Angelica pubescens maxim f. biserrata, and Heracleum moellendorffii. The specific RAPD patterns generated by the selected primers were reproducible from dried materials. In comparison of morphological characteristics, Aralia cordata seems to be entirely developed in xylem fiber, but not developed in pith.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.6-9
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• 2010

In continuing our search for biologically active compounds from Korean Compositae medicinal plants, we investigated the constituents of the aerial parts of Lactuca indica L. and isolated a phenylpropanoid derivative from its MeOH extract. The chemical structure was characterized by spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D NMR to be di-E-caffeoyl-meso-tartaric acid (1). Compound 1 was isolated for the first time from this plant. In this paper, we suggest that the NMR assignment at C-2 of (+)-taraxafolin-B should be corrected. In the human HBV-transfected liver cell line HepG2.2.15, the compound 1 effectively reduced HBV DNA level in the release of mature HBV particles from HepG2.2.15 cultivation.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.38-44
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• 2021

Xylella fastidiosa is the most damaging pathogen in many parts of the world. To increase diagnostic capability of X. fastidiosa in the field, the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay were developed to mqsA gene of citrate-synthase (XF 1535) X. fastidiosa and evaluated for specificity and sensitivity. Both assays were more robust than current published tests for detection of X. fastidiosa when screened against 16 isolates representing the four major subgroups of the bacterium from a range of host species. No cross reaction with DNA from healthy hosts or other species of bacteria has been observed. The LAMP and PCR assays could detect 10-4 pmol and 100 copies of the gene, respectively. Hydroxynaphthol blue was evaluated as an endpoint detection method for LAMP. There was a significant color shift that signaled the existence of the bacterium when at least 100 copies of the target template were present.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.246-250
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• 2017

Sclerotium rot was observed on mungbean (Phaseolus radiatus L.) plants cultivated in the exhibition field of Gyeongsangnam-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services in September 2015. The progression of rot was initially observed as water-soaked lesions on several parts of the affected plant. Severely infected plants were blighted and eventually died. White mycelial mats spread over the lesions and numerous sclerotia formed on stems near the soil line. The sclerotia were globoid in shape, 1~3 mm in size, and white to brown in color. The optimum temperature for mycelial growth and sclerotia formation on potato dextrose agar (PDA) was $30^{\circ}C$ and the hyphal width was $4{\sim}8{\mu}m$. Typical clamp connections were observed on the hyphae of fungus grown on PDA. For molecular identification, the complete internal transcribed spacer (ITS) ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of the causal fungus was sequenced and analyzed. Based on the mycological characteristics, ITS rDNA sequence analysis, and pathogenicity to host plants, the fungus was identified as Sclerotium rolfsii. This is the first report of Sclerotium rot on mungbean caused by S. rolfsii in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.190-197
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• 2011

Background and Objective : Radiation resistance(RR) is one of main determinants of treatment outcome in oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC), but accurate prediction of RR is difficult. We aim to establish RR OSCC cell lines and identify genes related with RR by a measurement of altered gene expression after inducing RR. Material and Methods : OSCC cell lines, SCC15, SCC25 and QLL1, were treated with 2Gy radiation per session, and parts of them were alive in finally accumulated dosage of 60Gy through 30 times repetition of radiotherapy for inducing RR cell lines. We compared results of cDNA array and proteomics in non-radiated cell lines and RR cell lines to detect changes of gene expression. Western blot was used for the validation of results. Results : cDNA array revealed 265 commonly up-regulated genes and 268 commonly down-regulated genes in 3 RR cell lines comparing their non-radiated counterpart. Among them, 30 cancer related genes were obtained. Proteomics showed 51 commonly altered protein expressions in 3 RR cell lines and 18 cancer related proteins were obtained. Among the detected genes, we found NM23-H1 and PA2G4 were over-expressed in both cDNA array and proteomics. Western blot showed increased expression of NME1 in RR cell lines but not in PA2G4. Conclusion: We concluded that NM23-H1 may be a candidate of RR related gene and over-expression of NM23-H1 could be a biomarker to predict RR in OSCC.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.10
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• pp.1229-1234
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• 2007

Antioxidant activities of extracts from anglerfish (Lophiiu Zitulon) were evaluated. Each part of fresh (skin, flesh, stomach, and liver) or dried (skin and flesh) anglerfish was extracted by four different solvents (methanol, ethanol, acetone, and distilled water). Antioxidant activities of the extracts were determined by radical scavenging activity (RSA) and reducing power (RP). Relatively higher RSA and RP were found in methanol and water extract of fresh anglerfish liver. Antigenotoxic effect of the extracts, which was measured by Comet assay, was shown in most of the extracts except methanol, acetone and distilled water extracts of fresh stomach sample. These results indicated that antioxidant and antigenotoxic properties of extracts from angler fish were variable depending on parts, solvent, and/or physicochemical state. The appropriate extraction process could provide some valuable bioactive materials from anglerfish.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.967-972
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• 2018

The genus Chattonella belonging to the class raphidophyceae, is a harmful algal bloom species. Recently, its occurrence has been increasing and expanding along the Korean coast. Species identification of the genus Chattonella only by morphological observation is difficult due to the lack of rigid cell walls. In this study, the morphological characteristics and genetic affinity of Chattonella sp. isolated from Deungnyang Bay in 2017 were examined. We carried out single-cell isolation from field samples then sequenced three different areas using the single-cell PCR method: 1) parts of ribosomal operon, the large subunit (LSU) of the rDNA, 2) the chloroplast-encoded subunit psaA of Photosystem I, and 3) rbcL encoding the large subunit of the Rubisco gene. The cells were morphologically very similar to the general genus Chattonella ($74.0{\pm}10.1{\mu}m$ in length, $33.1{\pm}3.6{\mu}m$ in width). The three partial gene sequences were insufficient to justify distinction at the species rank. However, they clustered at 99-100 % sequence similarity with C. marina, C. marina var. antiqua and C. marina var. ovata.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.5287-5291
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• 2013

The human papilloma virus (HPV) causes skin and mucous membrane infections. It crosses from one person to another by skin-to-skin contact, such as sexual contact. There are more than 100 types of HPV that can influence different parts of the body. Some types of HPV can cause cancer (such as cervical or anal cancer) and others can cause warts (such as genital or plantar warts). HPV infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Iran and around the world. Considerable molecular evidence suggests a role for human papilloma virus (HPV) in the pathogenesis of carcinoma. Epidemiological studies on human papilloma viruses (HPVs) infections in general population are critical for the performing of health policy guidelines for developing the strategies to hinder the primary and secondary different cancer. In different parts of Iran, there is a lack of population-based studies to determine the prevalence of HPV in the general population. The aim of this population-based study was therefore to report the prevalence ratse of HPV types among Iranian patients. To study the risk of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection, we managed a retrospective study in Kerman province, southeast of Iran. For this purpose, 410 patients tested for the presence of HPV DNA using PCR and INNo-Lipa assays. HPV DNA was detected in 108 out of 410 patients (26.34%), while it was not detected in any of the control group samples. Patients included 23 (21.1%) males and 86 (78.8%) females. HPV type 6 was the most common (49%) followed by HPV type 16 (10.1%), and also HPV type11 (9.2%). The prevalence of HPV in Iran is comparable to those reported in other regions of the world. In a similar manner, it seems that HPV types 6, 16 and11 are the most common types in Kerman. Additional studies on larger group of patients, particularly in those with pre-invasive forms of disease, are needed to explain the roles of different HPV types in this location of Iran.