• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.211-226
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• 2008

Objectives : This research was performed to investigate the effects of Fructus Hordei Germiniatus-herbal acupuncture(HA; herbal acupuncture) at acupoint Jung-wan($CV_{12}$) on weight gain, food consumption, food efficiency, serum of lipid concentrations and liver function of rats fed high fat diet for 7weeks. Methods : Experimental groups were divided into high fat diet group(Control), high fat diet and saline injection at acupoint $CV_{12}$ treated group(Saline), high fat diet and Fructus Hordei Germiniatus-HA at acupoint $CV_{12}$ treated groups. According to HA concentration, HA groups were classified into 4 groups ; HA-1($0.108mg/g/m{\ell}$), HA-2($0.054mg/g/m{\ell}$), HA-3($0.022mg/g/m{\ell}$), HA-4($0.011mg/g/m{\ell}$). HA was treated at $20{\mu}{\ell}$ per 4days, total 12times in 49days. Results : 1. Body weight per week was significantly decreased in HA-1, HA-2, HA-3 and HA-4 And body weight per day was significantly decreased in HA-3. 2. Food consumption per week was significantly decreased in HA-1, HA-2, HA-3 and HA-4. 3. Food efficiency per week was significantly decreased in HA-2, HA-3 and HA-4 And food efficiency per day was significantly decreased in HA-3. 4. The level of serum total cholesterol was significantly decreased in HA-1 and HA-3 And the level of serum HDL-cholesterol was significantly decreased in HA-1. 5. The level of serum triglyceride was significantly decreased in HA-1, HA-2, HA-3 and HA-4. And the level of serum total bilirubin was significantly decreased in HA-1and HA-2. 6. The level of serum AST was significantly decreased in HA-2 and HA-3 And the level of serum ALT, r-GTP were significantly decreased in HA-2. Conclusions : According to the above results, Fructus Hordei Germiniatus-HA at acupoint $CV_{12}$ can control body weight, food consumption, food efficiency, serum lipid concentrations and liver function. Asthe same time this kind of Fructus Hordei Germiniatus-HA does not seem to be injurious on liver function. To use Fructus Hordei Germiniatus-HA for obesity, further studies about their underlying mechanism may be needed.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.209-218
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• 1996

Acetylcholine (ACh) activates the inwardly rectifying muscarinic $K^{+}$ channel in rat atrial cells via pertussis toxin (PTX)-sensitive G-protein ($G_k$) coupled with the muscarinic receptor (mAChR). Although this $K^{+}\;(K_{ACh})$ channel function has reported to be modulated by the phosphorylation process, a kinase and phosphatase involved in these processes are still unclear. Since either PKA or PKC was not effective on this ATP-modulation, the present study examined the possible involvement of the protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) and protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) in the function of the $K_{ACh}$ Channel. In the inside-out (I/O) patch preparation excised from the adult rat atrial cell, when activated by 10 ${\mu}M$ ACh in the pipette and 100 ${\mu}M$ GTP in the bath, the mean open time (${\tau}_{o}$) and the channel activity ($K_{ACh}$) was 1.13 ms (n=5) and 0.19 (n=6), respectively. Following the application of 1 mM ATP into the bath, ${\tau}_{o}$ increased by 34% (1.54 ms, n=5) and $K_{ACh}$ by 66% (0.28, n=6). Channel function elevated by ATP was lasted after washout of ATP. However, this ATP-induced increase in the $K_{ACh}$ channel function did not occur in pretreated cells with genistein ($50{\sim}100 {\mu}M$), a selective PTK inhibitor, but occurred in pretreated cells with equimolar daidzein, a negative control of the genistein. On the contrary, PTP which acts on tyrosine residue conversely reversed both ATP-induced increased ${\tau}_{o}$ by 32% (1.20 ms, n=3) and $K_{ACh}$ by 41% (0.15, n=3), respectively. Taken together, these results suggest that $K_{ACh}$ channel may, at least partly, be regulated by the tyrosyl phosphorylation, although it is unclear where this process exerts on the muscarinic signal transduction pathway comprising the mAChR-$G_{k}$-the $K_{ACh}$ channel.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.863-870
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• 2012

Rhodopsin, a dim light photoreceptor, has been regarded as one of the model systems for the structural and functional study of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Constitutively active mutant GPCRs leading to the activation of heterotrimeric GDP/GTP-binding protein signaling in the absence of ligand binding are of interest for the study of the activation mechanism in GPCRs. The present study focused on the opsin mutant E134Q/M257Y, which showed a moderate level of constitutive activity and the formation of two distinct rhodopsin chromophores with absorption maxima of 500 nm and 380 nm, depending on the presence of an inverse agonist, 11-cis-retinal, and an agonist, all-trans-retinal, respectively. Reconstitution of the mutant rhodopsin upon incubation with different ratios of 11-cis-retinal and the all-trans-retinal, as well as upon sequential binding of the two retinals, indicated its preferential binding to 11-cis-retinal. The thermal stability of the 11-cis-retinal-bound form of the E134Q/M257Y mutant was lower than that of the mutants containing a single replacement but higher than that of the all-trans-retinal-bound forms. The mutant also showed a lower stability in its opsin state as compared with that of the wild-type opsin but had little effects on the binding affinity to 11-cis-retinal. Information obtained in this study will be helpful for analyzing the structural changes associated with the activation of rhodopsin and GPCRs.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.21-24
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• 1998

RAPD markers were analyzed in order to detect the genetic variation and diversity of the fifty-two melon lines. SDS extraction method produced more and purer DNA than CTAB method. RAPD reaction conditions were optimized as follows ; 10ng template DNA, 270nM primer, $200{\mu}M$ each of dATP, dCTP, dGTP and dTTP, $0.3{\mu}unit$ dynazyme and 10x buffer brought to $15{\mu}l$ final volume with distilled water. The adequate annealing temperature was $39^{\circ}C$ and forty cycles of amplification produced the best RAPD band patterns. Among a total of 123 bands from 12 random primers, 25 polymorphic bands(20%) were selected as reliable markers. The average number of polymorphic bands per primer was 2.1 among the 52 lines. Intragroup genetic relationship based on the marker difference was closer than intergroup genetic relationship. The 52 lines could be grouped into two major group (Korean landraces and melon lines) and then melon group subdivided into two subgroups (net melon lines and no-net melon). This result corresponded to morphological grouping. Eight RAPD markers separated the Korean landraces and melon groups and four RAPD markers separated net melon and no-net melon groups.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.287-297
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• 2001

Contraction of smooth muscle is initiated by an increase in cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ leading to activation of $Ca^{2+}$/ calmodulin-dependnet myosin light chain (MLC) kinase and phosphorylation of MLC. The types of contraction and signaling mechanisms mediating contraction differ depending on the region. The involvement of these different mechanisms varies depending on the source of $Ca^{2+}$ and the kinetic of $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization. $Ca^{2+}$ mobilizing agonists stimulate different phospholipases $(PLC-{\beta},\;PLD\;and\;PLA_2)$ to generate one or more $Ca^{2+}$ mobilizing messengers $(IP_3\;and\;AA),$ and diacylglycerol (DAG), an activator of protein kinase C (PKC). The relative contributions of $PLC-{\beta},\;PLA_2$ and PLD to generate second messengers vary greatly between cells and types of contraction. In smooth muscle cell derived form the circular muscle layer of the intestine, preferential hydrolysis of $PIP_2$ and generation of $IP_3$ and $IP_3-dependent\;Ca^{2+}$ release initiate the contraction. In smooth muscle cells derived from longitudinal muscle layer of the intestine, preferential hydrolysis of PC by PLA2, generation of AA and AA-mediated $Ca^{2+}$ influx, cADP ribose formation and $Ca^{2+}-induced\;Ca^{2+}$ release initiate the contraction. Sustained contraction, however, in both cell types is mediated by $Ca^{2+}-independent$ mechanism involving activation of $PKC-{\varepsilon}$ by DAG derived form PLD. A functional linkage between $G_{13},$ RhoA, ROCK, $PKC-{\varepsilon},$ CPI-17 and MLC phosphorylation in sustained contraction has been implicated. Contraction of normal esophageal circular muscle (ESO) in response to acetylcholine (ACh) is linked to $M_2$ muscarinic receptors activating at least three intracellular phospholipases, i.e. phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC), phospholipase D (PLD) and the high molecular weight (85 kDa) cytosolic phospholipase $A_2\;(cPLA_2)$ to induce phosphatidylcholine (PC) metabolism, production of diacylglycerol (DAG) and arachidonic acid (AA), resulting in activation of a protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent pathway. In contrast, lower esophageal sphincter (LES) contraction induced by maximally effective doses of ACh is mediated by muscarinic $M_3$ receptors, linked to pertussis toxin-insensitive GTP-binding proteins of the $G_{q/11}$ type. They activate phospholipase C, which hydrolyzes phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate $(PIP_2),$ producing inositol 1, 4, 5-trisphosphate $(IP_3)$ and DAG. $IP_3$ causes release of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ and formation of a $Ca^{2+}$-calmodulin complex, resulting in activation of myosin light chain kinase and contraction through a calmodulin-dependent pathway.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.210-216
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• 2007

Cosmetic products including skin and essence were manufactured to analyze the effect of green tea polyphenols addition. In addition, irradiation was applied to remove an undesirable color of green tea polyphenol(GTP), which may cause a problem in the marketing, of a final product; moreover, comparative studies were conducted with the cosmetic products on whether or not antiseptics were treated to verify its use for the development of non-antiseptic cosmetic products. Growth inhibition zones were shown in the microbial study except for Candida albicans. The minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC) of E. coli and C. albicans was 2,500 ppm but that of S. aureus was 1,000 ppm. The numbers of E. coli and S. aureus were reduced to undetected levels when 10,000 and 5,000 ppm of polyphenol were added, respectively. Results indicate that the addition of irradiated green tea polyphenol provides a good method to manufacture functional cosmetics including skin and essence with various biological activities such as antimicrobial activity without antiseptics.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.181-190
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• 1994

Endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) activates guanylate cyclase which mediates the formation of cGMP from GTP in vascular smooth muscle. It is well known that endothelium-dependent relaxation is impaired in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). However, it is still unknown whether the impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation in SHR results from the reduced release of EDRF or from the decrease of vascular response to EDRF. We investigated the effects of cGMP on the contractility and Ca movement in the aorta of SHR and Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). The amplitude of the endothelium-dependent relaxation to actylcholine (ACh) was significantly less in SHR than in WKY. L-arginine $(10^{-3}M)$ did not increase endothelium-dependent relaxation in both strains. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP), an activator of guanylate cyclase, relaxed the 40 mM $K^+-induced$ contraction in a dose-dependent manner $(10^{-10}{\sim}10^{-6}\;M)$ in the endothelium-rubbed aortic strips of both strains. However, there was no significant difference in these relaxations between WKY and SHR. 8-bromo-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (8-Br-cGMP), a cell membrane-permeable derivative of cGMP relaxed the 40 mM $K^+-induced$ contraction in a dose-dependent manner $(10^{-6}{\sim}10^{-4}\;M)$ in the endothelium-rubbed aortic strips of both strains. Also norepinephrine $(10^{-6}\;M)-induced$ contractions in normal and Ca-free Tyrode's solution were suppressed by the pretreatment with 8-Br-cGMP $(10^{-4}\;M)$ in either strain. However, the amplitudes of suppression induced by 8-Br-cGMP were greater in SHR than that in WKY. Basal $^{45}Ca$ uptake and 40mM $K^+-stimulated\;^{45}Ca$ uptake were not suppressed by pretreatment with 8-Br-cGMP $(10^{-4}\;M)$ in single aortic smooth muscle cells of both SHR and WKY. From the above results, it is suggested that cGMP decreases Ca sensitivity in vascular smooth muscle cells and that the impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation in the aortic strips of SHR is not the result of a reduced vascular response to EDRF.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.10 no.7
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• pp.268-275
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• 2010

Coronary artery calcium scores(CACS) has been used as surrogate marker for coronary atherosclerosis. We evaluated 1042 patients who visited the Department of Health Promotion Center in Chonnam National University Hospital and had a test of the CACS from January 2006, to December 2008. This study was performed to evaluate the relation of the CACS with Cadiovascular disease(CVD) risk factors and FRS. CACS and FRS was a significant difference between the group whose calcium score was 0 and the group whose calcium scores were 1 in case of men 2.38(95% CI, 1.83-3.11), women 2.12(95% CI, 1.03-4.35). The age-and sex-adjusted odds ratios for predictor of CVD risk factors to women with age was 1.10(95% CI, 1.06-1.15), HDL-cholesterol was 2.38(95% CI, 1.04-5.44), Fasting plasma glucose was 2.89(95% CI, 1.16-7.21), to men with age was 1.11(95% CI, 1.08-1.14), LDL-cholesterol was 2.12(95% CI, 1.28-3.50), gamma-GTP was 1.73(95% CI, 1.17-2.55), Diabetes mellitus medication was 3.92(95% CI, 1.73-8.89). The CACS seems to be a siginificant factor to evaluate the CVD risk factors.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.31 no.4 s.63
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• pp.728-739
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• 1998

To improve wellness and quality of life by recognizing the health efforts of stress, the author estimated the relationships between stress, subjective symptoms and clinical diagnosis through a questionnaire and a battery of specified laboratory tests; electrocardiography, blood pressure, cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT), gamma glutamyl transferase$(\gamma-GTP)$, fasting blood sugar, gastro-endoscopy or UGI, abdominal sonography, etc. The data was gathered from 337 clients who were undergoing multiphasic screening program at a University Hospital from January to March 1998. The mean age of subjects was $46.5{\pm}11.2$ years and the mean of body mass index was $24.0{\pm}3.7kg/m^2$. The mean vol of stress was $18.5{\pm}6.0$ expressed as the score out of 40. By general characteristics and lift style among male, mean level of stress was significantly higher in case of lower socioeconomic status, habitual drug use, longer daily working time(>10 hours), no regular exercise, drinkers, irregular meal, skip-ping breakfast(p<0.05). In case of female, that was significantly higher in case of lower education, lowe. socioeconomic status, longer daily working time(>10 hours), no regular exercise, drinkers, smokers, irregular meal, skipping breakfast(p<0.05). Significant correlations were observed between stress and subjective symptoms in all kinds of organ system (p<0.01). Correlation coefficients of stress among male were relatively high with neuro-psychiatric symptom$(\gamma=0.476)$ and cardio-vascular symptom$(\gamma=0.361)$ in order, and correlation coefficients of stress among female was highest with neuro-psychiatric symptom$(\gamma=0.371)$. The prevalence of the diagnosis through the battery of laboratory tests was high in upper gastrointestinal disorders and hypercholesterolemia in order in both sex group. Among male the mean score of stress was significantly high in ulcerative peptic disorder of upper gastrointestine and hepatopathy in order (p<0.05) . Among female that was significantly high in diabetes mellitus. In summary, it is likely that there are associations between stress, subjective symptoms and clinical diagnosis. To promote wellness and quality of life it would be of value that periodic stress evaluation program and stress management including apropriate control of smoking and drinking, regular exercise and meal.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.669-674
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• 2001

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of Hangamdan(Kangaidan) on 60 patients who have suffered from breast cancer. Methods: Hangamdan(Kangaidan) was administered to patients for over 1 months continuously. We checked improvement of clinical symptoms, changes of chemistry hematological test. Results: The results obtained are summarized as follows. Hangamdan(Kangaidan) has significant effect on the improvement of clinical symptoms. The effects of maintenance and improvement in the symptoms with traditional oriental therapy(83.3%) and combined treatment of western and oriental therapy(92.1%) were observed. The effects of the symptoms were diarrhea(37.3%), abdominal pain (25.3%), general body weakness(22.9%), nausea(20.5%) and etc. in orders. And analysis of hematology attached by breast cancer, maintenance and increasing of WBC(89.9%), RBC(74.7%), Hgb(81.1%), Platelet(92.4%) were observed. After taken Hangamdan(Kangaidan), maintenance and decreasing of AST(85.9%), ALT(94.8%), ${\gamma}$-GTP(87.5%), BUN(88.3%), Creatinine(90.9%) were observed. And increasing of IL-12(25%), IFN-${\gamma}$(83%) were observed. Conclusions: From the above results, it is suggested that Hangamdan(Kangaidan) have significant effects on recovery of immune modulation.