• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• 제15권4호
• /
• pp.444-455
• /
• 2021

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Adipocytes undergo angiogenesis to receive nutrients and oxygen needed for adipocyte' growth and differentiation. No study relating quercetin with angiogenesis in adipocytes exists. Therefore, this study investigated the role of quercetin on adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells, acting through matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). MATERIALS/METHODS: After proliferating preadipocytes into adipocytes, various quercetin concentrations were added to adipocytes, and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays were performed to evaluate cell proliferation. Glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity was investigated as an indicator of fat accumulation. The mRNA expressions of transcription factors related to adipocyte differentiation, CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBPs), peroxisomal proliferatoractivated receptors (PPAR)-γ, and adipocyte protein 2 (aP2), were investigated. The mRNA expressions of proteins related to angiogenesis, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-α, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-2, MMP-2, and MMP-9, were investigated. Enzyme activities and concentrations of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were also measured. RESULTS: Quercetin treatment suppressed fat accumulation and the expressions of adipocyte differentiation-related genes (C/EBPα, C/EBPβ, PPAR-γ, and aP2) in a concentration-dependent manner in 3T3-L1 cells. Quercetin treatments reduced the mRNA expressions of VEGF-α, VEGFR-2, MMP-2, and MMP-9 in 3T3-L1 cells. The activities and concentrations of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were also decreased significantly as the concentration of quercetin increased. CONCLUSIONS: The results confirm that quercetin inhibits adipose tissue differentiation and fat accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells, which could occur through inhibition of the angiogenesis process related to MMPs.

• 인간식물환경학회지
• /
• 제24권5호
• /
• pp.461-468
• /
• 2021

Background and objective: Particulate matter (PM) has a serious impact on health. Recently, studies are conducted to reduce PM in an environmentally friendly way using plants. This study investigated the physiological responses of plants and their ability to remove PM by continuously spraying different PM sources (loam, fly ash, carbon black) to four native plant species, such as Iris sanguinea, Pteris multifida, Vitis coignetiae, and Viburnum odoratissimum var. awabuki. Methods: The four plant species were randomly placed in four chambers, and 0.1 g of different PM was injected into each chamber twice a week. We measured chlorophyll, carotenoid, chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm), total leaf area, amount of leaf wax, PM10 (sPM10) and PM2.5 (sPM2.5) on the leaf surface, and PM10 (wPM10) and PM2.5 (wPM2.5) on the wax layer. Results: For I. sanguinea and V. coignetiae, the sources of PM did not affect the growth response. P. multifida showed high chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoid content in carbon black as well as high Fv/Fm and total leaf area, thereby proving that carbon black helped plant growth. By PM sources, sPM10 showed a significant difference in three plant species, sPM2.5 in two plant species, and wPM10 in one plant species, indicating that sPM10 was most affected by PM sources. Conclusion: Carbon black increased the leaf area by affecting the growth of P. multifida. This plant can be effectively used for PM reduction by increasing the adsorption area. I. sanguinea and V. coignetiae can be used as economical landscaping plants since they can grow regardless of PM sources.

• 한국환경농학회지
• /
• 제41권3호
• /
• pp.199-205
• /
• 2022

BACKGROUND: The freezing injury by pruning can be reduced by suspending pruning work when severe cold weather (-23 to -49℃) is forecast. Minimum air temperature of the study area, Gunwi region at February 3, 2012 was -21.9℃, and the subzero temperature continued until April 8, 2012. This study was conducted in two years to investigate the effect of delaying winter pruning until full bloom on shoot growth and fruit quality of 'Fuji'/M.9 apple trees. METHODS AND RESULTS: The time of pruning were March 26 for dormant, April 3 for bud break, and May 2 for full bloom. The winter pruning at full bloom significantly reduced fruit weight for two years compared with the control (winter pruning at dormant), and shoot growth was reduced only in the following year. There was no significant effect of delaying winter pruning at bud break on soluble solid content, fruit red color, return bloom, and pruning weight for two years compared with the control. CONCLUSION(S): These results indicated the delaying winter pruning at bud break of 'Fuji'/M.9 apple tree did not offer any disadvantage over comparable dormant pruning, since the fruit quality was not affected. The delayed pruning at full bloom resulted in decreased fruit weight, though shoot growth, fruit quality, and return bloom were not affected by the delayed pruning. So, the delayed pruning should be considered carefully only for the fruit tree orchards in diseases.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• 제36권1호
• /
• pp.60-71
• /
• 2023

Background: The purpose of this research was to assess the role of heparanase (HPSE)/syndecan1 (SDC1)/nerve growth factor (NGF) on cancer pain from melanoma. Methods: The influence of HPSE on the biological function of melanoma cells and cancer pain in a mouse model was evaluated. Immunohistochemical staining was used to analyze HPSE and SDC1. HPSE, NGF, and SDC1 were detected using western blot. Inflammatory factors were detected using ELISA assay. Results: HPSE promoted melanoma cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion, and tumor growth, as well as cancer pain, while SST0001 treatment reversed the promoting effect of HPSE. HPSE up-regulated NGF, and NGF feedback promoted HPSE. High expression of NGF reversed the inhibitory effect of HPSE down-regulation on melanoma cell phenotype deterioration, including cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion. SST0001 down-regulated SDC1 expression. SDC1 reversed the inhibitory effect of SST0001 on cancer pain. Conclusions: The results showed that HPSE promoted melanoma development and cancer pain by interacting with NGF/SDC1. It provides new insights to better understand the role of HPSE in melanoma and also provides a new direction for cancer pain treatment.

• 치위생과학회지
• /
• 제23권1호
• /
• pp.51-59
• /
• 2023

Background: Tea tree oil has antiviral, antimicrobial and antifungal effects and Mastic oil has antifungal and anticancer effects. For synergistic effects of oils, blending oil containing a mixture of two to three oils is recommended. This study aimed to determine the antibacterial effects of Tea tree oil, Mastic oil, and Blending oil containing the two oils in a mixture, to verify and suggest the potential use of these oils as a substance to prevent dental caries. Methods: Tea tree oil, Mastic oil, and Blending oil with a 1:1 blend of the two oils were diluted in liquid medium to 0% (negative control), 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0%. Streptococcus mutans was applied to each experimental group of the three diluted oils and after 8 h culture, the optical density (OD) was measured and the growth inhibition rate for S. mutans was estimated. Results: Tea tree oil had significantly low OD values across all concentrations (p<0.05) without significant variation among different concentrations (p>0.05). Mastic oil did not significantly vary in OD compared to the negative control across all concentrations (p>0.05) without significant variation among different concentrations (p>0.05). Blending oil, compared to the negative control, did not significantly vary in OD at 0.5% (p>0.05) but significant variation was found as the concentration increased (p<0.05). Additionally, for Tea tree oil and Mastic oil, the growth inhibition rate showed no significant variation according to concentration (p>0.05), whereas for Blending oil, the growth inhibition rate for S. mutans showed a significant difference at 1.0% (p<0.05) and at higher concentrations. Conclusion: Blending oil containing a Tea tree oil and Mastic oil demonstrated a significant growth inhibition effect on S. mutans from the concentration of 1.0%, which suggested its potential use as an effective antibacterial agent for dental caries.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• 제17권5호
• /
• pp.917-933
• /
• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: As peanuts germinate, the content of the components beneficial to health, such as resveratrol, increases within the peanut sprout. This study examined whether the ethanol extract of peanut sprout tea (PSTE) inhibits breast cancer growth and metastasis. MATERIALS/METHODS: After orthotopically injecting 4T1 cells into BALB/c mice to induce breast cancer, 0, 30, or 60 mg/kg body weight/day of PSTE was administered orally. Angiogenesis-related protein expression in the tumors and the degree of metastasis were analyzed. 4T1 and RAW 264.7 cells were co-cultured, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed to measure the crosstalk between breast cancer cells and macrophages. RESULTS: PSTE reduced tumor growth and lung metastasis. In particular, PSTE decreased matrix metalloproteinase-9, platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, vascular endothelial growth factor-A, F4/80, CD11c, macrophage mannose receptor, macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 expression in the tumors. Moreover, PSTE prevented 4T1 cell migration, invasion, and macrophage activity in RAW 264.7 cells. PSTE inhibited the crosstalk between 4T1 cells and RAW 264.7 cells and promoted the macrophage M1 subtype while inhibiting the M2 subtype. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that PSTE blocks breast cancer growth and metastasis to the lungs. This may be because the PSTE treatment inhibits the crosstalk between mammary cancer cells and macrophages and inhibits the differentiation of macrophages into the M2 subtype.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• 제59권8호
• /
• pp.18.1-18.8
• /
• 2017

Background: In 2006, the European Union (EU) has decided to forbid use of antibiotics as growth promoters. Although many researches had been conducted about fiber source as alternatives of antibiotics, there are still lack of reports in the literature about the optimum level of sugar beet pulp supplementation, affecting growth performance and nutrient digestibility in weaning pigs. Therefore, different level of sugar beet pulp was added to diets to determine the effects of sugar beet pulp supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal microflora, blood profile and incidence of diarrhea in weaning pigs. Methods: A total of 200 weaning pigs [$(Yorkshire{\times}Landrace){\times}Duroc$], averaging $9.01{\pm}1.389kg$ of initial body weight were, allotted to 5 treatments in a randomized complete block (RCB) design. Each treatment was composed of 4 replicates with 10 pigs per pen. The treatments were control treatment: Corn-SBM basal diet + ZnO (phase 1: 0.05%; phase 2; 0.03%) and four different levels of sugar beet pulp were supplemented in Corn-SBM basal diet (3, 6, 9 or 12%). Two phase feeding programs (phase 1: 1-2 weeks; phase 2: 3-5 weeks) were used for 5 week of growth trial. Results: In feeding trial, there were no significant differences in growth performance and incidence of diarrhea among treatments. The E.coli counts were not significantly different among dietary treatments but linear response was observed in Lactobacillus counts as sugar beet pulp supplementation increased (P < 0.05). In addition, IGF-1, IgA and IgG were not affected by dietary treatments. However, the BUN concentration was decreased when pigs were fed the treatments of diets with SBP compared to that of control treatment (P < 0.05). In nutrient digestibility, crude fiber and NDF digestibilities were improved as the sugar beet pulp increased (P < 0.05). However, digestibilities of crude ash, crude fat, crude fiber and nitrogen retention were not affected by dietary sugar beet pulp levels. Conclusion: This experiment demonstrated that sugar beet pulp can be supplemented in weaning pigs' diet instead of ZnO to prevent postweaning diarrhea without any detrimental effect on growth performance.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• 제12권1호
• /
• pp.27-35
• /
• 1999

Background: Fibromyalgia is a common syndrome of musculoskeletal pain and fatigue. Lacking distinctive histological or laboratory abnormality in diagnosis, it has often been considered a form of "psychogenic rheumatism". Fibromyalgia causes much distress to the affected patients and often frustrates physicians, who are unable to start rational therapy on any logical disease pathology. Methods: Growth hormone is essential for muscular homeostasis. In the present study, the notion that the stage-4 sleep anomaly typically seen in the fibromyalgia syndrome may disrupt growth hormone secretion was tested. Because growth hormone has a very short half-life, serum levels of somatomedin C were measured; somatomedin C is the major mediator of growth hormone's anabolic actions and is a prerequisite for normal muscle homeostasis. Serum levels of somatomedin C using acid-extraction procedure and two-site immunoradiome-tric assay (IRMA) and number of tender points were measured in 27 female patients with fibromyalgia from 40 to 60 years old and 27 healthy controls. Results: There were no differences in the concentration of somatomedin C between fibromyalgia patients and controls ($mean{\pm}SD$: $178.3{\pm}75.5$ ng/ml versus $166.3{\pm}76.6$ ng/ml; p=0.55). And there were no correlations between number of tender point and serum somatomedin C level by linear regression analysis. Conclusions: These findings did not support that there is a distinctive disruption of the growth hormone-somatomedin C neuroendocrine axis in a fibromyalgia syndrome. But we can not discard the hypothesis that disturbed sleep predispose to muscle pain.

• 한국환경농학회지
• /
• 제31권4호
• /
• pp.368-374
• /
• 2012

BACKGROUND: The urgency of feeding the world's growing population while combating soil pollution, salinization and desertification requires suitable biotechnology not only to improve crop productivity but also to improve soil health through interactions of soil nutrient and soil microorganism. Interest in the utilization of microbial fertilizer has increased. A principle of nature farming is to produce abundant and healthy crops without using chemical fertilizer and pesticides, and without interrupting the natural ecosystem. Beneficial microorganisms may provide supplemental nutrients in the soil, promote crop growth, and enhance plant resistance against pathogenic microorganisms. We mixed beneficial microorganisms such as Bacillus sp. Han-5 with anti-fungal activities, Trichoderma harziaum, Trichoderma longibrachiatum with organic material degrading activity, Actinomycetes bovis with antibiotic production and Pseudomonas sp. with nitrogen fixation. This study was carried out to investigate the mixtures on the soil microflora and soil chemical properties and the effect on the growth of lettuce and cucumber under greenhouse conditions. METHODS AND RESULTS: The microbial mixtures were used with each of organic fertilizer, swine manure and organic+swine manure and compared in regard to changes in soil chemical properties, soil microflora properties and crop growth. At 50 days after the treatment of microorganism mixtures, the pH improved from 5.8 to 6.3, and the EC, $NO_3$-Na and K decreased by 52.4%, 60.5% and 29.3%, respectively. The available $P_2O_5$ and $SiO_2$ increased by 25.9% and 21.2%, respectively. Otherwise, the population density of fluorescent Pseudomonas sp. was accelerated and the growth of vegetables increased. Moreover, the population density of E. coli and Fusarium sp., decreased remarkably. The ratio of bacteria to fungi (B/F) and the ratio of Actinomycetes bovis to fungi (A/F) increased 2.3 (from 272.2 to 624.4) and 1.7 times (from 38.3 to 64), respectively. Furthermore, the growth and yield of cucumber and lettuce significantly increased by the treatment of microorganism mixtures. CONCLUSION(S): These results suggest that the treatment of microorganism mixtures improved the chemical properties and the microflora of soil and the crop growth. Therefore, it is concluded that the microorganism mixtures could be good alternative soil amendments to restore soil nutrients and soil microflora.

• 한국결정성장학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국결정성장학회 1996년도 The 9th KACG Technical Annual Meeting and the 3rd Korea-Japan EMGS (Electronic Materials Growth Symposium)
• /
• pp.75-87
• /
• 1996

This review is presented under the following headings: 1.Introduction 1.1 Brief review of the properties of AlN 1.2 Historical survey of work on ceramic and single crystal AlN 2.Thermochemical background 3.Crystal growth 4.Doping 5.Potential applications and future work The known properties of AlN which make it of interest for various are discussed briefly. The properties include chemical stability, crystal structure and lattice constants, refractive indices and other optical properties, dielectric constant, surface acoustic wave velocity and thermal conductivity. The history of work in single crystals, thin films and ceramics are outlined and the thermochemistry of AlN reviewed together with some of the relevant properties of aluminium and nitrogen; the problems encountered in growing crystals of AlN are shown to arise directly from these thermochemical relationships. Methods have been reported in the literature for growing AlN crystals from melts, solution and vapour and these methods are compared critically. It is proposed that the only practicable approach to the growth of AlN is by vapour phase methods. All vapour based procedures share the share the same problems: $.$the difficulty of preventing contamination by oxygen & carbon $.$the high bond energy of molecular nitrogen $.$the refractory nature of AlN (melting point~3073K at 100ats.) $.$the high reactivity of Al at high temperatures It is shown that the growth of epitactic layers and polycrystalline layers present additional problems: $.$chemical incompatibility of substrates $.$crystallographic mismatch of substrates $.$thermal mismatch of substrates The result of all these problems is that there is no good substrate material for the growth of AlN layers. Organometallic precursors which contain an Al-N bond have been used recently to deposit AlN layers but organometallic precursors gave the disadvantage of giving significant carbon contamination. Organometallic precursors which contain an Al-N bound have been used recently to deposit AlN layers but organometallic precursors have the disadvantage of giving significant carbon contamination. It is conclude that progress in the application of AlN to optical and electronic devices will be made only if considerable effort is devoted to the growth of larges, pure (and particularly, oxygen-free) crystals. Progress in applications of epi-layers and ceramic AlN would almost certainly be assisted also by the availability of more reliable data on the pure material. The essential features of any stategy for the growth of AlN from the vapour are outlined and discussed.