• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.581-588
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• 2016

Lonchocarpine is a phenylpropanoid compound isolated from Abrus precatorius that has anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and antiepileptic activities. In the present study, we investigated the antioxidant effects of lonchocarpine in brain glial cells and analyzed its molecular mechanisms. We found that lonchocarpine suppressed reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and cell death in hydrogen peroxide-treated primary astrocytes. In addition, lonchocarpine increased the expression of anti-oxidant enzymes, such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), which are all under the control of Nrf2/antioxidant response element (ARE) signaling. Further, mechanistic studies showed that lonchocarpine increases the nuclear translocation and DNA binding of Nrf2 to ARE as well as ARE-mediated transcriptional activities. Moreover, lonchocarpine increased the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and three types of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). By treating astrocytes with each signaling pathway-specific inhibitor, AMPK, c-jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK), and p38 MAPK were identified to be involved in lonchocarpine-induced HO-1 expression and ARE-mediated transcriptional activities. Therefore, lonchocarpine may be a potential therapeutic agent for neurode-generative diseases that are associated with oxidative stress.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.689-696
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• 2010

The Because of its high thermal efficiency, the direct injection (DI) diesel engine has emerged as a promising potential candidate in the field of transportation. However, the amount of nitrogen oxides ($NO_x$) increases in the local high-temperature regions and that of particulate matter (PM) increases in the diffusion flame region during diesel combustion. In the de-$NO_x$ system the Lean $NO_x$ Trap (LNT) catalyst is used, which absorbs $NO_x$ under lean exhaust gas conditions and releases it in rich conditions. This technology can provide a high $NO_x$-conversion efficiency, but the right amount of reducing agent should be supplied to the catalytic converter at the right time. In this research, the emission characteristics of a diesel engine equipped with a micro-reformer that acts as a reductants-supplying equipment were investigated using an LNT system, and the effects of the exhaust-gas temperature were also studied.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.4095-4099
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• 2013

Oxidative stress induces apoptosis in many cellular systems including glioblastoma cells, with caspase-8 activation was regarded as a major contribution to $H_2O_2$-induced cell death. This study focused on the role of the autophagic protein p62 in $H_2O_2$-induced apoptosis in U87MG cells. Oxidative stress was applied with $H_2O_2$, and cell apoptosis and viability were measured with use of caspase inhibitors or autophagic mediators or siRNA p62, GFP-p62 and GFP-p62-UBA (del) transfection. We found that $H_2O_2$-induced U87MG cell death was correlated with caspase-8. To understand the role of p62 in MG132-induced cell death, the levels of p62/SQSTM1 or autophagy in U87MG cells were modulated with biochemical or genetic methods. The results showed that the over-expression of wild type p62/SQSTM1 significantly reduced $H_2O_2$ induced cell death, but knockdown of p62 aggravated the process. In addition, inhibition of autophagy promoted p62 and active caspase-8 increasing $H_2O_2$-induced apoptosis while induction of autophagy manifested the opposite effect. We further demonstrated that the function of p62/SQSTM1 required its C-terminus UBA domain to attenuate $H_2O_2$ cytotoxity by inhibition of caspase-8 activity. Our results indicated that p62/SQSTM1 was a potential contributor to mediate caspase-8 activation by autophagy in oxidative stress process.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.571-576
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• 2012

A sol-gel derived carbon composite electrodes (CCEs) were fabricated by mixing horseradish peroxidase (HRP), sol of tetraethoxysilane (TESO), and graphite powder. The HRP solution was added to the sol solution of TEOS, and then graphite powder was added to this mixture. The resulting carbon ceramic network effectively encapsulated HRP and shows a catalytic reduction starting at -0.2 V for $H_2O_2$. The optimum conditions for $H_2O_2$determination have been characterized with respect to the enzyme loading ratio and pH. The linear range and detection limit of $H_2O_2$ detection were from 0.2 mM to 2.2 mM and 0.035 mM, respectively. The common electroactive interferences such as ascorbic acid, acetaminophene, and uric acid were not affected upon the response to $H_2O_2$ at the HRP biosensor due to low detection potential.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.3590-3594
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• 2014

Blue phosphorescent $(dfpypy)_2Ir(mppy)$, where dfpypy = 2',6'-difluoro-2,3'-bipyridine and mppy = 5-methyl-2-phenylpyridine, has been synthesized by newly developed effective method and its solid state structure and photoluminescent properties are investigated. The glass-transition and decomposition temperature of the compound appear at $160^{\circ}C$ and $360^{\circ}C$, respectively. In a crystal packing structure, there are two kinds of intermolecular interactions such as hydrogen bonding ($C-H{\cdots}F$) and edge-to-face $C-H{\cdots}{\pi}(py)$ interaction. This compound emits bright blue phosphorescence with ${\lambda}_{max}=472nm$ and quantum efficiencies of 0.23 and 0.32 in fluid and the solid state. The emission band of the compound is red-shifted by 40 nm relative to homoleptic congener, $Ir(dfpypy)_3$. The ancillary ligand in $(dfpypy)_2Ir(mppy)$ has been found to significantly destabilize HOMO energy, compared to $Ir(dfpypy)_3$, $(dfpypy)_2Ir(acac)$ and $(dfpypy)_2Ir(dpm)$, without significantly changing LUMO energy.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.8
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• pp.2311-2316
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• 2014

Conformations and vibrational frequencies of the racemic (2RS,3RS)-5-amino-3-(4-phenylpiperazin-1-yl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalen-2-ol-(I) [(2RS,3RS)-(I)], a precursor of benzovesamicol analogues, have been carried out using various DFT methods (M06-2X, B3LYP, B3PW91, PBEPBE, LSDA, and B3P86) with basis sets of 6-31G(d), 6-31+G(d,p), 6-311+G(d,p), 6-311++G(d,p), cc-pVTZ, and TZVP. The LSDA/6-31G(d) level of theory shows the best performance in reproducing the X-ray powder structure. However, the PBEPBE/cc-pVTZ level of theory is the best method to predict the vibrational frequencies of (2RS,3RS)-(I). The potential energy surfaces of racemic pairs (2RS,3RS)-(I) and -(II) are obtained at the LSDA/6-31G(d) level of theory in the gas phase and in water. The results indicate that (2RS,3RS)-(I) are more stable by ~0.75 kcal/mol in energy than (2RS,3RS)-(II) in water, whereas conformer AIIg and BIIg are more stable by ~0.04 kcal/mol than AIg in gas phase. In particular, the hydrogen bond distances between the N of piperazine and the OH of tetrahydronaphthalen become longer in gas, compared with those in the water phase. Vibrational frequencies calculated at the PBEPBE/cc-pVTZ level of theory in the gas phase are larger than those in water, whereas their intensities in the gas phase are weaker than those in water.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 2007

The oxazole plays an important role in the binding of lexitropsin to the guanine-cytosine base pair from minor groove of DNA. The geometry optimization is performed with DFT calculations for the two possible conformations of the protonated oxazole. The proton affinities are calculated at B3LYP level of theory with 6-31G* basis set for the optimized geometry. It is found that the proton affinites of the conformations in which the oxazole nitrogen is the protonation center are greater than that of the conformations in which the oxazole oxygen is the protonation center. This result is in good agreement with molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) contour map. The proton affinities are also studied for various substituted oxazoles with the electron-donating and -withdrawing groups to estimate substitutent effect on the proton affinity at the hydrogen bonding site of the oxazoles. it is shown that the electron-donating substituents increase the proton affinity of oxazole, while the electron-withdrawing substituents decrease it.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.340-345
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• 2004

Our work in this study was made in the microsomal fraction to evaluate the lipid peroxidation by measuring superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and malondialdehyde (MDA) and to elucidate the preventive role of CS in the $CCl_4$-induced oxidative stress. The excessive lipid peroxidation by free radicals derived from $CCl_4$ leads to the condition of oxidative stress which results in the accumulation of MDA. MDA is one of the end-products in the lipid peroxidation process and oxidative stress. MDA, lipid peroxide, produced in this oxidative stress causes various diseases related to aging and hepatotoxicity, etc. Normal cells have a number of enzymatic and nonenzymatic endogenous defense systems to protect themselves from reactive species. The enzymes in the defense systems, for example, are SOD, CAT, and GPx. They quickly eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide anion free radicalㆍO$^{[-10]}$ $_2$, hydrogen peroxide $H_2O$$_2$ and hydroxyl free radicalㆍOH. CS inhibited the accumulation of MDA and the deactivation of SOD, CAT and GPx in the dose-dependent and preventive manner. Our study suggests that CS might be a potential scavenger of free radicals in the oxidative stress originated from the lipid peroxidation of the liver cells of $CCl_4$-treated rats.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.187-187
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• 2017

Cadmium (Cd) pollution is rapidly increasing in worldwide due to industrialization and urbanization. In addition to its negative effects on the environment, Cd pollution adversely affects human health. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an important agricultural crop worldwide, including South Korea, and studies have examined its ability to alleviate Cd uptake from the soil into plants. However, information about the relationship between sulfur (S) and antioxidants in rice seedlings is still limited with regard to Cd phytotoxicity. We therefore investigated the changes in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants in rice (Oryza sativa L. 'Dongjin') seedlings exposed to toxic Cd, S treatment, or both. The exposure of rice seedlings to $30{\mu}M$ Cd inhibited plant growth; increased the contents of superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and malondialdehyde (MDA); and induced Cd uptake by the roots, stems, and leaves. Application of S to Cd-stressed seedlings decreased Cd-induced oxidative stress by increasing the capacity of the glutathione (GSH)-ascorbate (AsA) cycle, promoted S assimilation by increasing cysteine, GSH, and AsA contents in treated plants, and decreased Cd transfer from the roots to the stems and leaves. In conclusion, S application of plants under Cd stress promoted Cys and GSH biosynthesis and GSH-AsA cycle activity, thereby lowering the rate of Cd transfer to plant shoots and promoting the scavenging of the ROS that resulted from Cd toxicity, thus alleviating the overall Cd toxicity. Therefore, these results provide insights into the role of S in regulating the tolerance, uptake, and translocation of Cd in rice seedlings. The results of this study indicate that S application should have potential as a tool for mitigating Cd-stress in cereal crops, especially rice.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.44-58
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• 2020

Objectives: This study was conducted to identify the protective effects of Chongmyunggongjin-dan (CMGJD) on Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced apoptosis mechanisms in C6 glial cells. Method: We used CMGJD after distilled water extraction, filtration, and lyophilization. The ROS scavenging effect was examined by fluorescence microscopy. Expression levels of proteins related to ROS generation were investigated by western blotting. Functional changes in organelles related to Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation were investigated by immunoblotting and by verifying expression level of relevant enzymes. Results: The CMGJD extract protected the cells against H₂O₂-induced morphological changes and DNA fragmentation, inhibited the increase of Heme_oxygenase-1(HO^-1) and the decrease in catalase, protected against the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, inhibited disturbances of lysosomal function, and induced an increase in peroxisomes. Conclusion: CMGJD was confirmed to have a protective effect on H₂O₂-induced C6 glial cell death possibly by blocking the pathways causing damage to subcellular organelles, such as mitochondria, lysosomes, and peroxisomes. We assume that CMGJD will be effective for the prevention and treatment of ischemic stroke in a clinical environment.