• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.951-959
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• 2009

Most, if not all, Basidiomycetes mushrooms have biologically active polysaccharides showing potent antitumor activity with immunomodulating properties. These polysaccharides have various chemical compositions and belong primarily to the $\beta$-glucan group. In this study, the crude water-soluble polysaccharide HEF-P, which was obtained from the fruiting body of Hericium erinaceus by hot water extraction and ethanol precipitation, was fractionated by DEAE-cellulose and Sepharose CL-6B column chromatographies. This process resulted in four polysaccharide fractions, named HEF-NP Fr I, HEF-NP Fr II, HEF-AP Fr I, and HEF-AP Fr II. Of these fractions, HEF-AP Fr II was able to upregulate the functional events mediated by activated macrophages, such as production of nitric oxide and expression ofcytokines (IL-1${\beta}$ and TNF-${\alpha}$). The molecular mass of HEF-AP Fr II was estimated by gel filtration to be 13 kDa. Its structural characteristics were investigated by a combination of chemical and instrumental analyses, including methylation, reductive cleavage, acetylation, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results indicate that HEF-AP Fr II is a low-molecular-mass polysaccharide with a laminarin-like triple helix conformation of a ${\beta}$-1,3-branched-${\beta}$-1,6-glucan.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.7
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• pp.687-694
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• 2003

Purpose : Regeneration and repair after ischemic renal injury appears to be modulated by circulating or locally produced growth factors. This study examined the changes of serum insulin like growth factor(IGF-I) and renal expression of IGF-I and II, vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), transforming growth $factor-{\beta}$($TGF-{\beta}$), and connective tissue growth factor(CTGF) during the active regeneration period after acute ischemic injury. Methods : Sera and kidney tissue samples(whole kidney, cortex, outer medullae and inner medullae) were obtained before and after one, three, five and seven days of 40 minutes bilateral renal pedicle clamping. Acute renal failure was assessed by measuring the concentration of serum creatinine. Serum IGF-I level was measured by radioimmunoassay. The mRNA expression in kidney was measured by RT-PCR. The distribution of IGF-I and CTGF was detected by immunohistochemistry. Resuts : Serum IGF-I concentration after one day following acute ischemic renal injury was significantly decreased compared to preischemic value. The mRNA levels of IGF-I, IGF-II, $TGF-{\beta}1$ and VEGF in whole kidney were temporally decreased on day one of ischemic injury. IGF-I and IGF-II expressions in outer medullae were significantly decreased on day one after ischemic injury. $TGF-{\beta}1$, CTGF and VEGF expressions were markedly decreased in medullae after one day of ischemic injury compared to other kidney sections. IGF-I was markedly decreased in cortical tubules on day one of uremic rat. CTGF was markedly increased on tubule within three days of ischemic injury. Conclusion : These findings suggest that IGFs, $TGF-{\beta}1$ and CTGF may involve in the pathogenesis or the recovery from acute ischemic renal injury.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2004

The arterial pressure is regulated by the nervous and humoral mechanisms. The neuronal regulation is mostly carried out by the autonomic nervous system through the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM), a key area for the cardiovascular regulation, and the humoral regulation is mediated by a number of substances, including the angiotensin (Ang) II and vasopressin. Recent studies suggest that central interleukin-1 (IL-1) activates the sympathetic nervous system and produces hypertension. The present study was undertaken to elucidate whether IL-1 and Ang II interact in the regulation of cardiovascular responses to the stress of hemorrhage. Thus, Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized and both femoral arteries were cannulated for direct measurement of arterial pressure and heart rate (HR) and for inducing hemorrhage. A guide cannula was placed into the lateral ventricle for injection of IL-1 $(0.1,\;1,\;10,\;20\;ng/2\;{\mu}l)$ or Ang II $(600\;ng/10\;{\mu}l)$. A glass microelectrode was inserted into the RVLM to record the single unit spike potential. Barosensitive neurons were identified by an increased number of single unit spikes in RVLM following intravenous injection of nitroprusside. I.c.v. $IL-1\;{\beta}$ increased mean arterial pressure (MAP) in a dose-dependent fashion, but HR in a dose-independent pattern. The baroreceptor reflex sensitivity was not affected by i.c.v. $IL-1\;{\beta}$. Both i.c.v. $IL-1\;{\alpha}\;and\;{\beta}$ produced similar increase in MAP and HR. When hemorrhage was induced after i.c.v. injection of $IL-1\;{\beta}$, the magnitude of MAP fall was not different from the control. The $IL-1\;{\beta}$ group showed a smaller decrease in HR and a lower spike potential count in RVLM than the control. MAP fall in response to hemorrhage after i.c.v. injection of Ang II was not different from the control. When both IL-1 and Ang II were simultaneously injected i.c.v., however, MAP fall was significantly smaller than the control, and HR was increased rather than decreased. These data suggest that IL-1, a defense immune mediator, manifests a hypertensive action in the central nervous system and attenuates the hypotensive response to hemorrhage by interaction with Ang II.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.377-382
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• 1998

This study was carried out to measure the contents of moisture, crude ash, crude fat, total amino acid, with amino acid composition, vitamin C, ${\beta}-carotene$, vitamin E, total catechins, EGCG, EGC, ECG, EC, GA, caffeine, theobromine and theophylline of the green tea I, II, III, oolong, and black tea. The content of crude fat of green tea I, II, III, oolong, and black teas was 1.1, 2.5, 4.9, 0.8 and 1.2% respectively, total amino acid content was 0.87, 0.78, 0.60, 0.63 and 1.05% respectively, and theanine content was 0.52, 0.48, 0.31, 0.41 and 0.61%, respectively. Total amino acid content of green tea increased in the order of green tea I> green tea II> green tea III, and among the teas, the content of theanine was the highest in the amino acids present. The content of vitamin C of green teal, II, III, oolong, and black tea was 101.6, 87.5, 95.9, 99.1 and 108.0 mg%, respectively, ${\beta}-carotene$ content was 270, 268, 481, 80 and 181 ppm, respectively. Among the ${\alpha}-,\;{\beta}-,\;{\gamma}-\;and\;{\delta}-tocopherol$, the content of ${\alpha}-tocopherol$ was the highest in vitamin E present, and ${\beta}-\;and\;{\delta}-tocopherol$ were not detected in the samples of green teal, II, III, oolong, and black teas. The total catechins of green teal, II, III, oolong, and black teas was 10.5, 10.4, 7.2, 8.4 and 1.8% respectively, and among them, EGCG content was the highest. The content of EGC increased in the order of green tea I > green tea III > green tea II > oolong tea> black tea. The contents EGCG and ECG increased in the order of oolong tea> green tea I > green tea II> green tea III> black tea, and the highest contents of EGCG and ECG were observed in the samples of oolong tea. The content of GA was 0.01, 0.02, 0.05, 0.13 and 0.31%, respectively, and the highest contents of GA, caffeine and theobromine were observed in the sample of black tea. The highest content of theophylline, however, was observed in the sample of green tea I.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.11 s.268
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• pp.805-809
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• 2006

Background: In our previous study, we demonstrated that transforming growth factor-beta 1 receptor II(TGF-${\beta}1RII$) may have a role in the formation of bullae. In this study, we investigated if expression of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-${\beta}1$) ligand was altered in a bullous lung tissue by immunohistochemical staining of bullous tissues from patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax. Material and Method: Bullous lung tissues were obtained from 36 patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax, including 34 males and 2 females aged 14 to 38 years old. Result: Of the 36 patients, 19 were TGF-${\beta}1$ positive and 24 were transforming growth factor-beta 1 receptor II(TGF-${\beta}1RII$) positive. Among the 19 TGF-${\beta}1$ positives, 15 were also TGF-${\beta}1RII$ positive, observation at high magnification showed that strong immunohistochemical stain was detected in the boundary region between the bullous and normal lung tissues. Conclusion: These results suggest that overexpression of TGF-${\beta}1$ may be involved in the formation of a bulla as well as the alteration of TGF-${\beta}1RII$ expression. Further molecular studies are needed to elucidate the more detailed molecular mechanisms of the bulla formation.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.195-200
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• 1989

The Silica-Carbon mixture was made with addition of carbon black in the composition which monodispersed spherical fine silica was formed by the hydrolysis of ethylsilicate, mole ratio of Carbon/Alkoxide was 3.1 and $\beta$-SiC powder was synthesized by reacting this mixture at 1,350~1,50$0^{\circ}C$ in Ar atmosphere. The results of this study are as follow : (1) The purity of synthesized $\beta$-SiC powder was above 99.98% and it was in cubic modification with lattice constant of 4.3476$\AA$. (2) The rate-controlling steps varied with the reaction temperature for the syntehsis of $\beta$-SiC in this study ; nucleation and growth of $\beta$-SiC at 1,350~1,40$0^{\circ}C$, interfacial reaction at 1,45$0^{\circ}C$ and diffusion described by Jander Equation at 1,50$0^{\circ}C$. (3) When the rate-determining step was nucleation and growth, the activation energy was about 87.8kcal/mol.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.125-137
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• 2011

Purpose : Men are generally more prone to chronic renal disease and progression to end stage renal disease than women. The purpose of this study is to prove the effect of gender and sex hormone on renal fibrosis in mice with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and to elucidate the specific underlying mechanisms. Methods :We compared the expression of ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin (${\alpha}$-SMA) in female and male mice with complete UUO (day 7). After this, we estimated the changes of renal fibrosis in the female mice with oophorectomy and in the female mice with oophorectomy and replacement of $17{\beta}$-estradiol, respectively. Results : The level of ${\alpha}$-SMA in the female kidney with UUO was significantly lower than that in the male kidney with UUO. oophorectomy and replacement of $17{\beta}$-estradiol did not change the expression of angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor in the female kidney with UUO, whereas the expression of angiotensin II type 2 (AT2) receptor was significantly more elevated in the intact female (IF) and the oophorectomized female with estrogen (OF+E) than that in the oophorectomized female (OF). The expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the IF and OF+E mice were significantly more elevated than that in the OF mice, which was similar to the expression of AT2 receptor. Conclusion : The female gender is associated with resistance to renal fibrosis in obstructive uropathy and this gender difference may originate from the existence of $17{\beta}$-estradiol, which has an anti-fibrotic effect via upregulation of the AT2 receptor and iNOS.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.2208-2212
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• 2009

Oxidation of cycloalkenes with $O_2$ promoted by heterogeneous bis(acetylacetonato) cobalt (II) complex catalyst which can be recycled has been performed under mild conditions. It was found that $\beta$-ionone, cyclohexene, 1-methylcyclohexene, and $\alpha$-ionone were efficiently oxidized with $O_2$ in the presence of Co (II) complex and butyraldehyde at $55\;{^{\circ}C}$. A simple treatment of the resulting products led to epoxides as predominant products and a small amounts of allylic oxides, the chemoselectivity for the former being 82.1 - 90.8% with a 70.6 - 98.6% substrate conversion. On the other hand, oxidation of 1-phenylcyclohexene, 1-cyclohex-1-enylethan-1-one, $\alpha$-pinene, and $\beta$-pinene gave allylic oxides as major products.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.823-828
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• 2009

An endo-${\beta}-1$,4-xylanase (${\beta}$-xylanase) from Trichoderma harzianum C4 was purified without cellulase activity by sequential chromatographies. The specific activity of the purified enzyme preparation was 430 units/mg protein on D-xylan. The complementary DNA (cDNA) encoding ${\beta}$-xylanase (xynII) was amplified by PCR and isolated from cDNA PCR libraries constructed from T. harzianum C4. The nucleotide sequence of the cDNA fragment contained an open reading frame of 663 bp that encodes 221 amino acids, of which the mature protein is homologous to several ${\beta}$-xylanases II. An intron of 63 bp was identified in the genomic DNA sequence of xynII. This gene was expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains under the control of adh1 (alcohol dehydrogenase I) and pgk1 (phosphoglycerate kinase I) promoters in 2 ${\mu}$-based plasmids, which could render recombinants able to secrete ${\beta}$-xylanase into the media.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.183.2-183.2
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• 1991