• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2013

Menopause is often associated with several chronic diseases, including osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. In this study, we investigated the ability of Eisenia bicyclis (EB) to prevent bone loss in ovariectomized rats, a model for postmenopausal osteoporosis. Extracts from EB obtained using ethanol or hot water were analyzed for total polyphenol content and osteoporosis effects in vivo. Total polyphenol content was higher with extraction by hot water compared to ethanol extraction. Fifty 8-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four groups: the group were sham-operated rats (SHAM), ovariectomized rats (OVX-CON), and ovariectomized rats that were treated with EB at 50 mg/kg body weight (OVX-EB50) and 200 mg/kg body weight (OVX-EB200), respectively. The diets were fed to rats for 6 weeks after their operation. We found that the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was lower in the EB extract group compared to the OVX-CON group. Collagen and pyridinoline content, in bone and cartilage, were reduced by ovariectomy, but the supplemented EB extract groups exhibited higher concentrations in their bones. These results suggest that EB can be used for the industrial development of foods with therapeutic functions.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.375-395
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• 2006

Purpose: Lingual nerve (LN) damage may be caused by either tumor resection or injury such as wisdom tooth extraction, Although autologous nerve graft is sometimes used to repair the damaged nerve, it has the disadvantage of necessity of another operation for nerve harvesting. Moreover, the results of nerve grafting is not satisfactory. The nerve growth factor (NGF) is well-known to play a critical role in peripheral nerve regeneration and its local delivery to the injured nerve has been continuously tried to enhance nerve regeneration. However, its application has limitations like repeated administration due to short half life of 30 minutes and an in vivo delivery model must allow for direct and local delivery. The aim of this study was to construct a well-functioning $rhNGF-{\beta}$ adenovirus for the ultimate development of improved method to promote peripheral nerve regeneration with enhanced and extended secretion of hNGF from the injured nerve by injecting $rhNGF-{\beta}$ gene directly into crush-injured LN in rat model. Materials and Methods: $hNGF-{\beta}$ gene was prepared from fetal brain cDNA library and cloned into E1/E3 deleted adenoviral vector which contains green fluorescence protein (GFP) gene as a reporter. After large scale production and purification of $rhNGF-{\beta}$ adenovirus, transfection efficiency and its expression at various cells (primary cultured Schwann cells, HEK293 cells, Schwann cell lines, NIH3T3 and CRH cells) were evaluated by fluorescent microscopy, RT-PCR, ELISA, immunocytochemistry. Furthermore, the function of rhNGF-beta, which was secreted from various cells infected with $rhNGF-{\beta}$ adenovirus, was evaluated using neuritogenesis of PC-12 cells. For in vivo evaluation of efficacy of $rhNGF-{\beta}$ adenovirus, the LNs of 8-week old rats were exposed and crush-injured with a small hemostat for 10 seconds. After the injury, $rhNGF-{\beta}$ adenovirus($2{\mu}l,\;1.5{\times}10^{11}pfu$) or saline was administered into the crushed site in the experimental (n=24) and the control group (n=24), respectively. Sham operation of another group of rats (n=9) was performed without administration of either saline or adenovirus. The taste recovery and the change of fungiform papilla were studied at 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks. Each of the 6 animals was tested with different solutions (0.1M NaCl, 0.1M sucrose, 0.01M QHCl, or 0.01M HCl) by two-bottle test paradigm and the number of papilla was counted using SEM picture of tongue dorsum. LN was explored at the same interval as taste study and evaluated electro-physiologically (peak voltage and nerve conduction velocity) and histomorphometrically (axon count, myelin thickness). Results: The recombinant adenovirus vector carrying $rhNGF-{\beta}$ was constructed and confirmed by restriction endonuclease analysis and DNA sequence analysis. GFP expression was observed in 90% of $rhNGF-{\beta}$ adenovirus infected cells compared with uninfected cells. Total mRNA isolated from $rhNGF-{\beta}$ adenovirus infected cells showed strong RT-PCR band, however uninfected or LacZ recombinant adenovirus infected cells did not. NGF quantification by ELISA showed a maximal release of $18865.4{\pm}310.9pg/ml$ NGF at the 4th day and stably continued till 14 days by $rhNGF-{\beta}$ adenovirus infected Schwann cells. PC-12 cells exposed to media with $rhNGF-{\beta}$ adenovirus infected Schwann cell revealed at the same level of neurite-extension as the commercial NGF did. $rhNGF-{\beta}$ adenovirus injected experimental groups in comparison to the control group exhibited different taste preference ratio. Salty, sweet and sour taste preference ratio were significantly different after 2 weeks from the beginning of the experiment, which were similar to the sham group, but not to the control group.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.1079-1085
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• 2012

Obesity is an important issue worldwide as it may associated with increased prevalence of metabolic diseases. Mung bean is known as a functional food for decreasing the glycemic index and lipid profile of plasma. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-obesity effects of vitexin from mung bean on the regulation of adipocyte differentiation and adipocytokine secretion. When 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated with vitexin from days 0 to 14 at various levels of 25, 50, 100, and $200{\mu}M$, there was no change in cell viability. Vitexin treatment at 50, 100, and $200{\mu}M$ decreased triacylglycerol levels in cells, but only $100{\mu}M$ vitexin induced lipolysis. At $200{\mu}M$ of vitexin, phosphorylation of p38 and ERK, which causes secretion of inflammatory adipocytokines, was depressed, whereas there was an increase in expression of $PPAR{\gamma}$, the key regulator of adipocyte differentiation. Phosphorylation of AMPK increased at $100{\mu}M$ vitexin. TNF-${\alpha}$ and aP2 mRNA expression increased at $25{\mu}M$ vitexin, whereas only TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA expression increased at $200{\mu}M$ vitexin. Further, the mRNA levels of TNF-${\alpha}$ and aP2 decreased at other concentrations in a dose-dependent manner. Since we observed that mRNA expression of C/EBP, SREBP1, and $PPAR{\gamma}$ did not change upon vitexin treatment, our future studies will investigate other genes such as mTOR, which is related with apoptosis signaling, or SIRT1, which is associated with inhibition of adipogenesis. Our results indicate that vitexin at concentrations between 100 and $200{\mu}M$ is suitable in vivo for the development of mung bean as an anti-obesity therapy or functional food.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.498-506
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• 2014

The objective of this study was to investigate the beneficial effects of mulberry extract (MBE) on blood flow improvement. The $SC_{50}$ value for the DPPH radical scavenging activity of MBE was $89.36{\pm}5.46{\mu}g/mL$. Analysis of the cellular toxicity of MBE on RAW 264.7 and HepG2 cells showed no toxicity under a concentration of 2,500 ${\mu}g/mL$. We found that MBE inhibited the enzyme activity of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 as well as oxidation of human LDL. Western blotting analysis showed that MBE inhibited protein expression of COX-2 and 5-lipoxygenase in RAW 264.7 cells. In addition, MBE inhibited protein expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Furthermore, MBE reduced the serum levels of total cholesterol and C-reactive protein in a concentration-dependent manner. These results both in vitro and in vivo suggest that MBE can be employed for the improvement of blood flow.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.52-58
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• 2014

Purpose : To establish a pH measurement system for a mouse tumor study using a clinical scanner, to develop the $^1H$ and 31P radio frequency (RF) coil system and to test pH accuracy with phantoms. Materials and Methods: The $^1H$ and the $^{31}P$ surface coils were designed to acquire signals from mouse tumors. Two coils were positioned orthogonally for geometric decoupling. The pH values of various pH phantoms were calculated using the $^1H$ decoupled $^{31}P$ MR spectrum with the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation. The calculated pH value was compared to that of a pH meter. Results: The mutual coil coupling was shown in a standard $S_{12}$. Coil coupling ($S_{12}$) were -73.0 and -62.3 dB respectively. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) obtained from the homogeneous phantom $^1H$ image was greater than 300. The high resolution in vivo mice images were acquired using a $^{31}P$-decoupled $^1H$ coil. The pH values calculated from the $^1H$-decoupled $^{31}P$ spectrum correlated well with the values measured by pH meter ($R^2$=0.97). Conclusion: Accurate pH values can be acquired using a $^1H$-decoupled $^{31}P$ RF coil with a clinical scanner. This two-surface coil system could be applied to other nuclear MRS or MRI.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.69-80
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• 1995

Renal proximal tubular hypertrophy and hyperfunction are known to be early manifestations of experimental and human diabetes. As the hypertrophy and hyperfunction have been suggested to be central components in the progression to renal failure, an understanding of their underlying causes is potentially important for the development of therapy. A primary rabbit kidney proximal tubule cell culture system was utilized to evaluate the possibility that the renal proximal tubular hypertrophy and hyperfunction observed in vivo in diabetes mellitus, can be attributed to effects of elevated glucose levels on membrane transport systems. Primary cultures of rabbit proximal tubules, which achieved confluence at 10 days, exhibited brush-border characteristics typical of proximal tubular cells. Northern analysis indicated $2.2{\sim}2.3$ and 2.0 kb Na/glucose cotransporter RNA species appeared in fresh and cultured proximal tubule cells after confluence, repectively. The cultured cells showed reduced Na/glucose cotransporter activity compared to fresh proximal tubules. Primary cultured proximal tubule cells incubated in medium containing 20 mM glucose have reduced ${\alpha}-MG$ transport compared to cells grown in 5 mM glucose. In the proximal tubule cultures incubated in medium containing 5 mM or 20 mM glucose, phlorizin at 0.5 mM inhibited 0.5 mM ${\alpha}-MG$ uptake by 84.35% or 91.85%, respectively. The uptake of 0.5 mM ${\alpha}-MG$ was similarly inhibited by 0.1 mM ouabain (41.97% or 48.03% inhibition was observed, respectively). In addition, ${\alpha}-MG$ uptake was inhibited to a greater extent when $Na^{+}$ was omitted from the uptake buffer (81.86% or 86.73% inhibition was observed, respectively). In cell homogenates derived from the primary cells grown in 5 mM glucose medium, the specific activity of the Na/K-ATPase $(6.17{\pm}1.27\;{\mu}mole\;Pi/mg\;protein/hr)$ was 1.56 fold lower than the values in cell homogenates treated with 360 mg/dl D-glucose, 20 mM $(9.67{\pm}1.22\;{\mu}mole\;Pi/mg\;protein/hr)$. Total $Rb^{+}$ uptake occurred at a significantly higher rate (1.60 fold increase) in primary cultured rabbit kidney proximal tubule cell monolayers incubated in 20 mM glucose medium $(10.48{\pm}2.45\;nM/mg\;protein/min)$ as compared with parallel cultures in 5 mM glucose medium. $Rb^{+}$ uptake rate in 5 mM glucose medium was reduced by 28% when the cultures were incubated with 1 mM ouabain. The increase of the $Rb^{+}$ uptake by rabbit kidney proximal tubule cells in 20 mM glucose could be attributed primarily to an increase in the rate of ouabain-sensitive $Rb^{+}$ uptake $(5\;mM\;to\;20\;mM;\;4.68{\pm}0.85\;to\;8.38{\pm}1.37\;nM/mg\;protein/min)$. In conclusion, the activity of the renal proximal tubular Na,K-ATPase is elevated in high glucose concentration. In contrast, the activity of the Nafglucose cotransport system is inhibited.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.65-75
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• 2009

Objectives : Pyrite is one of the important prescriptions that has been used in oriental medicine for healing of fracture. It is reasonable, therefore, to postulate that native copper affects the process of bone metabolism and bone formation. The purpose of this study is to discover the effect of Pyrite on the healing of tibia fracture. Methods : 1. In vitro test : MG-63 cell in human body and the Pyritum in the ratio of 0.5mg/ml, 1.0mg/ml, 1.5mg/ml, 2.0mg/ml were incubated for 24 hours. After 24 hours, RNA was extracted via trizol reagent (Sigma, USA). In order to understand the activation of osteoblast, the level of OPN mRNA, osteopontin, was measured. 2. In vivo tesgroups normal group, control group and experimental group. Left tibia bones of mice in CON and JT groups were fractured by bone cutters. Pyrite was orally administered to the experimental group. After 14 days, each group's tibia specimen was constructed to observe changes in activation of proinflmmatory cytokines in relation to MIF and IL-6. Also, proliferation of osteoblast and osteopontin were measured via changes in levels of OPN and OPN mRNA. Results : In jn-Titro test, the level of OPN mRNA, osteopontin production was remarkably increased in Pyritum-treated MG-63 cells. In in-vitro test, fractured area in external tibia morphology was increased more in the JT group than that of the CON group. Osteogenesis, endochodrial ossification, and osteoid in fractured area were also increased more in the JT group than that of the CON group. Increase in OPN mRNA, osteopontin level and osteoblast's proliferation were observed. Activation of MIF and IL-6 was confirmed from the fracture region. Conclusions : From the result, development of a new stimulator in healing fracture via pyrite is expected.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6261-6265
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• 2013

Background: Recent studies have suggested that expression of the RAS protein activator like-1 gene (RASAL1) is decreased in gastric carcinoma tissues and cell lines, indicated a role in tumorigenesis and development of gastric cancer. Reduced expression of RASAL1 could result in aberrant increase of activity of RAS signaling pathways in cancer cells. However, the exact mechanism which induces down-regulation of the RASAL1 gene remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the methylation status and regulation of RASAL1 in gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: Using the methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP), the methylation status of CpG islands in the RASAL1 promoter in gastric cancers and paired adjacent non-cancerous tissues from 40 patients was assessed and its clinicopathological significance was analyzed. The methylation status of RASAL1 in gastric cancer lines MKN-28, SGC-790l, BGC-823, as well as in normal gastric epithelial cell line GES-l was also determined after treatment with a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, 5-aza-2'-doexycytidine (5-Aza-CdR). RAS activity (GAS-GTP) was assessed through a pull-down method, while protein levels of ERK1/2, a downstream molecule of RAS signaling pathways, were determined by Western blotting. Results: The frequencies of RASAL1 promoter methylation in gastric cancer and paired adjacent non-cancerous tissues were 70% (28/40) and 30% (12/40) respectively (P<0.05). There were significantly correlations between RASAL1 promoter methylation with tumor differentiation, tumor size, invasive depth and lymph node metastasis in patients with gastric cancer (all P<0.05), but no correlation was found for age or gender. Promoter hypermethylation of the RASAL1 gene was detected in MKN-28, SGC-790l and BGC-823 cancer cells, but not in the normal gastric epithelial cell line GES-1. Elevated expression of the RASAL1 protein, a decreased RAS-GTP and p-ERK1/2 protein were detected in three gastric cancer cell lines after treatment with 5-Aza-CdR. Conclusions: Aberrant hypermethylation of the RASAL1 gene promoter frequently occurs in gastric cancer tissues and cells. In addition, the demethylating agent 5-Aza-CdR can reverse the hypermethylation of RASAL1 gene and up-regulate the expression of RASAL1 significantly in gastric cancer cells in vivo. Our study suggests that RASAL1 promoter methylation may have a certain relationship with the reduced RASAL1 expression in gastric cancer.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.103-108
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• 1996

Through the previous studies(I,II), it was observed that human follicular fluid(HFF) was more effective than human fetal cord serum(HFCS) on promoting meiotic resumption of oocytes and improving embryonic development of mouse in vitro. On the basis of these results, we have gradually exchanged HFCS with HFF as protein supplement in human ART. This study was performed to investigate the efficiency of HFF on improving the pregnancy rate in ART. Oocytes were retrieved transvaginally from patients treated with pituitary suppression with GnRH-agonist and ovarian stimulation with human menopausal gonadotro-pin(HMG) and pure follicle stimulating hormone(FSH). Aspirated oocytes were rinsed and cultured in TCM-199 containing HFF, and the concentrations of HFF were adjusted to 10, 20, and 30% according to the use for insemination, embryo growth and embryo transfer, respectively. As possible as, we tried to do embryo transfer into fallopian tube to mimic the coincidence of the cell stage with the place of sojourn in vivo, so we performed various ART programs(IVF & ET; in vitro fertilization, ZIFT; zygote intra fallopian-tube transfer, ZIFT & ET) according to the tubal conditions of patients. On the while, intra cytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI) was used to assist IVF of the patients who had shown poor standard IVF results by immunological or severe male factor. Of the 255 cycles of ART programs using HFF as protein supplement, 118 cycles were turn out to be succeeded in pregnancy(46.2%, per cycle, p<0.05), while 21 pregnancies were achieved in the 69 cycles using HFCS(30.4%). The 255 cycles using HFF were subdivided into cycles with the type of ART programs, and each pregnancy rate of the ART programs were 44.7% (IVF & ET, 76/170 cycles), 53.4%(ZIFT, 31/58 cycles) and 40.7% (ZIFT & ET, 11/27 cycles), respectively. In the 61 ICSI cycles using HFF, 28 cycles succeed in pregnancy(45.9%), while 7 pregnancies were obtained in the 17 ICSI cycles using HFCS. Also the ongoing pregnancy rate in the group using HFF(78.8%, 93/118 cycles) was higher than that in the group using HFCS(61.9%). Therefore, we found that the use of HFF as protein supplement was more suitable and effective than the use of HFCS to improve the pregnancy rate in ART.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.285-294
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• 2011

The abatement of methane emission from ruminants is an important global issue due to its contribution to greenhouse gas with carbon dioxide. Methane is generated in the rumen by methanogens (archaea) that utilize metabolic hydrogen ($H_2$) to reduce carbon dioxide, and is a significant electron sink in the rumen ecosystem. Therefore, the competition for hydrogen used for methanogenesis with alternative reductions of rumen microbes should be an effective option to reduce rumen methanogenesis. Some methanogens parasitically survive on the surface of ciliate protozoa, so that defaunation or decrease in protozoa number might contribute to abate methanogenesis. The most important issue for mitigation of rumen methanogenesis with manipulators is to secure safety for animals and their products and the environment. In this respect, prophylactic effects of probiotics, prebiotics and miscellaneous compounds to mitigate rumen methanogenesis have been developed instead of antibiotics, ionophores such as monensin, and lasalocid in Japan. Nitrate suppresses rumen methanogenesis by its reducing reaction in the rumen. However, excess intake of nitrate causes intoxication due to nitrite accumulation, which induces methemoglobinemia. The nitrite accumulation is attributed to a relatively higher rate of nitrate reduction to nitrite than nitrite to ammonia via nitroxyl and hydroxylamine. The in vitro and in vivo trials have been conducted to clarify the prophylactic effects of L-cysteine, some strains of lactic acid bacteria and yeast and/or ${\beta}$1-4 galactooligosaccharide on nitrate-nitrite intoxication and methanogenesis. The administration of nitrate with ${\beta}$1-4 galacto-oligosaccharide, Candida kefyr, and Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis were suggested to possibly control rumen methanogenesis and prevent nitrite formation in the rumen. For prebiotics, nisin which is a bacteriocin produced by Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis has been demonstrated to abate rumen methanogenesis in the same manner as monensin. A protein resistant anti-microbe (PRA) has been isolated from Lactobacillus plantarum as a manipulator to mitigate rumen methanogenesis. Recently, hydrogen peroxide was identified as a part of the manipulating effect of PRA on rumen methanogenesis. The suppressing effects of secondary metabolites from plants such as saponin and tannin on rumen methanogenesis have been examined. Especially, yucca schidigera extract, sarsaponin (steroidal glycosides), can suppress rumen methanogenesis thereby improving protein utilization efficiency. The cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL), or cashew shell oil, which is a natural resin found in the honeycomb structure of the cashew nutshell has been found to mitigate rumen methanogenesis. In an attempt to seek manipulators in the section on methane belching from ruminants, the arrangement of an inventory of mitigation technologies available for the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Joint Implementation (JI) in the Kyoto mechanism has been advancing to target ruminant livestock in Asian and Pacific regions.