• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.431-438
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• 2024

Hops enhance beer flavor and bitterness, acting as a preservative. In recent years, the booming trend of craft beer has prompted the introduction of foreign hop varieties for cultivation and production in South Korea. This study focuses on developing efficient in vitro culture condition of the hop (Humulus lupulus L.) variety 'Cascade' for treatments of plant growth regulators, i.e. IAA and Cytokinin. Using Auxin IAA and Cytokinin 2iP, Zeatin, BAP, and TDZ on MS medium as plant growth regulators, the experiment involved removing three nodes from the shoot apex. In vitro hop culture showed the highest shoot proliferation rate when only IAA was added, with approximately 21% higher compared to the combination with Cytokinin. Notably, IAA 0.1 mg/L + BAP 1 mg/L resulted in a superior shoot proliferation rate of around 91%. IAA 0.1 mg/L + BAP 1 mg/L was advantageous for shoot elongation. Callus induction occurred with TDZ, while control or IAA-only conditions exhibited shoot and root growth. Cytokinin addition led to callus formation and increased weight. Assessing survival and soil adaptation during in vitro hop seedling acclimatization involved maintaining near 100% humidity initially, gradually reducing it over three weeks. When transferred outdoors, 9 out of 10 seedlings acclimated successfully, confirming a 90% acclimatization rate.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.516-523
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• 2008

The effects of pan-fired (PM) and fermented (FM) Cudrania tricupidata tea leaves on $\alpha$-glucosidase inhibitory activity, oral glucose tolerance, blood glucose levels and serum lipids profiles in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced hyperglycemic rats were investigated. The $\alpha$-glucosidase inhibitory activity of FM ethanol extracts (20 mg/mL) was higher (92.5%) than that of raw dried leaves (RM) (69.1%) and PM (54.6%). In addition, the results of a glucose tolerance test revealed that the glucose levels of hyperglycemic rats that were fed PM and FM ethanol extracts and then orally administered glucose began to decrease after 60 minutes, but recovered after 120 minutes. However, the blood glucose levels in the hyperglycemic control group did not begin to decrease for 360 minutes. Additionally, the results of animal experiments that were conducted over five weeks to compare the dietary effects of PM and FM following hyperglycemic induction to the effects on the hyperglycemic control group (DM) were as follows: The body weight gain and FER of the treated rats were $12.9{\sim}16.9%$ higher than those of the DM group, whereas the amounts of feed and water intake by the treated rats were $6.8{\sim}10.1%$ lower. Additionally, the levels of blood glucose and serum fructosamine decreased by $27.3{\sim}39.8%$ and $6.7{\sim}20.0%$, respectively, in the treated rats. Moreover, the serum triglyceride, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentrations in the treated rats were $24.9{\sim}27.1%$, $15.9{\sim}17.4%$ and $33.8{\sim}38.4%$ lower, respectively. Finally, the HDL-cholesterol contents were $20.5{\sim}24.8%$ higher in the treated rats than in the control group. The above results suggest that PM and FM exerts an anti-hyperglycemic effect that occurs due to the inhibition of $\alpha$-glucosidase activity as well as via prevention and/or inhibition of changes in the serum lipid profile. In addition, the results of this study revealed that the synthetic anti-hyperglycemic effect of FM was greater than that of PM. However, further detailed studies are needed to confirm these results.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.143-153
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• 2003

Purpose : Infection with Shiga-like toxin (SLT)-producing Escherichia coli, an emerging human pathogen found particularly in young children under 5 years of age, causes a spectrum of illnesses with high morbidity and mortality, ranging from diarrhea to hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome. Host mediators play an important role in the pathogenesis of SLT-I toxicity. The experiments described here were designed to investigate the effect of SLT-I on TNF-${\alpha}$ production and to understand the effect of TNF-${\alpha}$ on GB3 expression. We also further examine the relationship between the Gb3 level and the differential susceptibility of cells to the cytotoxic action of SLT-I. Methods : The effect of purified SLT-1 from E. coli O157 : H7 (ATCC 43890) on tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) production in Raw264.7 cells was investigated. Many mediators regulate endothelial cell membrane expression of the glycolipid globotriaosyleramide (Gb3), which serves as the toxin receptor, suggesting that the host response to the toxin or other bacterial products may contribute to pathogenesis by regulating target cell sensitivity to the toxins. Therefore, the relationships between Gb3 expression and cytotoxicity against SLT-I on three types of cells were evaluated. Results : Detectable levels of TNF-${\alpha}$ were produced as early as six hours after induction and continued to increase during 48 hours by SLT-I. It was also found that Vero cells and dendritic cells (DC2.4 cells) expressed high levels of Gb3, 83% and 68%, respectively, and that Raw264.7 cells had a low level of Gb3 (29%) and appeared refractory to cytotoxicity against SLT-I. Vero cells and DC2.4 cells expressing high levels of Gb3 were highly susceptible to SLT-I. Furthermore, macrophages showed a resistance to SLT-I cytotoxicity, despite the fact that Gb3 expression was enhanced. Conclusion : These results strongly suggest that the expression of Gb3 is necessary but not sufficient to confer sensitivity of macrophages to SLT-I and further underpin the important role of SLT-I and its Gb3 receptors in the pathogenesis of E. coli O157 infection.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.216-221
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• 2003

Purpose: To investigate the modulation of radiosensitivity by celecoxib, a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, on cancer cells over- and under-expressing COX-2. Materials and Methods: A clonogenic radiation survival analysis was performed on A549 human lung and MCF-7 human breast cancer cell lines incubated in both 1 and $10\%$ fetal bovine serum (FBS) containing media. The apoptosis in both cell lines was measured after treatment with radiation and/or celecoxib. Results: Celecoxib enhanced the radiation sensitivity of the A549 cells in the medium containing the $10\%$ FBS, with radiation enhancement ratios of 1.58 and 1.81 respectively, at surviving fractions of 0.1, with $30\muM\;and\;50\muM$ celecoxib. This enhanced radiosensitivity disappeared in the medium containing the $1\%$ FBS. Celecoxib did not change the radiation sensitivity of the MCF-7 cells in either media. The induction of apoptosis by celecoxib and radiation was not synergistic in either cell line. Conclwsion: Celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, preferentially enhanced the effect of radiation on COX-2 over-expressing cancer cells compared to the cells with a low expression, and this effect disappeared on incubation of the cells during drug treatment in the medium with suboptimal serum concentration. Apoptosis did not appear to be the underlying mechanism of this radiation enhancement effect due to celecoxib on the A549 cells. These findings suggest radiosensitization by a selective COX-2 inhibitor is COX-2 dependent.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.321-330
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• 1994

The protective effect of 'ischemic preconditioning (PC)' on ischemia-reperfusion injury of heart has been reported in various animal species, but without known mechanisms in detail. In an attempt to investigate the cardioprotective mechanism of PC, we examined the effects of PC on the myocardial oxidative injuries and the oxygen free radical production in the ischemia-reperfusion model of isolated Langendorff preparations of rat hearts. PC was performed with three episodes of 5 min ischemia and 5 min reperfusion before the induction of prolonged ischemia (30 min)-reperfusion(20 min). PC prevented the depression of cardiac function (left ventricular pressure x heart rate) observed in the ischemic-reperfused heart, and reduced the release of lactate dehydrogenase during the reperfusion period. On electron microscopic pictures, myocardial ultrastructures were relatively well preserved in PC hearts as compared with non-PC ischemic-reperfused hearts. In PC hearts, lipid peroxidation of myocardial tissue as estimated from malondialdehyde production was markedly reduced. PC did not affect the activity of xanthine oxidase which is a major source of oxygen radicals in the ischemic rat hearts, but the myocardial content of hypoxanthine (a substrate for xanthine oxidase) was much lower in PC hearts. It is suggested from these results that PC brings about significant myocardial protection in ischemic-reperfused heart and this effect may be related to the suppression of oxygen free radical reactions.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.272-281
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• 2003

Nontraditional or alternative medicine is becoming an increasingly attractive approach for the treatment of various inflammatory disorders and cancers. Curcumin is the major constitute of turmoric powder extracted from the rhizomes of the plant Curcuma longa. Resveratrol is a phytoalexin present in grapes and a variety of medicinal plants. In this report, We investigated the effect of curcumin and resveratrol on regulatory protein of cell cycle, induction of apoptosis and MMP activity. Treatment with 75 M curcumin for 24 hrs produced morphological changing in HN-4 cells. Curcumin and resveratrol inhibited the cellular growth in HN-4 cells. Inhibition of cell growth was associated with down-regulation of cell cycle regulatory proteins. Curcumin-induced caspase-3 activation and Bax degradation were dose-dependent with a maximal effect at a concentration of 100 M. The elevated caspase-3 activity in curcumin treated HN-4 cells are correlated with down-regulation of survivin and cIAP1, but not cIAP2. Curcumin induced a dose-dependent increase of cytochrome c in the cytosol. Curcumin induced-apoptosis was mediated through the release of cytochrome c. In addition, curcumin-induced apoptosis was caused by the generation of reactive oxygen species, which was prevented by antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). Cotreatment with NAC markedly prevented cytochrome c release, Bax cleavage and cell death. Also resveratrol-induced apoptosis was preceded by down-regulation of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, cIAP1, and caspase-3 activity. However, resveratrol-induced apoptosis was not prevented by antioxidant NAC. In addition, HN-4 cells release basal levels of MMP2 when cultured in serum-free medium. Treatment of the cells with various concentrations of PMA for 24 hr induced the expression and secretion of latent MMP9 as determined by gelatin zymography. HN-4 cells were treated with various concentrations of curcumin and resveratrol in the presence of 75 nM PMA, and MMP2 and 9 activities were inhibited by curcumin and resveratrol. These findings have implications for developing curcumin-based anticancer and anti-inflammation therapies.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.842-850
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• 2010

Sex steroids are known to be involved in skeletal muscle development (anabolic effect) and are frequently used in medicines. It has been known that pork contains a variety of steroids that are mainly synthesized in the gonads (testis and ovary). Thus, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of anabolic steroids of pork on the proliferation and differentiation of myogenic satellite cells (MSC). Three different methods (M1, M2, and M3) were developed for the isolation and purification of steroids from porcine tissues. Among three extraction methods that we developed, M3 was the best method with respect to the quantities of steroids and the induction of MSC proliferation. Hormonal analysis showed that the steroid hormone levels were the highest in muscle and fat of intact male than those of castrated males and females. In addition, the highest serum levels of nandrolone and testosterone were detected in intact males, whereas estrone and $17{\beta}$-estradiol levels were similar in the entire experimental serum samples. Expression of androgen receptor (AR), myoD, desmin, and myogenin in bovine muscle cells were significantly up-regulated by the treatment of steroid extracts. The highest increas of myogenin and AR mRNA abundance were observed in the MSCs treated with M3 extract (p<0.001). Altogether, the present research showed the positive effect of steroids on MSC proliferation and differentiation in vitro. These results would certainly imply a beneficial effect of pork consumption on human muscle development.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-30
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• 2007

The study carried out a survey with employees of hospitals located in Daejeon, Chungnam, and Chungbuk from Sep. 12 to Sep. 30, 2005 in order to derive primary elements that affect the improvement of hospital's competitiveness. The study investigated and analyzed the employees' recognition on the change of competitive environment caused by the change of medical environment. The study also analyzed the elements that affect the hospital's competitiveness and the competitive strategies of the hospitals. The conclusion of this study can be summarized as follows. 1. Summary 1) Most of the employees responded that there is a rival in the competitive environment and the competitive is intense. Especially when the employees are married, live in urban areas, have an education level of university graduate or are managers, they tend to think the competitive is very intense. Also, they said that the competitive is based upon the quality of medical service. They mentioned the element that has the biggest effect on the competitiveness is the element of medical consumer and they recognized that the medical services in university and general hospitals have more competitiveness than the one-department hospitals. 2) It was investigated that the medical technique service has the most effect on the hospital's competitiveness. Also, the external service of medical techniques also has a large effect on the hospital's competitiveness. 3) When they were asked for the factors that affect the patients' decision on selecting a hospital, most of them responded "capability and technique of the medical staffs." Also, they said that "sufficient explanation from doctors" and "special center and clinic" are the factors that have big effects on the patients' decision. 4) In the SWOT analysis, most of them responded that the strength is the hospital's characteristics and the weakness is insufficient and obsolete equipment. They said the opportunity is the demands for professional medical service and the risk is the intense competitive among the hospitals. 5) In the SWOT strategy, they emphasized the strategy that uses the opportunity and the strength and the strategy that uses the opportunity while overcoming the weakness. 6) As for the basic competition strategy, most of them thought of the strategy of professionalizing the medical service most importantly. Next, they focused on the strategy of distinct service and the strategy of lower prime cost. 2. Conclusion 1) Because service competition between hospitals is happening seriously, need competitiveness security through right awareness transfer and satisfaction upgrade about medical consumer. 2) For medical technique service upgrade that equip Hospital's competitiveness but affects most, must solidify the countermeasure because professionalizing the medical service and newest medical technique induction should be achieved first, and compose task force for the external service of medical techniques improvement. 3) To improve SWOT of hospital, opportunity and the strength strategy choice that rescue hospital's characteristics heightening professionalizing the medical service level is fancied. 4) As for the basic competition strategy, will have to try in phase triangular position of hospital which is trusted medical level upgrade and excellent manpower security and finance independence through upgrade. The study was only done with hospitals in Daejeon, Chungnam and Chungbuk. Also, it is a study from the side of suppliers of medical service so there are limitations. However, the significance of the study is to present the basic data for improvement of hospital's competitiveness by examining the importance of medical techniques and external service of medical techniques that are the main effects on the improvement of hospital's competitiveness.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.135-143
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• 2016

Purpose: Ultraviolet (UV)-induced oxidative stress contributes to several adverse biological effects on skin. Many phenolic phytochemicals have been shown to have antioxidant properties and protect skin cells from UV-induced oxidative damage. In this study, we investigated whether or not Aralia elata (AE) has a protective effect against UVB-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS), ultimately leading to photoaging. Methods: Phenolic content of dried AE and antioxidant properties of AE extract in 70% ethanol weredetermined by measuring DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). The effect of AE extract on cellular ROS generation and expression levels of oxidative stress-response proteins such as superoxide dismutase (SOD)-1, catalase, nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf)-2, and heme oxygenase (HO)-1 in UVB-irradiated ($75mJ/cm^2$) human keratinocytes (HaCaT) were further determined by 2'-7'-dichlorofluoresceine diacetate assay and Western blotting, respectively. Results: The total phenolic and flavonoid contents of dried AE were 20.15 mg tannic acid/g and 18.75 mg rutin/g, respectively. The $IC_{50}$ of AE extract against DPPH radical was $98.5{\mu}g/mL$, and ABTS radical scavenging activity and FRAP upon treatment with $1,000{\mu}g/mL$ of AE extract were $41.8{\mu}g\;ascorbic\;acid\;(AA)\;eq./mL$ and $29.7{\mu}g\;AA\;eq./mL$,m respectively. Pretreatment with AE extract significantly reduced (p < 0.05) ROS generation compared to that in UVB-irradiated control HaCaT cells. Pretreatment with AE extract reversed reduction of Nrf-2 and SOD-1 protein expression and induction of HO-1 protein expression caused by UVB exposure in HaCaT cells, whereas it did not affect catalase expression. Conclusion: AE extract in 70% ethanol demonstrated a protective effect against UVB-induced oxidative stress and decreased expression of Nrf-2 and SOD-1 in human keratinocytes. These findings suggest that AE ethanol extract might have potential as a natural resource for a skin anti-photoaging product in the food and cosmetic industry.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.370-376
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• 2014

Although the grasshopper Oxya chinensis sinuosa has long been used as food in Korea, there is little data on its functional effects. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of O. c. sinuosa ethanol extract (OCE) in RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage cells treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for induction of inflammation. First, we determined that there is no cytotoxicity at $2,000{\mu}g/ml$ or less of OCE in RAW 264.7 cells. To evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of OCE, we investigated expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ and interleukin (IL)-6, and pro-inflammatory enzymes such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. In addition, we examined whether OCE could inhibit translocation of NF-${\kappa}B$ p65 into the nucleus in LPS induced RAW 264.7 cells. As a result, we found that the mRNA and protein levels of TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6 decreased in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells after treatment with OCE in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, we confirmed a $2,000{\mu}g/ml$ concentration of OCE inhibited translocation of NF-${\kappa}B$ p65 by immunnostaining and Western blot analysis, and a decrease in the protein expression levels of iNOS and COX-2. Accordingly, we suppose that OCE has an anti-inflammatory effect through down-regulation of TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-6, iNOS, and COX-2 related to ${\kappa}B$ p65 inflammatory signaling pathways.