• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.280-285
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• 2010

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and chitosan have been used as matrix materials to support the dermal part of skin equivalent which is used for both pharmacological and toxicological evaluations of drugs potentially used for dermatological diseases. However, their biological roles of GAGs and chitosan in the skin equivalent are still unknown. In the present study, we evaluated whether GAGs and chitosan directly affect keratinocyte stem cells (KSCs) and their transit-amplifying cells (TA cells). Among supporting matrix materials, chitosan significantly increased the number of ${\alpha}6$ $integrin^{high}/CD71^{high}$ human keratinocyte TA cells by 48.5%. In quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis, chitosan significantly increased CD71 and CD200 gene transcription whereas not ${\alpha}6$ integrin. In addition, the level of the gene transcription of both keratin 1 (K1) and K10 in the chitosan-treated human keratinocytes was significantly lower than those of control, suggesting that chitosan inhibit keratinocyte differentiation. We also found that N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (NAG) and $\beta$-(1-4)-linked D-glucosamine (D-glc), two components of chitosan, have no effect on the expression of CD71, K1, and K10, suggesting that each monomer component of chitosan is not enough to regulate the number of epidermal keratinocyte lineage. Conclusively, chitosan increases keratinocyte TA cell population which may contribute to the cellular mass expansion of the epidermal part of a skin equivalent system.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.101 no.1
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• pp.138-147
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• 2012

For biomass estimation of Phyllostachys pubescens stands by optimal survey method we established 9 bamboo sample plots in the research forests of KFRI (Korea Forest Research Institute). The dry weight of culm segment determined by relative heights of total bamboo height show us two groups of 1st to 5th culm segment (up to 0~55% culm of tree height from the bottom area) and 6th to 8th culm segment (55~100%) by the results of cluster analysis for dry weight ratio. This results show that upper and lower part of 55~70% reference height from the bottom area against total culm height can be used in obtaining 1 kg of a sample bamboo, respectively, rather than 2.0 m stem segments of other forest tree species. In above-ground biomass estimation by $W=aD+bD^2$ having the highest coefficient of determination in this study, above ground stand biomass was 57.77 ton/ha (culm 40.47 ton/ha, branch 9.29 ton/ha, and leaf 8.01 ton/ha) of which 70% was contributed by culm component followed by branch (16%) and leaf (14%). Below-ground biomass was 53.35 ton/ha in total.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.137-146
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• 2007

Traffic causes more and more stress and injury to grasses on golf course green in Korea due to the increased playing. This study compared the effect of fertilizer component (Nitrate, Phosphate, Potassium) on turfgrass growth and quality golf course green under traffic stress during early winter. Experiment was conducted by using different fertilizer components for 2 months(Oct. 1 to Nov. 30, 2005). Turfgrass leaf color, leaf texture, density and traffic tolerance were evaluated visually, and the root length(cm) and tiller density(tiller/$cm^2$) were measured. Creeping bentgrass(Agrostis palustris cv. 'Seaside II') fromthe nursery of Incheon Grand Golf Club was used. Results of this study are as followings: 1). Turfgrass color was the best in A6(20-15-10) and A5(15-15-10) treatments in the N study. Leaf texture was not different among treatments. Turf quality and traffic tolerance were the highest In A5 and A6. Root length was the longest(15.8cm) in A6 (20-15-10). Root length increased with nitrogen levels. 2). Turf color of A9(5-7.5-5) and A10(15-22.5-15) was darkest in the comparison of P study. Leaf texture was the best in A4(10-15-10) and A9. Turf quality was the best in A10. A7(10-0-10). 3). In general, to recover turfgrass damage on the putting greens during low temperature period, fertilizer amount need to be increased; and nitrogen is better than phosphate and potassium for that purpose.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.402-409
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• 2019

Korean red ginseng made from steaming and drying fresh ginseng has long been used as a traditional herbal medicine due to its effects on the immune, endocrine, and central nerve systems and its anti-inflammatory activity. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism responsible for the anti-inflammatory effects of a formulated Korean red ginseng extract (RGE) in response to lipoteichoic acid (LTA), a cell wall component of gram-positive bacteria. RGE inhibited LTA-induced nitric oxide (NO) secretion and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in BV-2 microglial cells, without affecting cell viability. RGE also inhibited nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$) p65 and degradation of $I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$. In addition, RGE increased the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in a dose-dependent manner, and the inhibitory effect of RGE on iNOS expression was abrogated by small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of HO-1. Moreover, RGE induced nuclear translocation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a transcription factor that regulates HO-1 expression. Furthermore, the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI-3K) inhibitor and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors suppressed RGE-mediated expression of HO-1, and RGE enhanced the phosphorylation of Akt, extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), p38, and c-JUN N-terminal kinases (JNKs). These results suggested that RGE suppressed the production of NO, a proinflammatory mediator, by inducing HO-1 expression via PI-3K/Akt- and MAPK-dependent signaling in LTA-stimulated microglia. The findings indicate that RGE could be used for the treatment of neuroinflammation induced by grampositive bacteria and that it may have therapeutic potential for various neuroinflammation-associated disorders.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.310-317
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• 2022

Recently, interest in the harmful factors of particulate matter (PM), a major component of air pollution, has been increasing. In particular, PM_2.5 with a diameter of less than 2.5 ㎛ is well known to induce oxidative stress accompanied by autophagy in human lung epithelial cells. However, studies on whether PM_2.5 increases autophagy under oxidative stress and whether this process is reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent are insufficient. Therefore, in this study, we investigated whether PM_2.5 promotes autophagy through the generation of ROS in human alveolar epithelial A594 cells. According to our results, cells co-treated with PM_2.5 and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) showed a lower cell viability than cells treated with each alone, which was associated with increased total and mitochondrial ROS production. The co-treatment of PM_2.5 and H₂O₂ also increased autophagy induction, which was confirmed through Cyto-ID staining, and the expression of autophagy biomarker proteins increased. However, when ROS generation was artificially blocked by N-acetyl-L-cysteine pretreatment, the reduction in cell viability and induction of autophagy by PM_2.5 and H₂O₂ co-treatment were markedly attenuated. Therefore, the present results suggest that PM_2.5-induced ROS generation may play a critical role in autophagy induction in A549 cells.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.836-844
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• 2010

This study was carried out to investigate plant characteristics and nutritional components of the genetically modified (GM) Chinese cabbage and its control line grown in the central and northern parts of Korea in order to establish the evaluating protocol and standard assessment. The GM and non-GM Chinese cabbage was planted with normal and concentrated density at two locations in spring and fall of 2008 and 2009. From the statistic analysis on plant characteristics and nutritional components, there were not many significant differences between GM and non-GM Chinese cabbage. Only few differences in the plant characteristics were found between the dense and normal planting. In the dense planting, there was no significant difference between GM and non-GM Chinese cabbages except for three out of 18 plant traits, such as leaf shape, hairiness and midrib length. On the other hand, nine plant traits including leaf length, leaf width, leaf color, leaf shape, fresh weigh of ground part, number of leaf, midrib length, midrib width and root diameter were slightly different between GM and non-GM Chinese cabbage in the normal planting. In case of leaf length, midrib length, midrib width and fresh weigh of ground part, there were significantly differences not only between two lines, but also between two locations. From nutritional component analysis, only five fatty acids were identified in the Chinese cabbage: palmitic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, linoleic acid and linolenic acid. Except linoleic acid, four fatty acids in one gram of dried sample from GM line were little higher than those from non-GM line. However, there were no significant differences in total contents of fatty acids not only between GM and non-GM Chinese cabbage line, but also between northern and central cultivating areas in the normal and dense planting. According to the composition of inorganic elements identified in the samples from both lines, there were six macro-elements, such as N, P, Ca, K, Mg and Na, and four micro-elements, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn. Based on the result from PCA analysis, specific clusters were not found between GM Chinese cabbage and the control line, but found between two regions.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.52-62
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• 2006

In previous reports we demonstrated that ginsenosides, active ingredients of Panax ginseng, affect some subsets of voltage-dependent $Ca^{2+}$ channels in neuronal cells expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. However, the major component(s) of ginseng that affect cloned $Ca^{2+}$ channel subtypes such as ${\alpha}_{1C}$(L)-, ${\alpha}_{1B}$(N)-, ${\alpha}_{1A}$(P/Q)-, ${\alpha}_{1E}$(R)- and ${\alpha}_{1G}$(T) have not been identified. Here, we used the two-microelectrode voltage clamp technique to characterize the effects of ginsenosides and ginsenoside metabolites on $Ba^{2+}$ currents ($I_{Ba}$) in Xenopus oocytes expressing five different $Ca^{2+}$ channel subtypes. Exposure to ginseng total saponins (GTS) induced voltage-dependent, dose-dependent and reversible inhibition of the five channel subtypes, with particularly strong inhibition of the ${\alpha}_{1G}$-type. Of the various ginsenosides, $Rb_1$, Rc, Re, Rf, $Rg_1$, $Rg_3$, and $Rh_2$, ginsenoside $Rg_3$ also inhibited all five channel subtypes and ginsenoside $Rh_2$ had most effect on the ${\alpha}_{1C}$- and ${\alpha}_{1E}$-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels. Compound K (CK), a protopanaxadiol ginsenoside metabolite, strongly inhibited only the ${\alpha}_{1G}$-type of $Ca^{2+}$ channel, whereas M4, a protopanaxatriol ginsenoside metabolite, had almost no effect on any of the channels. $Rg_3$, $Rh_2$, and CK shifted the steady-state activation curves but not the inactivation curves in the depolarizing direction in the ${\alpha}_{1B}$- and ${\alpha}_{1A}$-types. These results reveal that $Rg_3$, $Rh_2$ and CK are the major inhibitors of $Ca^{2+}$ channels in Panax ginseng, and that they show some $Ca^{2+}$ channel selectivity.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2015

This research was conducted to investigate the changes in moisture retention capacities of expanded rice-hull (ERH)-based root media and their influences on the growth of mother and daughter plants in vegetative propagation of 'Seolhyang' strawberry. The proportion of water at the container capacity of ERH medium was in the range of 20 to 23%. This range was lower than the 60 to 66% of strawberry-specialized medium, the 30 to 34% of soil mother material (SMM) and the 30 to 35% of loamy sand. The moisture content of ERH was reduced to 10 to 12% at 8 hours after irrigation, and there were large variations among replications of ERH medium. Among four kinds of root media formulated to contain ERH, the medium of ERH + coir dust (CD) (55 + 45%, v/v) had 26.5 and 32.5% water contents at 20 and 40 days after irrigation to daughter plants, respectively. The m edia o f ERH + sandy loam (S L) and E RH + S MM showed similar trends i n moisture r etention. The pH and EC i n the all root media tested were in the range of 6.7 to 7.1 and 0.03 to $0.08dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$, respectively. The pHs and ECs measured at 20 and 40 days after irrigation were not significantly different in each root medium. Among the root media formulated to contain ERH, the growth of daughter plants was the highest in the treatment of ERH + SL (55 + 45%, v/v). As the blending rate of coir dust was elevated in the ERH + CD media, moisture retention capacity increased gradually, but the growth of daughter plants became worse even though the medium showed higher moisture retention capacity than other root media tested. The growth of roots and aboveground tissues of daughter plants deteriorated in the root media formulated by blending ERH + perlite (PE) at various ratios. The results of this research suggest the optimum formulations of root media and management of moisture content in raising of strawberry daughter plants when ERH is a component of root media.