• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.1323-1334
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• 2010

The effect of nitric oxide (NO) on antioxidant system and protective mechanism against oxidative stress under UV-B radiation was investigated in leaves of maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings during 3 days growth period. UV-B irradiation caused a decrease of leaf biomass including leaf length, width and weight during growth. Application of NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), significantly alleviated UV-B stress induced growth suppression. NO donor permitted the survival of more green leaf tissue preventing chlorophyll content reduction and of higher quantum yield for photosystem II than in non-treated controls under UV-B stress, suggesting that NO has protective effect on chloroplast membrane in maize leaves. Flavonoids and anthocyanin, UV-B absorbing compounds, were significantly accumulated in the maize leaves upon UV-B exposure. Moreover, the increase of these compounds was intensified in the NO treated seedlings. UV-B treatment resulted in lipid peroxidation and induced accumulation of hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) in maize leaves, while NO donor prevented UV-B induced increase in the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and $H_2O_2$. These results demonstrate that NO serves as antioxidant agent able to scavenge $H_2O_2$ to protect plant cells from oxidative damage. The activities of two antioxidant enzymes that scavenge reactive oxygen species, catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in maize leaves in the presence of NO donor under UV-B stress were higher than those under UV-B stress alone. Application of 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4, 4, 5, 5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3- oxide (PTIO), a specific NO scavenger, to the maize leaves arrested NO donor mediated protective effect on leaf growth, photosynthetic pigment and free radical scavenging activity. However, PTIO had little effect on maize leaves under UV-B stress compared with that of UV-B stress alone. $N^{\omega}$-nitro-L-arginine (LNNA), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), significantly increased $H_2O_2$ and MDA accumulation and decreased antioxidant enzyme activities in maize leaves under UV-B stress. This demonstrates that NOS inhibitor LNNA has opposite effects on oxidative resistance. From these results it is suggested that NO might act as a signal in activating active oxygen scavenging system that protects plants from oxidative stress induced by UV-B radiation and thus confer UV-B tolerance.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.77 no.4
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• pp.361-370
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• 1988

This study was carried out for observation of growth, mycorrhizal formation and nutrient absorption of Pinus thunbergii seedlings treated with two soil mixtures and various nitrogen levels after inoculation with mycorrhizal fungus, Pisolithus tinctorius. 1. Seedlings grown on vermiculite applied with $50-150{\mu}g/ml$ nitrogen levels were well developed with pinnate type and cluster-like mycorrhizae. But seedlings on sandy loam had monopodial type in addition to the above-mentioned two types. 2. Optimum fertilization level for mycorrhizal formation is 50 or $150{\mu}g/ml$ N that showed best mycorrhizal formation of $86.4({\pm}3.14)%$ or $73.0({\pm}7.21)%$, respectively, but increased nitrogen levels decreased formation of mycorrhizal short roots. Seedlings applied with $450{\mu}g/ml$ nitrogen level decreased in net assimilation rate (NAR) and crop growth rate(CGR) during early growth of the seedlings, and they were increased since Aug, when nutrient application was stopped. 9. Inorganic nutrient absorption was increased more in seedlings grown on vermiculite and inoculated growth medium than those grown on sandy loam and noninoculated one, and it was gradually increased with increasing nitrogen increasing nitrogen level until $350{\mu}g/ml$. But $450{\mu}g/ml$ nitro gen level rather reduced absorption of nutrient.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.321-325
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• 2011

The mutant strain M6 derived from Acetobacter sp. A9, which produces high levels of the bacterial cellulose derived by random mutagenesis with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine or UV treatment, was selected by a Hestrin and Schramm medium (HSB) plate assay. The characterization of the cellulose production was studied in flask culture to improve the productivity of bacterial cellulose by $Acetobacter$ sp. A9 and mutant strain M6. The yield of cellulose production was superior to mutant M6 than $Acetobacter$ sp. A9. Cellulose was produced 0.12 g $L^{-1}$ by $Acetobacter$ sp. A9 at HS medium and the mutant M6 produced the cellulose 6.95 g $L^{-1}$at HS medium. Strain M6 produced less amount of gluconic acid than A9, thus showing that cellulose production is negatively relted with the gluconic acid production.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1415-1419
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• 2008

This study was carried out to determine the inhibitory effects of methanol extracts from Korean Orysa sartiva and Coix lachryma-jobi var. ma-yuen on mutagenicity using Ames test and growth of AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma and HT-29 human colon cancer cells. Both treatments of methanol extracts (5 mg/assay) from Orysa sartiva and Coix lachryma-jobi var. ma-yuen to Ames test system inhibited aflatoxin $B_1$ ($AFB_1$) induced mutagenicity by 76%. In case of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguamidine (MNNG) induced mutagenicity, the methanol extracts (5 mg/assay) from Orysa sartiva and Coix lachryma-jobi var. ma-yuen showed 79% and 69% inhibitory rate, respectively and the inhibitory effect was a little stronger in Orysa sartiva Inhibitory effects of methanol extracts from Orysa sartiva. and Coix lachryma-jobi var. ma-yuen on the growth of AGS and HT-29 human cancer cells were increased as dose dependent patterns and the inhibitory effects on AGS and HT-29 cells were similar. The above results indicate that the consumption of these cereals, which contain many nutrients with good quality, may be recommended as potent functional foods for improving health.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.662-668
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• 2004

Ames test revealed most methanol extracts of 13 Korean wild mushroom species have strong antimutagenic effects against N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and benzo(a)pyrene[B(a)P]. Methanol extracts of Coriolus versicolor and Phaeolepiota aurea showed 74-94 and 83-88% antimutagenic effects against MNNG and B(a)P in Salmonella typhimurium TA100 strain, while 89 and 91% inhibitions were observed against B(a)P in TA98 strain, respectively. Most water extracts of wild mushrooms did not show antimutagenic activeiy on MNNG and B(a)P. Wild mushrooms extracts inhibited human colon carcinoma cells (HT29), human hepatoma cell (HepG2), and humann histiocytic lymphoma cell (U937) dose-dependently, with most methanol extracts exhibiting stronger effect than water extracts, Highest toxicity was observed against HT-29 cells in methanol extracts of Coriolus versicolor and Phaeolepiota aurea, showing 84% inhibition at 1 mg/mL, whereas C. versicolor water extract showed 53-65% inhibition against HepG2 and U937. These extracts did not show cytotoxic effects against human lymphocyte. Results revealed wild mushrooms have strong antimutagenic and in vitro cytotoxic effects.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 1973

Studies were carried out to investigate the relationship of the remaining percentage of antiseptics and the preservative effect of combined antiseptics and gamma radiation on the keeping quality of pork sausage. Antiseptics quantities, total bacterial counts, and pH were examined during the storage at $5^{\circ}C$ and $30^{\circ}C$. The results obtained were summarized as follows: 1) After irradiation, quantities of antiseptics decreased in proportion to the level of dosage and K-SOA showed more radiosensitivity than AF-2 (p<0.01). 2) The remaining percentage of antiseptics during storage were higher in samples of more irradiated and stored at the lower temperature. AF-2 decreased less than K-SOA. 3) The correlation between the increase of total bacteria counts and percentage of antiseptics survival in sausage was highly significant(p<0.01). High doses of irradiation, storage at lower temperature and use of AF-2, however, seemed to be effective in controlling the increase of total bacterial flora. 4) From the relationships among quantities of antiseptics, number of total bacteria and sensory evaluation, it was shown that the most suitable radiation dose was considered to be 0.5 Mrad, which was superior to 0.75 Mrad in keeping qualities and nonirradiation odor. 5) Effect of gamma ray on the heme pigments of sausage surface was not recognized.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.9-13
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• 1990

The dissipation of insecticide fenitrothion(O,O-dimethyl O-4-nitro-m-tolyl phosphorothioate), fungicide IBP(S-benzyl O, O-diisopropyl phosphorothioate), and herbicide butachlor(N-butozymethyl-2-chloro-2', 6'-diethylacetanilide) in flooded soil planted with rice plants was investigated in outdoor pot conditions. The half lives of IBP, butachlor and fenitrothion in the flooding water treated with IBP at 98g, butachlor at 352.8g, and fenitrothion at 100g ai/10a, were 3.6, 1.7 and within 1 day, respectively. The concentration of fenitrothion at 5 days after application was found to be less than 0.0lppm. In the case of IBP and butachlor after 20 days, the concentration was 0.025 and 0.004ppm, respectively. The concentration of fenitrothion, IBP, butachlor in a soil depth of 0-3cm was 0.07, 1.45 and 3.37ppm on the 3rd day after application, and below 0.05, 0.18, 0.39ppm after 7 days, respectively. However, 27 days after application concentration of IBP and butachlor at 0-5cm soil depth resulted in 0.04 and 0.05ppm, respectively. The disappearance of pesticides was remarkably rapid, compared to those in the some soil under the laboratory conditions. Differences in the concentration of IBP in different soil profiles were few, but amounts of butachlor were remarkably higher at 0-2cm soil depth than below 2cm soil depth.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.276-287
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• 2006

Background & Objective : The herbal medicine Sojukgunbihwan granule has been used for the treatment of functional dyspepsia, generally categorized as a gastric dysmotility disease. However, its mechanisms are not yet well known. Therefore, the effects of Sojukgunbihwan granules on gastric motility in rats was investigated. Methods : The myoelectrical activity of the gastric smooth muscle was recorded by a bipolar electrode placed at the gastric antrum of rats. The contractile waves were measured for 30 minutes before and after intragastric administration of each solution(normal saline, Pyungwisan 40mg/kg, Sojukgunbihwan granules 60mg/kg) and expressed as the motility index. Gastric emptying was measured by the number of glass beads expelled from the stomach(containing one hundred 1mm glass beads) within an hour after glass beads and test drugs(normal saline, Pyungwisan 40mg/kg, Pyungwisan 120mg/kg, Sojukgunbihwan granules 60mg/kg, Sojukgunbihwan granules 180mg/kg) were administered. In another series of experiments to evaluate the mechanisms of Sojukgunbihwan granules under delayed conditions, the rats were treated with atropine sulfate(1 mg/kg, s.c.), cisplatin(10mg/kg, i.p.), and NAME($N^G$-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, 75mg/kg, s.c.) respectively. Results : Intragastric administration of Sojukgunbihwan granules increased the myoelectrical activity significantly, gastric motility index rose 25%, and gastric emptying of glass beads was significantly enhanced over a period of 60minutes. Under the delayed gastric emptying induced by atropine sulfate, cisplatin, and NAME, Sojukgunbihwan granules aggravated gastric emptying in the atropine sulfate($5.71{\pm}3.45\;vs\;3.71{\pm}4.42$) and cisplatin($13.86{\pm}3.53\;vs\;5.14{\pm}5.05$, p<0.01) treated groups, but enhanced gastric emptying in the NAME treated group($5.00{\pm}3.21\;vs\;11.71{\pm}5.65$, p<0.05). Conclusions : Results suggest that Sojukgunbihwan granules stimulate gastric motility through cholinergic and 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 receptors. Results are indicative of Sojukgunbihwan as an especially effective remedy in dysmotility-like functional dyspepsia with impaired reservoir functions such as gastric adaptive relaxation.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.602-610
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• 2013

This study was aimed to evaluate the cavernosal relaxation effect of Crataegii fructus(CF) in the contracted rabbit penile corpus cavernosum by agonists.In order to study the effect of CF on the vasoconstriction of rabbit penile corpus cavernosum, isolated rabbit penile corpus cavernosum tissues were used for the experiment using organ baths containing Krebs solution.To investigate the cavernosal relaxation of CF, CF extract at $0.01{\sim}3.0mg/m{\ell}$ was added after penile corpus cavernosum were contracted by norepinephrine(NE) $1{\mu}M$. To analyze the mechanism of CF's vasorelaxation, CF extract infused into contracted penile tissues by NE after each treatment of indomethacin(IM), $N{\omega}$-nitro-L-arginine(L-NNA), methylene blue(MB), tetraethylammonium chloride(TEA).To study the effect of CF on influx of extracellular calcium chloride($Ca^{2+}$) in penile tissues, in $Ca^{2+}$-free krebs solution, $Ca^{2+}$ 1 mM infused into contracted penile tissues by NE after pretreatment of CF. Cytotoxic activity of CF on human umbilical vein endothelial cell(HUVEC) was measured by MTT assay, and nitric oxide(NO) prodution was measured by Griess reagent. CF relaxed cavernosal strip with endothelium contracted by NE, but in the strips without endothelium, CF-induced relaxation was significantly inhibited. The pretreatment of L-NNA, MB, TEA decreased significantly on the cavernosal relaxation than not-treatment of them. But the pretreatment of IM had no significant effect on the cavernosal relaxation. In $Ca^{2+}$-free krebs solution, when $Ca^{2+}$ infused into contracted penile tissues by NE, pretreatment of CF inhibit contraction induced by adding $Ca^{2+}$.NO production wasn't increased by treatment of CF on HUVEC. This findings showed that CF is effective for the relaxation of rabbit penile corpus cavernosum, and we suggest that CF relax rabbit corpus cavernosal smooth muscle through multiple action mechanisms that include increasing the release of nitric oxide from corporal sinusoidal endothelium, inhibition of $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization into cytosol from the extracellular fluid, and maybe a hyperpolarizing action.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.325-330
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• 2011

Red ginseng saponin fraction-A (RGSF-A) contains a high percentage of panaxadiol saponins that were isolated from Korean red ginseng by ultrafiltration. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of RGSF-A on the porcine distal left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. The relaxant responses to RGSF-A were examined during contractions induced by 100 nM U46619 (9,11-dideoxy-9a,11a-methanoepoxy-prostaglandin F2a), a stable analogue of thromboxane A2. RGSF-A dose-dependently induced biphasic (fast- and slow-) relaxation in the distal LAD coronary artery in the presence of an intact endothelium. The fast-relaxation was quickly achieved in a minute, and then the slow-relaxation was slowly developed and sustained for more than thirty minutes after the administration of RGSF-A. The slow-relaxation had a tendency to be bigger than the fast-relaxation. Fast relaxation induced by RGSF-A was almost blocked by $N_{\omega}$-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide synthase synthase inhibitor and 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), a guanylate cyclase inhibitor. However slow relaxation induced by RGSF-A was only partially inhibited by L-NAME and ODQ. In the endothelium-removed ring, RGSF-A evoked only slowrelaxation to a certain extent. These data suggest that RGSF-A induced both endothelium dependent fast- and slow-relaxation and endothelium independent slow-relaxation in the porcine distal LAD coronary artery. The endothelium dependent fast-relaxation is mediated by the nitric oxide (NO)-cGMP pathway, and the endothelium dependent slow-relaxation is at least partially mediated by the NO-cGMP pathway. However, the endothelium-independent slow-relaxation remains to be elucidated.