• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.1610-1615
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• 2007

Genus Sorbus is a long lived woody species that is primarily distributed throughout Asia and Europe. This species is regarded as very important herbal medicines in Korea and China. Sorbus commixta is primarily distributed throughout Europe. We evaluated a representative sample of the four taxa with nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer sequences (ITS) to estimate genetic relationships within genus. Aligned nucleotide sequences of the length of ITS1 were nearly constant within genus Sorbus varying from 219 in S. aucuparia to 218 in the rest species. Especially, the 5.8S subunit of all taxa of Sorbus was found to constant of 165 bp nucleotides. However, aligned nucleotide sequences of the length of ITS2 vary from 240 in S. sambucifolia var. pseudogrcilisto 245 in S. aucuparia. Total alignment length is 629 positions, of which 35 are parsimony-informative, 32 variable but parsimony-uninformative, and 552 constant characters. The base furtherance showed the difference to the by a total taxon: an average A and T are 17.7% and G and C are 30.4%, 34.2%, respectively. All the four taxa beginning with conserved base paired triplets emerging from single strand regions (domain I). Noteworthy, in the RNA secondary structure proposed for the three Korean Sorbus taxa RNA transcript ITS2, which shows a remarkedly well-conserved folding (domain II). When compared to the European Sorbus (S. aucuparia) of ITS2. ITS analysis may be useful in germ-plasm classification several taxa of genus Sorbus.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 2015

In this study, anti-inflammatory activity of hot water extract of Aronia fruits (AF-H) was examined. Pre-treatment with AF-H significantly inhibited production of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E-2 in a dose-dependent manner in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. The inhibitory effect of AF-H on LPS-induced inflammation was also confirmed by down-regulation of inducible NO synthase as well as cyclooxygenase-2 protein expression. Furthermore, treatment with AF-H significantly inhibited secretion of inflammatory cytokines such as tumor-necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ and interleukin-6. Signal transduction pathway studies further indicated that AF-H inhibited LPS-induced activation of nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$, but not mitogen-activated protein kinase. Treatment with AF-H also partially protected against LPS-induced lethal shock in C57BL/6 mice, although its effect was not statistically significant. These results suggest that AF-H is a more promising nutraceutical or medicinal agent for inhibition of LPS-induced inflammation or inflammation-related diseases.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.217-228
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• 2019

There have been no published studies concerning the anti-inflammatory effects of corn silk on colon cancer cells. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of corn silk extract containing high levels of maysin on inflammation and its mechanism of action in colon cancer cells. SW 480 human colon cancer cells were treated with $1{\mu}g/mL$ of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce inflammation, and next they were treated with different concentrations of corn silk extract (0, 5, 10 and $15{\mu}g/mL$). The concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) were determined. The mRNA expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor ${\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$), interleukin-1beta ($IL-1{\beta}$) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), were determined. Western blot analysis was performed to determine the protein expressions of nuclear factor-kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$) and mitogen-activated protein kinases, and the latter consists of extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK), c-jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 MAP kinase (p38). The concentration of NO and the mRNA expression of iNOS were significantly and dose-dependently decreased in the corn silk-treated groups (P<0.05). The mRNA expression of $TNF-{\alpha}$, $IL-1{\beta}$ and IL-6 were significantly increased in the LPS-treated group (P<0.05), but these expressions were significantly and dose-dependently decreased in the corn silk treated groups (P<0.05). The protein expressions of $NF-{\kappa}B$ (in a dose-dependent fashion), ERK (at 10 and $15{\mu}g/mL$), JNK (at $15{\mu}g/mL$) and p38 (at 10 and $15{\mu}g/mL$) were significantly decreased with corn silk treatments (P<0.05). In conclusion, corn silk extract containing high levels of maysin seems to inhibit the LPS-induced inflammatory responses in SW480 colon cancer cells via the $NF-{\kappa}B$ pathway.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.65 no.2
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• pp.204-214
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• 2022

Objective : Osteoporosis result from age-related decline in the number of osteoblast progenitors in the bone marrow. Probiotics have beneficial effects on the host, when administered in appropriate amounts. This study investigated the effects of probiotics expressing specific genes, especially the effects of genetically modified bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2-expressing Lactobacillus plantarum CJNU 3003 (LP) on ovariectomized rats. Methods : Twenty-eight female Wistar rats (250-300 g, 12 weeks old) were divided into four groups : the sham (control), the ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporosis group (OVX), the OVX and LP (OVX/LP), OVX and genetically modified BMP-2-expressing LP (OVX/LP with BMP) groups. The three groups underwent bilateral OVX and two of these groups were administered two different types of LP via oral gavage daily. At 16 weeks post-OVX, blood was collected from the heart and the bilateral tibiae were extracted and were scanned by ex-vivo micro-computed tomography and stained with hematoxylin-and-eosin (H&E) and Masson's trichrome stain for pathological assessment. The serum levels of osteocalcin (OC), rat C-telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-I), BMP-2, and receptor activator of nuclear factor-ĸB ligand (RANKL) were measured. Results : The 3D-micro-computed tomography images showed that the trabecular structure in the OVX/LP with BMP group was maintained compared with OVX and OVX/LP groups. No significant differences were detected in trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) between control and OVX/LP with BMP groups (p>0.05). Furthermore, a tendency toward increased BMD, trabecular bone volume, Tb.Th, and trabecular number and decreased trabecular separation was found in rats in the OVX/LP with BMP groups when compared with the OVX and OVX/LP groups (p>0.05). The H&E and Masson's trichrome stained sections showed a thicker trabecular bone in the OVX/LP with BMP group compared with the OVX and OVX/LP groups. There was no difference in serum levels of OC, CTX and RANKL control and OVX/LP with BMP groups (p>0.05). In contrast, significant differences were found in OC and CTX-1 levels between the OVX and OVX/LP with BMP groups (p<0.05). Conclusion : Our results showed that the expression of genetically modified BMP-2 showed inhibition effect for bone loss in a rat model of osteoporosis.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.425-435
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• 1998

To improve the efficiency of nuclear transplantation in bovine, in this study the development in vitro of nuclear transferred (NT) embryos was compared by different activation regimens of the enucleated oocytes. The effect of developmental stage and culture system of donor nuclei on fusion and development in vitro of NT embryos were also evaluated. Oocytes were collected from Hanwoo ovaries obtained from slaughterhouse and matured in Ham's F-10 supplemented with hormones. After 20~22 h maturation, the oocytes were vortexed to be free from cumulus cells and subsequently their nucleus and the first polar body were removed. Enucleated oocytes were divided into 3 groups for activation; the oocytes of group I were activated with ionomycin for 5 min and subsequently incubated in 6-dimetylarninopurine (DMAP) for 4 h, Those of group II were treated with DMAP for 4 h at 39 h after onset of in vitro maturation (IVM) and those of group III were kept in room temperature ($25^{\circ}C$) for 3 h at 39 h after onset of IVM. After in vitro fertilization (IVF) the embryos for muclear donor were cultured either by group culture (20 embryos /50 ${mu}ell$ drop) or individually (1 embryo /50 ${mu}ell$ drop) for 4 day and 5 day. At day 4 and 5 after IVF, blastomeres were separated in calcium-magnesium free medium, and then classified into small (day 5: $\leq$ 38 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$, day 4: $\leq$ 46 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$) and large (day 5 : $\geq$ 38 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$, day 4 ; $\geq$ 46 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$). The separated blastomeres were replaced into enucleated and activated recipient cytoplasm. The blastomere-oocyte complexes were fused by electrically. The NT embryos were cultured in TCM-199 containing 10% FCS in 39$^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$ incubator for 7 day. The results obtained were summarized as follows; There were no differences in fusion and development to blastocyst between groups as group I (68%, 10%), group II (75%, 14%) and group III (73%, 9%), respectively. However, the cell number in blastocyst of NT embryos in group III were significantly fewer than in the other groups (P＜0.05). No differences in fusion and development to blastocyst were found between individual or group cultured and between small or large blastomeres of day 4 and day 5 donor embryos. From these results, it was concluded that the combination of ionomycin and DMAP, or treatment of DMAP at 39 h after onset of IVM were useful for the efficient of production of NT bovine embryos, and the individual cultured embryos could be simply used as donor nuclei for NT bovine embryo.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.87-96
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• 2004

Studies were conducted to select the candidate buffer material for a high-level waste (HLW) repository in Korea. This paper presents the hydraulic properties, the swelling properties, the thermal properties, and the mechanical properties as well as the radionuclide release-retarding capacity of Kyungju bentonite as part of those studies. Experimental results showed that the hydraulic conductivities of the compacted bentonite were very low and less than $10^{-11}$m/s. The values decreased with increasing the dry density of the compacted bentonite. The swelling pressures were in the range of 0.66 MPa to 14.4 ㎫ and they increased with increasing the dry density. The thermal conductivities were in the range of 0.80 ㎉/m $h^{\circ}C$ to 1.52 ㎉/m $h^{\circ}C$. The unconfined compressive strength, Young's modulus and Poison's ratio showed the range of 0.55 ㎫ to 8.83 ㎫, 59 ㎫ to 1275 ㎫, and 0.05 to 0.20, respectively, when the dry densities of the compacted bentonite were 1.4 Ms/㎥ to 1.8 Mg/㎥. The diffusion coefficients in the compacted bentonite were measured under an oxidizing condition. The values were $1.7{\times}10^{-10}$m^2$/s to 3.4{\times}10^{-10}$m^2$/s for electrically neutral tritium (H-3), 8.6{\times}10^{-14}$m^2$/s to 1.3{\times}10^{-12}$m^2$/s for cations (Cs, Sr, Ni), 1.2{\times}10^{-11}$m^2$/s to 9.5{\times}10^{-11}$m^2$/s for anions (I, Tc), and 3.0{\times}10^{-14} $m^2$/s to 1.8{\times}10^{-13}$m^2$/s $for actinides (U, Am), when tile dry densities were in the range of 1.2 Mg/㎥ to 1.8 Mg/㎥. The obtained results will be used in assessing the barrier properties of Kyungju bentonite as a buffer material of a repository in Korea.n Korea.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.65-72
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• 2008

The purpose of the HLW deep geological disposal is to isolate and to delay the radioactive material release to human beings and the environment for a long time so that the toxicity does not affect to the environment. The main requirements for the HLW repository design is to keep the buffer temperature below $100\;^{\circ}C$ in order to maintain its integrity. So the cooling time of spent fuels discharged from the nuclear power plant is the key consideration factors for efficiency and economic feasibility of the repository. The disposal tunnel/disposal hole spacing, the disposal area and thermal capacity required for the deep geological repository layout which satisfies the temperature requirement of the disposal system is analyzed to set the optimized spent fuels cooling time. To do this, based on the reference disposal concept, thermal stability analyses of the disposal system have been performed and the derived results have been compared by setting the spent fuels cooling time and the disposal tunnel/disposal hole spacing in various ways. From these results, desirable spent fuels cooling time in view of disposal area is derived. The results shows that the time reaching the maximum temperature within the design limit of the temperature in the disposal site is likely shortened as the cooling time of spent fuels becomes short. Also it seems that the temperature-rising and-dropping patterns in the disposal site are of smoothly varying form as the cooling time of spent fuels becomes long. In addition, it is revealed that a desirable cooling time of spent fuels is approximately 40-50 years when spent fuels are supposedly disposed in the deep geological disposal site with its structural scale under consideration in this study.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.110-117
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• 2017

The anti-inflammatory effect of Sargassum patens C. Agardh ethanol extract (SPEE) was examined based on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response in this study. SPEE treatment was not cytotoxic to macrophages compared to the control. The production of NO was suppressed by SPEE by approximately 28% at $100{\mu}g/ml$, and levels of interleukin-6, tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$, and $interleukin-1{\beta}$ decreased in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ was suppressed by SPEE treatment. In vivo, croton oil-induced mouse ear edema was attenuated by SPEE and the infiltration of mast cells into the tissue decreased. Based on these results, SPEE inhibits the release of LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators, suggesting that SPEE is a potential agent for anti-inflammatory therapies.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.189-197
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• 2007

The solubility of U(VI) hydrolysis products was determined by using a laser-induced breakdown detection (LIBD) technique. The experiments were carried out at uranium concentrations in range from $2{\times}10^{-4}\;M\;to\;4{\times}10^{-6}\;M$, pH values between 3.8 and 7.0, the constant ionic strength of 0.1 M $NaClO_4$ and the temperature of $25.0{\pm}0.1^{\circ}C$. The solubility product of U(VI) hydrolysis products was calculated from LIBD results by using the hydrolysis constants selected in NEA-TDB. The solubility product extrapolated to zero ionic strength, ${\log}K^{\circ}_{sp}=-22.85{\pm}0.23$ was calculated by using a specific ion interaction theory (SIT). The spectral features of ionic species in uranium solutions were investigated by using a conventional UV-visible absorption spectrophotometer and a fluorophotometer, respectively, $(UO_2)_2(OH)_2^{2+}\;and\;(UO_2)_3(OH)_5^+$ were dominant species at uranium concentration of $2{\times}10^{-4}\;M$.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1219-1225
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• 2014

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the most abundant polyphenol molecule from green tea and is known to exhibit antioxidative as well as tumor suppressing activity. In order to examine EGCG tumor invasion and suppressing activity against adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), two HTLV-1 positive leukemia cells (HuT-102 and C91-PL) were treated with non-cytotoxic concentrations of EGCG for 2 and 4 days. Proliferation was significantly inhibited by 100 ${\mu}M$ at 4 days, with low cell lysis or cytotoxicity. HTLV-1 oncoprotein (Tax) expression in HuT-102 and C91-PL cells was inhibited by 25 ${\mu}M$ and 125 ${\mu}M$ respectively. The same concentrations of EGCG inhibited NF-kB nuclearization and stimulation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression in both cell lines. These results indicate that EGCG can inhibit proliferation and reduce the invasive potential of HTLV-1-positive leukemia cells. It apparently exerted its effects by suppressing Tax expression, manifested by inhibiting the activation of NF-kB pathway and induction of MMP-9 transcription in HTLV-1 positive cells.