• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.1525-1533
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• 2007

The discovery of drugs on the treatment of rhinitis and allergic disease is a very important subject in human heath. The Shinbijen has been used for centruries as a traditional medicine in Korea and is known to have an anti-inflammatory effect. However, its specific mechanism of action is still unknown. In this report, we investigated the effect of hot water extract from Shinbijen on OVA-mediated allergic reaction and studied its possible mechanism of action using fluorescenc microscopy and RT-PCR analysis. Shinbijen inhibited OVA-induced rhinitis, total cells in BFA and lymphocyte related to inflammation in mice. Shinbijen decreased immuno response, which activated by IL-4, COX-2 and iNOS expression. in tissue. Shinbijen reduced inflammatory molecule release from mice lung tissue and CD4/CD8 cells activated by cardiac blood. Shinbijen decreased OVA-induced IL-4 and iNOS levels in pulmonary alveoli. Our findings provide evidence that Shinbijen inhibits OVA-induced allergic reactions, and also demonstrate the involvement of inflammation and allergic disease in these effects.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.71-77
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• 2012

Many of biochemical or physiological processes can be regulated by non-coding RNAs as well as coding RNAs in plants, animals and microbes. Recently, many small RNAs including microRNAs (miRNAs) and endogenous small interference RNAs (siRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs have been discovered from ubiquitous organisms including plants. Biotic and abiotic stresses are main causal agents of crop losses all over the world. Much efforts have been performed for understanding the complex mechanism of stress responses. Up to date, many of these researches have been related with the identification and investigation of stress-related proteins, showing limitation to resolve the complex mechanism. Recently, non-coding RNAs as well as coding genes have been gradually interested because of its potential roles in plant stress responses as well as other biophysical aspects. In this review, various potential roles of non-coding RNAs, especially miRNAs and siRNAs, are reviewed in relation with plant biotic and abiotic stresses.

• CELLMED
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.4.1-4.8
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• 2019

Now researchers have focused attention on exploring the mechanism of acute responses of heat stress given in heat therapy that ultimately promotes the long term health benefits. Heat therapy is not a new idea rather it was practiced since thousands years back in the form of hot bath, sauna bath, steam room. Similarly in Ayurveda there is very comprehensive description of heat therapy in the form of Svedan karma (Sudation therapy). Svedan is a process to induce sweating artificially in a patient who had already undergone Snehan. Svedan is applied for purification of body, as well as in management of various disorders originated due to vitiation of Vata, Kapha Dosha, Meda Dhatu and musculoskeletal disorders. It produces various beneficial effects by augmenting the Agni like clears the channels, liquefies the deposited Dosha, regulates Vata Dosha, helps in removal and pacification of Dosha, augments metabolism (Agni Deepan), increases appetite, flexibility in body parts, softness and shining of skin, removes coldness, stiffness, drowsiness, improves joint motility. However, Svedana karma is vastly used by Ayurveda Physicians in treatment of various disorders but the mechanisms of beneficial effects produced by Svedan Karma are yet not completely explored on scientific basis. In this article, we will discuss and try to establish a possible mechanism of action of Svedana karma in relation to heat stress, mitochondrial adaptation, heat shock protein (HSP) and glucocorticoids as these are secreted under stressful conditions.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.7
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• pp.451-460
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• 2023

Animals generally prefer nutrients and avoid toxic and harmful chemicals. Recent behavioral and physiological studies have identified that sweet-sensing gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs) in Drosophila melanogaster mediate appetitive behaviors toward fatty acids. Sweet-sensing GRN activation requires the function of the ionotropic receptors IR25a, IR56d, and IR76b, as well as the gustatory receptor GR64e. However, we reveal that hexanoic acid (HA) is toxic rather than nutritious to D. melanogaster. HA is one of the major components of the fruit Morinda citrifolia (noni). Thus, we analyzed the gustatory responses to one of major noni fatty acids, HA, via electrophysiology and proboscis extension response (PER) assay. Electrophysiological tests show this is reminiscent of arginine-mediated neuronal responses. Here, we determined that a low concentration of HA induced attraction, which was mediated by sweet-sensing GRNs, and a high concentration of HA induced aversion, which was mediated by bitter-sensing GRNs. We also demonstrated that a low concentration of HA elicits attraction mainly mediated by GR64d and IR56d expressed by sweet-sensing GRNs, but a high concentration of HA activates three gustatory receptors (GR32a, GR33a, and GR66a) expressed by bitter-sensing GRNs. The mechanism of sensing HA is biphasic in a dose dependent manner. Furthermore, HA inhibit sugar-mediated activation like other bitter compounds. Taken together, we discovered a binary HA-sensing mechanism that may be evolutionarily meaningful in the foraging niche of insects.

• BMB Reports
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.263-272
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• 2024

Amyloid-β (Aβ) is one of the amyloidogenic intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) that self-assemble to protein aggregates, incurring cell malfunction and cytotoxicity. While Aβ has been known to regulate multiple physiological functions, such as enhancing synaptic functions, aiding in the recovery of the blood-brain barrier/brain injury, and exhibiting tumor suppression/antimicrobial activities, the hydrophobicity of the primary structure promotes pathological aggregations that are closely associated with the onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aβ proteins consist of multiple isoforms with 37-43 amino acid residues that are produced by the cleavage of amyloid-β precursor protein (APP). The hydrolytic products of APP are secreted to the extracellular regions of neuronal cells. Aβ 1-42 (Aβ42) and Aβ 1-40 (Aβ40) are dominant isoforms whose significance in AD pathogenesis has been highlighted in numerous studies to understand the molecular mechanism and develop AD diagnosis and therapeutic strategies. In this review, we focus on the differences between Aβ42 and Aβ40 in the molecular mechanism of amyloid aggregations mediated by the two additional residues (Ile41 and Ala42) of Aβ42. The current comprehension of Aβ42 and Aβ40 in AD progression is outlined, together with the structural features of Aβ42/Aβ40 amyloid fibrils, and the aggregation mechanisms of Aβ42/Aβ40. Furthermore, the impact of the heterogeneous distribution of Aβ isoforms during amyloid aggregations is discussed in the system mimicking the coexistence of Aβ42 and Aβ40 in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma.

• Clinical Endoscopy
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.309-316
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• 2024

The treatment of obesity and its comorbidities ranges from clinical management involving lifestyle changes and medications to bariatric and metabolic surgery. Various endoscopic bariatric and metabolic therapies recently emerged to address an important therapeutic gap by offering a less invasive alternative to surgery that is more effective than conservative therapies. This article comprehensively reviews the technical aspects, mechanism of action, outcomes, and future perspectives of one of the most promising endoscopic bariatric and metabolic therapies, named duodenojejunal bypass liner. The duodenojejunal bypass liner mimics the mechanism of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass by preventing food contact with the duodenum and proximal jejunum, thereby initiating a series of hormonal changes that lead to delayed gastric emptying and malabsorptive effects. These physiological changes result in significant weight loss and improved metabolic control, leading to better glycemic levels, preventing dyslipidemia and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and mitigating cardiovascular risk. However, concern exists regarding the safety profile of this device due to the reported high rates of severe adverse events, particularly liver abscesses. Ongoing technical changes aiming to reduce adverse events are being evaluated in clinical trials and may provide more reliable data to support its routine use in clinical practice.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.172-180
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• 2023

In the current study, four groups; control, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/L, were treated to investigate the effects of physiological and growth characteristics on Machilus thunbergii under various fertilization levels. As a result of the physiological response to the fertilization treatment, the fertilized group demonstrated relatively higher levels of A, ITE, WUEi, V_camx, PI_abs, and SFI_abs in comparison to the control. The best photosynthetic mechanism was most clearly seen at 1000 mg/L, which involved gas exchange through active stomatal opening and closing. For a productive photosynthetic mechanism. As seen in the growth response of M. thunbergii to fertilization treatment, the fertilized group has significantly higher height, DRC, leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, total dry weight, LWR, and SWR than the control group. A healthy seedling quality index was particularly evident at 1000 mg/L, and other growth indicators were also at a decent level. 500 mg /L also demonstrated growth characteristics that were comparable to those at 1000 mg/L. As a result, M. thunbergii featured the best physiological and growth characteristics in response to the fertilization treatment at 1000 mg/L, and 500 mg/L also showed a similar trend, which is considered to be a good option from an economical perspective.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 2001

Temperate-resident bats exhibit a circadian cycle of torpor and arousal In summer. The physiological role and selective advantage of torpor as an energy saving mechanism have been received much attention by hibernation biologists. However, despite the significance of the recovering euthermic function, the arousal process and mechanism in these animals have been poorly addressed. In this study, we investigated thermogenic and motor activities of a local bat species Murina leucogaster during arousal by simultaneously examining oxygen consumption rate, body temperature ($T_b$) and pectoral electromyography (EMG). We found that Tb of the torpid bats (12-14$^{\circ}C$) was augmented slowly by nonshivering mechanism during the initial awakening phase. The pectoral shivering, gauged by EMG activity, occurred between 17$^{\circ}C$ and 38$^{\circ}C$. Over this Tb range of shivering, heat was produced at a rate of 0.145 kcal $kg^{-1}\;min^{-1}$ to raise 1$^{\circ}C$ $T_b$ per min. Shivering was most intensive at 30-35$^{\circ}C$ where both EMG amplitude and spike frequency were the highest. Activation of the pectoral myofibers seemed to be controlled in a manner that motor units were recruited from smaller to larger sizes, with greater synchronization, as muscle shivering became intensive with increasing $T_b$.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.180-185
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• 2009

We are developing the methods for the objective and systematic diagnosis, but in actuality the relativity between a diagnosis of Korean medical doctor to a symptom of patients and the conformity to the expression of the Korean medical diagnostic mechanism is short of the statistical data. so, the questionnaire of Cold-Heat & Deficiency-Excess and a diagnosis of Korean medical doctor and a result of the Korean medical diagnostic mechanism, through the relationship of those, we have offered the objective data for diagnostic validity. The study group was 750 volunteers who diagnosed by Cold-Heat & Deficiency-Excess, out of 1475 volunteers who participated in Korean-Western medical examination. We compared the results of the questionnaires for Cold-Heat & Deficiency-Excess patternization through the questionnaire with a diagnosis of Korean medical doctor. we also studied the diagnostic validity for the item of the questionnaire by statistics analysis. It is proper that 9 questions of 16 questions for the Cold, 6 questions of 14 questions for the Heat, 13 questions of 14 questions for the Deficiency, 6 questions of 9 questions for the Excess, and there is close correlation between the questionnaire to the diagnosis. The difference between the questionnaire score is meaningful(p=0.000), this conforms to the diagnosis of the Korean medical doctor, so the questionnaire have the validity. The result of the questionnaire of Cold-Heat & Deficiency-Excess conform to a diagnosis of Korean medical doctor, it carries an important meaning by the measure of diagnosis, and it is necessary for further study for the significance of the medical diagnostic mechanism.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.544-552
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• 2004

In oriental medicine, Radix Polygalae(RP) has been to treat tremors et al. But the mechanism how to decrease tremors was not known. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of RP on neurodegenerative disease. We used RP to execute the study of this defense mechanism on dopamine-induced cell death in human SH-SY5Y dopaminergic neuroblastoma cells. MTT assay was used to know the cytotoxicity of dopamine and the defense mechanism. As a result of this experiment, dopamine had cytotoxicity in human SH-SY5Y cells, but when it treated with RP, the cell survival rate increased. This suppressed the cell apoptosis, activation of caspase-3 protease, production of ROS, and repair of membrane potential change. In conclusion, RP has the protective effect on dopamine-induced cell death in human SH-SY5Y dopaminergic neuroblastoma cells, so this could be an effective agent on the neurodegenerative disease like Parkinsonism.