• BMB Reports
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.53-57
• /
• 1998

The CMCax gene from Acetobacter xylinum ATCC 23769 was cloned and expressed in E. coli. With this gene, three gene products - mature CMCax, CMCax containing signal peptide(pre-CMCax), and a glutathione-S-transferase(GST)-CMCax fusion enzyme - were expressed. CMCax and pre-CMCax are aggregated to multimeric forms which showed high CMC hydrolysis activity, whereas GST-CMCax was less aggregated and showed lower activity, indicating that oligomerization of CMCax controbutes to the cellulose hydrolysis activity to achieve greater efficiency. The enzyme was identified to be an $\beta$-1,4-endoglucanase, which catalyzes the cleavage of internal $\beta$-1,4-glycosidic bonds of cellulose. The reaction products, cellobiose and cellotriose, from cellopentaose as a substrate, were identified by HPLC. Substrate specificity of cellotetraose by this enzyme was poor, and the reaction products consisted of glucose, cellobiose, and cellotriose in a very low yield. Theses results suggested that cellopentaose might be the oligosaccharide substrate consisting of the lowest number of glucose. The optimum pH of CMCax and pre CMCax was about 4.5, whereas that of GST-CMCas was rather broad at pH 4.5-8. The physiological significance of cellulose-hydrolyzing enzyme, CMCax, having such low $\beta$-1,4-endoglucanase activity and low optimum pH in cellulose-producing A. xylinum is not clearly known yet, but it seems to be closely related to the production of cellulose.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.556-561
• /
• 2008

ChongMyeong-Tang (CMT) have been used clinically to treat patient with amnesia and dementia. In addition, CMT have been also used for examinee to improve learning ability in Korea. This study was designed to investigate the effects of Gagam-ChongMeong-Tang (GCMT) on cognitive dysfunction recovery after ischemic brain injury in rats. Rats were divided into three groups; (1) normal, (2) commercial diet after ischemic brain injury (control), (3) CMT diet after ischemic brain injury (experiment). In our study, we carried out Morris water maze test for cognitive motor behavior test and immunohistochemistry study through the change BDNF in the hippocampus($7^{th},\;14^{th}\;day$). In Morris water maze test, cognitive motor function recovery was significantly increased in the experiment group as compared with control group on $7^{th}\;and\;14^{th}\;day$ day (p<0.01). In immunohistochemistric response of BDNF in the hippocampus, more immune reaction was investigated in the experiment group as compared with control group on $7^{th}\;and\;14^{th}\;day$. Especially more immune reaction was experimented $14^{th}$ day. These results imply that GCMT can play a role in facilitating recovery of cognitive function after ischemic brain injury in rats.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.30 no.5
• /
• pp.308-313
• /
• 2016

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of Oja-Shingiwhan(OS) in contracted corpus cavernosum smooth muscle and its mechanism. To evaluate the relaxation of OS in contracted corpus cavernosum, OS was treated in strips which were precontracted with phenylephrine(PE). To examine its mechanism, OS was treated into corporal strips contracted by PE after pretreatment of Nω-nitro-L-arginine(L-NNA) and compared with non-pretreatment of _L-NNA. In calcium chloride(Ca²⁺)-free krebs solution, Ca²⁺ 1 mM was treated into corporal strips contracted by PE after pretreatment of OS and compared with non-pretreatment of OS. action were measured by histochemical, immunohistochemical methods. OS significantly affected on the relaxation of corporal strips, and the relaxation effects were inhibited by pretreatment of L-NNA. Contractions induced by Ca²⁺ influx were inhibited by pretreatment of OS in Ca²⁺-free krebs solution. OS increased eNOS positive reaction in corpus cavernosum, but decreased PDE-5 positive reaction. These result suggest that the effect of OS in contracted corpus cavernosum smooth muscle are shown by suppressing extracellular Ca²⁺ influx and increase of eNOS, NO production and decrease of PDE-5.

• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.24-29
• /
• 2007

A total of 35 strains of Ralstonia solanacearum isolated from wilted pepper and tomato plants in Korea were analyzed for their genetic diversity by bacteriological, pathological and molecular biological approaches. All the strains were identified as R. solanacearum biovar 4 on the basis of physiological and biochemical tests, and species-specific PCR primers. Pathogenicity of the strains was confirmed by inoculating on 4-week-old pepper and tomato seedlings. Using cluster analysis based on repetitive sequence-based polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR) genomic fingerprints, R. solanacearum strains isolated from pepper and tomato in Korea divided into 6 groups showing a high degree of genetic diversity at 55% similarity level. The genetic diversify of strains was not significantly correlated with their geographic origins and host plants.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.134-139
• /
• 2000

Angelica gigas Nakai (danggui) is a popular herb which has been used as a blood-building decoction for recovery from weakness in the Chinese medicine. Its demand increased in functional foods and pharmaceutical industries. For its hygiene, fumigation has been used, but the use of fumigants are going to be prohibited for food processing. In order to investigate gamma irradiation technique for hygiene of danggui, the immunomodulation activity of danggui after irradiation was examined. The water extract of irradiated danggui showed a strong mitogenic effect on splenocytes in vitro to the same level of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA). The effect was not different from that of non-danggui. It was tested whether there was any difference between irradiated and non-irradiated danggui in effects on the secretion of antibodies and graft versus host reaction in vivo. It turned out that intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of the extract of irradiated danggui for 4 days remarkably increased the number of antibody-secreting cells in mice injected with sheep red blood cells (SRBC). Splenomegaly, due to graft versus host reacton, was also increased after 7 days i.p. administration of the extract of danggui in mice injected with allogeneic splenocytes. In these two in vivo test, the effect were not different from those of non-irradiated danggui. These results indicated that immunomodulation activity of danggui might be preserved after irradiation. In the other experiments (data not shown), the irradiated danggui was stable in active component analysis and safe in genetic toxicity test. In further research, the stability in other physiological activity of irradiated danggui will have to be proved before practical application of irradiation for hygiene.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.451-458
• /
• 2009

The purpose of this study is to analyze the nutrition composition and physiological changes, and to evaluate the food quality of live fish in cultured and wild fishes which have been kept in an aquarium tank. The moisture and lipid content of wild and cultured fishes when kept in an aquarium tank for seven-days storage was found to be lower than those of the initial stage storage(zero day). The breaking strength was also rapidly decreased in all of live fishes tested in this study as the periods of storage extended. The protein content did not differ significantly. However, the content of cortisol, which is a indicator indicating a stress reaction in tissues, was apt to increasing as the periods of storage extended. The cortisol content of wild fishes were higher than those of cultured fishes. On the other hand, the activity of activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), which is also a indicator indicating a stress reaction, were not changed in the serum of wild and cultured fish, suggesting the ALT and AST activity dose not directly related with a healthy loss originated from stress. The death ratio of wild fishes were higher than cultured ones due to limited activity and stress during the storage in a aquarium tank.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.73-81
• /
• 1981

Experiments were conducted in ischemic decerebrate cats to study the effects of electroacupuncture and electrical stimulation of peripheral nerve on pain reaction. Flexion reflex was used as an index of pain. The reflex was elicited by stimulating the sural nerve(20 V, 0.5 msec duration) and recorded as a compound action potential from the nerve innervated to the semitendinosus muscle. Electroacupuncture was performed, using a 23-gauge hyperdermic needle, on the tsusanli point in the lateral upper tibia of the ipsilateral hindlimb. The common peroneal nerve was selected as a peripheral nerve which may be associated with electroacupuncture action, as it runs through the tissue portion under the tsusanli point. Both for electroacupuncture and the stimulation of common peroneal nerve a stimulus of 20 V-intensity, 2 msec-duration and 2 Hz-frequency was applied for 60 min. The results are summerized as follows: 1) The electroacupuncture markedly depressed the flexion reflex; this effect was eliminated by systemic application of naloxone $(0.02{\sim}0.12\;mg/kg)$, a specific narcotic antagonist. 2) Similarly, the electrical stimulation of the common peroneal nerve significantly depressed the flexion reflex, the effect being reversed by naloxone. 3) When most of the afferent nerves excluding sural nerve in the ipsilateral hindlimb were cut, the effect of electroacupuncture on the flexion reflex was not observed. Whereas direct stimulation of the common peroneal nerve at the proximal end from the cut resulted in a significant reduction of the flexion reflex, again the effect was reversible by naloxone application. 4) Transection of the spinal cord at the thoracic 12 did not eliminate the effect of peripheral nerve stimulation on the flexion reflex and its reversal by naloxone, although the effect was significantly less than that in the animal with spinal cord intact. These results suggest that: 1) the analgesic effect of an electroacupuncture is directly mediated by the nervous system and involves morphine-like substances in CNS, 2) the site of analgesic action of electroacupuncture resides mainly in the brainstem and in part in the spinal cord.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.196-201
• /
• 2006

Electroacupuncture(EA) is commonly used in various diseases. In the present study, the effect of EA in the allergic mouse model was examined. Allergy is generated via immunological mechanism and non-immunological mechanism. Mast cells activated dy those mechanisms get to release various substances such as histamine, leukotrienes, prostaglandin, TNF-$\alpha$, IL-4, IL-6, etc. which induce allergic reactions and the following inflammatory responses. To evaluate the anti-allergic effects of EA, mortality, ear swelling response, vascular permeability and cytokine secretion were investigated in EA group and non-EA group of which mice were compound 48/80-induced allergy model or PCA model. Compound 48/80 induces allergic reaction via non-immunological mechanism and PCA model is generated through the same mechanism with immediate-type(Type1) allergic reaction, one of immunological allergic reactions. EA inhibited compound 48/80-induced ear swelling response but did not inhibit the systemic anaphylaxis. EA also inhibited passive cutaneous anaphylaxis(PCA) activated dy anti-dinitrophenol IgE. In addition, EA inhibited IL-6 and TNF-$\alpha$ secretion from 48 h PCA in mice. These results indicate that EA may be used for the treatment of mast cell-mediated allergic diseases, especially immediate-type(Type 1) allergy and non-immunologically mediated allergy.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.35 no.6
• /
• pp.219-227
• /
• 2021

The purpose of this study is to analyze the side effects (ADR) of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) injections by age, injection type, symptoms, and causes, and to find preventive solutions for ADR. For the ADR of TCM injection data collected during the search period from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2020, the correlation between each section was analyzed by subdividing it into age, injection type, symptoms and causes. CNKI, PubMed, and EMBASE were used to collect the clinical data. 'Chinese herbal injection', 'Traditional Chinese Medicine injection', 'Chinese herbal injection side effect', 'Chinese herbal injection adverse drug reaction' were used for the keyword from the database. All data were collected mainly for TCM injection and the causes of ADR due to TCM injection. However, data not related to the relevant study or TCM injection were excluded from this study. Among a total of 941 studies collected during the search period from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2020, a total of 10 studies were selected for final analysis. In 1462 clinical data sets, ADR by gender was higher in males than females. By age, 41 to 60 years were the most common. The incidence of ADR by injection type was highest in the blood regulating injection type. Data analysis showed Xueshuantong injection had the highest ADR. Among the symptoms of ADR, skin diseases were the most common. The most common cause of ADR was the unreasonable use of drugs. In China, for ADR management, the use of TCM injections is recommended according to the basic principles for the clinical use of TCM injections established by the Chinese government. In this study, we analyzed the current status and causes of ADR in TCM injections, and found a preventive solution. It is expected that it can be used as basic data to increase the usability of pharmacopuncture and herbal medicines in Korea in the future.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.96-105
• /
• 2022

The ovary undergoes substantial physiological changes along with estrus phase to mediate negative/positive feedback to the upstream reproductive tissues and to play a role in producing a fertilizable oocyte in the developing follicles. However, the disorder of estrus cycle in female can lead to diseases, such as cystic ovary which is directly associated with decline of overall reproductive performance. In gene expression studies of ovaries, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay has been widely applied. During this assay, although normalization of target genes against reference genes (RGs) has been indispensably conducted, the expression of RGs is also variable in each experimental condition which can result in false conclusion. Because the understanding for stable RG in porcine ovaries was still limited, we attempted to assess the stability of RGs from the pool of ten commonly used RGs (18S, B2M, PPIA, RPL4, SDHA, ACTB, GAPDH, HPRT1, YWHAZ, and TBP) in the porcine ovaries under different estrus phase (follicular and luteal phase) and cystic condition, using stable RG-finding programs (geNorm, Normfinder, and BestKeeper). The significant (p < 0.01) differences in Ct values of RGs in the porcine ovaries under different conditions were identified. In assessing the stability of RGs, three programs comprehensively agreed that TBP and YWHAZ were suitable RGs to study porcine ovaries under different conditions but ACTB and GAPDH were inappropriate RGs in this experimental condition. We hope that these results contribute to plan the experiment design in the field of reproductive physiology in pigs as reference data.