• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.129-134
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• 1993

Intestinal mucosal mast cell (MMC) responses were studied in rats experimentally infected with Metngonimur yokogawai (Dlgenea: Heterophyidael. Twenty Sprague-Dawley rats were fed each 2,500 metacercariae isolated from the sweetish and sacrificed on the week 1, 2, 3 and 4 post-Infection (PI). Recovery of worms was performed from the small intestine of each rat. To visualize the MMCs, duodenal and jejunal (upper, middle and lowers) tissue sections were made and stained with alcian blue/safranine-0. The average worm recovery rates were 16.2% and 13.8% on the week 1 and week 2, respectively, but they decreased rapidly to 4.1% and 4.2% on the week 3 and week 4 PI, respectively, which indicate spontaneous worm expulsion after the week 2. The MMC number In the Infected rats was, compared with uninfected controls, significantly Increased In the whole small intestine, through the whole period of observation. The peak level of mastocytosis was observed on the week 3 PI. It is strongly suggested that MMCs might be involved In the expulsion process of flukes from the rat intestine.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.552-561
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• 2017

This study aimed to investigate glucose uptake mechanisms and metabolic mechanisms for absorbed glucose in HepG2 cells treated with Acanthopanax senticosus water extract (ASW). A colorimetric assay kit was used to measure polyphenol content, glucokinase (GK) activity, glucose uptake, glucose consumption in cell culture medium, and glycogen content. RT-PCR and western blotting were performed to examine changes in the expression levels of glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2), hepatocyte nuclear factor $1{\alpha}$ ($HNF-1{\alpha}$), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3k), protein kinase B (Akt), phospho-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, GK, and glycogen synthase kinase $3{\beta}$ ($GSK3{\beta}$). Increased glucose uptake upon ASW treatment was confirmed to result from increased expression of $HNF-1{\alpha}$, which is one of the transcription factors acting on the GLUT2 promoter. From the measurements of GK activity, we observed that ASW had an effect on glucose phosphorylation, and we also confirmed that increased AMPK phosphorylation promoted glycolysis and suppressed gluconeogenesis. We confirmed that the increase in glycogen upon ASW treatment was induced by activation of Akt by PI3k, followed by phosphorylation of $GSK3{\beta}$. This study demonstrates that ASW activates glucose metabolic mechanisms in liver cells and is therefore a potential candidate to alleviate diabetes.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.687-700
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• 2014

Rice blast (Magnaporthe oryza B.) is one of the most important diseases in rice that causing great yield losses every year around the world. It is important to screen valuable genetic resources for improving blast resistance. This study was conducted to identify the blast resistance in 279 Korean rice landraces using blast nursery tests and isolate inoculum screening. The results showed that 11 landrace accessions found to be resistant to rice blast in blast nursery and inoculation screening tests and the degree of lesions in most accessions showed that they were susceptible to reactions. In order to find the distribution of blast resistant genes, a molecular survey was conducted to identify the presence of major blast resistance (R) gene in 279 Korean landraces. The results revealed that their frequency distribution was Pik-m (36.2%), Piz (25.4%), Pit (13.6%), and Pik (10%). Besides, the frequency distribution of Piz-t, Pii, Pik-m/Pik-p, Pi-39(t), Pib, Pi-d(t)2, Pita/Pita-2 and Pi-ta genes were identified as less than 10%. The results did not consist with the reactions against blast diseases between genotypes and phenotypic part of the nursery tests and isolate inoculation. For concluding these results, we used genome-wide SSR markers that have closely been located with resistance genes. The PCoA analysis showed that the landrace accessions formed largely two distinct groups according to their degree of blast resistance. By comparing genetic diversities using polymorphic information contents (PIC) value among the resistant, total and susceptible landraces, we found that PIC values decreased in four SSR markers and increased in six markers in the resistant accessions, which showed contrary to total and susceptible groups. These regions might be linked to resistance alleles. In this study, we evaluated the degree of blast resistance and the information about the distribution of rice blast resistant genes in Korean rice landraces. This study might be the basis for association analysis of blast resistance in rice.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 1987

The effects of phosphatidyl choline (PC), phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE), phosphatidyl inositol (PI), phosphatidic acid (PA), phosphatidyl glycerol (PG), and cardiolipin (CL) on the flavor stability of purified soybean oil were studied. Purified soybean oil obtained from soybean oil by silicic acid chromatography does not contain measurable iron, tocopherols and phospholipids. Three hundred ppm of PC, PE, PI, PA, PG, or CL was added to the purified soybean oil, with and without 1ppm ferrous iron added. The flavor stability of sample, which was stored at $60^{\circ}C$ for 10 days in dark oven, was determined by a combination of volatile compounds formation and molecular oxygen disappearence in the headspace of air-tightly sealed serum bottle every 48 hrs. Results showed that, in general, phospholipids worked as prooxidant in the pufified soybean oil without ferrous iron added, and worked as antioxidant in the oil, when added 1ppm ferrous iron. The results also suggest that phospholipids work as prooxidant by increasing the solubility of oxygen on the surface of oil, and work as antioxidant in the oil containing 1 ppm ferrous iron by chelating iron. The results showed that PE and PA are better antioxidants than PC and PG. CL and PI showed the lest antioxidant activities in the oil will 1ppm ferrous iron added.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.553-561
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• 2022

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a slowly progressing hematopoietic cell disorder. Sphingosine kinase 1 (SPHK1) plays established roles in tumor initiation, progression, and chemotherapy resistance in a wide range of cancers, including leukemia. However, small-molecule inhibitors targeting SPHK1 in CML still need to be developed. This study revealed the role of SPHK1 in CML and investigated the potential anti-leukemic activity of hirsuteine (HST), an indole alkaloid obtained from the oriental plant Uncaria rhynchophylla, in CML cells. These results suggest that SPHK1 is highly expressed in CML cells and that overexpression of SPHK1 represents poor clinical outcomes in CML patients. HST exposure led to G2/M phase arrest, cellular apoptosis, and downregulation of Cyclin B1 and CDC2 and cleavage of Caspase 3 and PARP in CML cells. HST shifted sphingolipid rheostat from sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) towards the ceramide coupled with a marked inhibition of SPHK1. Mechanistically, HST significantly blocked SPHK1/S1P/S1PR1 and BCR-ABL/PI3K/Akt pathways. In addition, HST can be docked with residues of SPHK1 and shifts the SPHK1 melting curve, indicating the potential protein-ligand interactions between SPHK1 and HST in both CML cells. SPHK1 overexpression impaired apoptosis and proliferation of CML cells induced by HST alone. These results suggest that HST, which may serve as a novel and specific SPHK1 inhibitor, exerts anti-leukemic activity by inhibiting the SPHK1/S1P/S1PR1 and BCR-ABL/PI3K/Akt pathways in CML cells, thus conferring HST as a promising anti-leukemic drug for CML therapy in the future.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.101-110
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• 2004

The growth and niche breath of four species, i.e., native plants such as Bidens tripauita and B. bipinnata and naturalized plants such as B. frondosa and B. pilosa var. minor, were studied as related with environmental gradients including light intensity, soil moisture and soil nutrient. There were no significant differences in the phonology within each environmental gradients while considerable differences were found between species; the two naturalized species bloomed and produced fruit later than the two native species. Two naturalized species exhibited relatively higher total dry weight than the two native counterparts within all environmental gradients. Total dry weight showed positive responses to light intensity and soil moisture, and negatively to soil nutrient. The relative contribution of the environmental factors to total dry weight decreased in the order of soil nutrient, soil moisture and light intensity. Both B. bipinnata and B. pilosa var. minor showed significantly higher net assimilation rate (NAR) than other species. Also, NARs of B. bipinnata and B. pilosa var. minor decreased with increasing soil nutrient. Relative growth rate (RGR) decreased in order of B. tripartita, B. bipinnata, B. frondosa and B. pilosa var. minor in response to light intensity. In addition, RGRs of B. bipinnata and B. piEosa yay. minor increased in response to soil moisture, while those of B. pilosa var. minor and B. tripartita decreased with increment of soil nutrient. No significant fluctuations of shoot/root ratio were not observed in three species, but a native species, B. tripartita showed n decreased shoot/root ratio in response to soil nutrient. Comparing the growth characteristics of the species, B. pitosa var. minor and 3. tripartita revealed vigorous growth on barren soil. On the other hand, B. frondosa exhibited vigorous growth on fertile soil. Morphologically, B. tripartita adapted to light and required considerable moisture. On the contrary, the leaves of B. bipinnata did not change considerably in their area, although it preferred habitat with abundant light. In terms of niche breadth, B. bipinnata showed the widest ranges of 0.875 and 0.845 for light intensity and soil moisture gradients, respectively. B. pilosa var. minor showed a value of 0.933 for soil nutrient gradient. B. tripartita showed narrow ranges for the three environmental factors, whereas B. frondosa showed wide values for light intensity and soil nutrient, but relatively narrow value for soil moisture.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.109-120
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was first to analyze the utilization of dental examination through questionnaire to develop a diagnostic reference level of patient doses for dental radiography in korea. 77 dental institutions were classified into three groups: A group for the dental hospitals of the college of dentistry (11 institutions), B group for dental hospitals (30 institutions) and C group for dental clinics (36 institutions). The results were as follows : The mean numbers of unit chairs and medical staffs were 140.2, 15.3 and 5.8 sets, 112.6, 7.3 and 1.7 dentists, 3.1, 0.5 and no one radiologic technologists, and 19.7, 12.5 and 3.3 dental hygienists in A, B and C groups, respectively. The mean numbers of dental X-ray equipments were 14.64, 3.21 and 2.19 in A, B and C groups, respectively. Intraoral dental X-ray unit was used the most, the following equipments were panoramic, cephalometric, and cone-beam CT units. The most used X-ray imaging system was also digital system (above 50%) in all three groups. Insight dental film (Kodak, USA) having high sensitivity was routinely used for periapical radiography. The automatic processor was not used in many dental institutions, but the film-holding device was used in many dental institutions. The utilization rates of PACS in A, B and C groups were 90.9%, 83.3% and 16.7% respectively, and the PACS software program was used the most PiView STAR (Infinitt, Korea). The annual mean number of radiographic cases in one dental institution in 2008 for A group was 6.8 times and 21.2 times more than those for B and C groups, and periapical and panoramic radiographs were taken mostly. Tube voltage (kVp) and tube current (mA) for periapical radiography were similar in all three groups, but exposure time in C group was 12.0 times and 3.5 times longer than those in B and C groups. The amount of radiation exposure in C group, in which dental hygienists take dental radiographs, was more than those in other groups. The exposure parameters for panoramic radiography were similar in all three groups. In conclusion, the exposure parameters in dental radiography should be determined with reference level, not past experiences. Use of automatic processor and film-holding devices reduces the radiation exposure in film system. The quality assurance of dental equipments are necessary for the reduction of the patient dose and the improvement of X-ray image quality.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.225-234
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• 1971

With the advance of civilization and steadily increasing population rivalry and competition for the use of the sewage, culverts, farm irrigation and control of various types of flood discharge have developed and will be come more and more keen in the future. The author has tried to calculated a formula that could adjust these conflicts and bring about proper solutions for many problems arising in connection with these conditions. The purpose of this study is to find out effective sewage, culvert, drainage, farm irrigation, flood discharge and other engineering needs in the Taegu area. If demands expand further a new formula will have to be calculated. For the above the author estimated methods of control for the probable expected rainfall using a formula based on data collected over a long period of time. The formula is determined on the basis of the maximum daily rainfall data from 1921 to 1971 in the Taegu area. 1. Iwai methods shows a highly significant correlation among the variations of Hazen, Thomas, Gumbel methods and logarithmic normal distribution. 2. This study obtained the following major formula: ${\log}(x-2.6)=0.241{\xi}+1.92049{\cdots}{\cdots}$(I.M) by using the relation $F(x)=\frac{1}{\sqrt{\pi}}{\int}_{-{\infty}}^{\xi}e^{-{\xi}^2}d{\xi}$. ${\xi}=a{\log}_{10}\(\frac{x+b}{x_0+b}\)$ ($-b<x<{\infty}$) ${\log}(x_0+b)=2.0448$ $\frac{1}{a}=\sqrt{\frac{2N}{N-1}}S_x=0.1954$. $b=\frac{1}{m}\sum\limits_{i=1}^{m}b_s=-2.6$ $S_x=\sqrt{\frac{1}{N}\sum\limits^N_{i=1}\{{\log}(x_i+b)\}^2-\{{\log}(x_0+b)\}^2}=0.169$ This formule may be advantageously applicable to the estimation of flood discharge, sewage, culverts and drainage in the Taegu area. Notation for general terms has been denoted by the following. Other notations for general terms was used as needed. $W_{(x)}$ : probability of occurranec, $W_{(x)}=\int_{x}^{\infty}f_{(n)}dx$ $S_{(x)}$ : probability of noneoccurrance. $S_{(x)}=\int_{-\infty}^{x}f_(x)dx=1-W_{(x)}$ T : Return period $T=\frac{1}{nW_{(x)}}$ or $T=\frac{1}{nS_{(x)}}$ $W_n$ : Hazen plot $W_n=\frac{2n-1}{2N}$ $F_n=1-W_x=1-\(\frac{2n-1}{2N}\)$ n : Number of observation (annual maximum series) P : Probability $P=\frac{N!}{{t!}(N-t)}F{_i}^{N-t}(1-F_i)^t$ $F_n$ : Thomas plot $F_n=\(1-\frac{n}{N+1}\)$ N : Total number of sample size $X_l$ : $X_s$ : maximum, minumum value of total number of sample size.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.38-49
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• 2021

Airway mucus secretion is an essential innate immune response for host protection. However, overproduction and hypersecretion of mucus, mainly composed of the gel-forming MUC5AC protein, are significant risk factors for patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signaling pathway negatively regulates MUC5AC expression; however, the underlying molecular mechanism is not fully understood. Here, we showed that TGFβ significantly reduces the expression of MUC5AC mRNA and its protein in NCI-H292 cells, a human mucoepidermoid carcinoma cell line. This reduced MUC5AC expression was restored by a TGFβ receptor inhibitor (SB431542), but not by the inhibition of NF-κB (BAY11-7082 or Triptolide) or PI3K (LY294002) activities. TGFβ-activated Smad3 dose-dependently bound to MUC5AC promoter. Notably, TGFβ-activated Smad3 recruited HDAC2 and facilitated nuclear translocation of HDAC2, thereby inducing the deacetylation of NF-κB at K310, which is essential for a reduction in NF-κB transcriptional activity. Both TGFβ-induced nuclear translocation of Smad3/HDAC2 and deacetylation of NF-κB at K310 were suppressed by a Smad3 inhibitor (SIS3). These results suggest that the TGFβ-activated Smad3/HDAC2 complex is an essential negative regulator for MUC5AC expression and an epigenetic regulator for NF-κB acetylation. Therefore, these results collectively suggest that modulation of the TGFβ1/Smad3/HDAC2/NF-κB pathway axis can be a promising way to improve lung function as a treatment strategy for asthma and COPD.

• Yonsei Medical Journal
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• v.59 no.9
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• pp.1096-1106
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• 2018

Purpose: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the sixth most common cause of death in the United States. MicroRNAs have been identified as vital players in neurodegenerative diseases, including AD. microRNA-128 (miR-128) has been shown to be dysregulated in AD. This study aimed to explore the roles and molecular mechanisms of miR-128 in AD progression. Materials and Methods: Expression patterns of miR-128 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma ($PPAR-{\gamma}$) messenger RNA in clinical samples and cells were measured using RT-qPCR assay. $PPAR-{\gamma}$ protein levels were determined by Western blot assay. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay. Cell apoptotic rate was detected by flow cytometry via double-staining of Annexin V-FITC/PI. Caspase 3 and $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity was determined by a Caspase 3 Activity Assay Kit or $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65 Transcription Factor Assay Kit, respectively. Bioinformatics prediction and luciferase reporter assay were used to investigate interactions between miR-128 and $PPAR-{\gamma}$ 3'UTR. Results: MiR-128 expression was upregulated and $PPAR-{\gamma}$ expression was downregulated in plasma from AD patients and $amyloid-{\beta}$ $(A{\beta})-treated$ primary mouse cortical neurons (MCN) and Neuro2a (N2a) cells. Inhibition of miR-128 decreased $A{\beta}-mediated$ cytotoxicity through inactivation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ in MCN and N2a cells. Moreover, $PPAR-{\gamma}$ was a target of miR-128. $PPAR-{\gamma}$ upregulation attenuated $A{\beta}-mediated$ cytotoxicity by inactivating $NF-{\kappa}B$ in MCN and N2a cells. Furthermore, $PPAR-{\gamma}$ downregulation was able to abolish the effect of anti-miR-128 on cytotoxicity and $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity in MCN and N2a cells. Conclusion: MiR-128 inhibitor decreased $A{\beta}-mediated$ cytotoxicity by upregulating $PPAR-{\gamma}$ via inactivation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ in MCN and N2a cells, providing a new potential target in AD treatment.