• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.195-199
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• 2009

To select antifungal surfactants, control efficacy of various nonionic and anionic surfactants on cucumber powdery mildew was evaluated under greenhouse conditions. Among 14 surfactants, pentaetylene glycol monododecyl ether ($C_{12}E_5$), mixture of heptaethylene glycol monodecyl ether and heptaethylene monododecyl ether, and heptaethylene glycol mono-9-octadecenyl ether effectively reduced the development of powdery mildew on cucumber plants. Among the surfactants, $C_{12}E_5$ gave the best control efficacy on the disease and did not show phytotoxic response in cucumber plants. Whereas, fenarimol at a recommended rate (31.3 mg/L) showed less control activity than the surfactant (1,000 mg/L). In addition, mixtures of the surfactant and DBEDC, a protective fungicide, showed high control efficacies against powdery mildews of cucumber and strawberry by additive effect in greenhouse tests.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.63-71
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• 2013

In this study, we used flow a cytometric assay to evaluate plasma membrane integrity and mitochondrial activity in post-thawed sperm that was supplemented with ginsenoside-$Rg_1$. Varying concentrations of ginsenoside-$Rg_1$ (0, 25, 50 and $100{\mu}M/ml$) were used in the extender during cryopreservation to protect the DNA of thawed sperm, thereby increasing the viability and motility rate as evaluated using a computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) method. The results derived from CASA were used to compare the fresh, control, and ginsenoside-$Rg_1$ groups. Sperm motility and the number of progressively motile sperm were significantly (p<0.05) higher in the $50{\mu}M/ml$ ginsenoside-Rg1 group ($61.0{\pm}4.65%$) than in the control ($46.6{\pm}7.02%$), $25{\mu}M/ml$ ($46.2{\pm}4.76%$), and $100{\mu}M/ml$ ginsenoside-$Rg_1$ ($52.0{\pm}1.90%$) groups. However, the velocity distribution of post-thawed sperm did not differ significantly. Membrane integrity and MMP staining as revealed using flow cytometry were significantly (p<0.05) higher ($91.6{\pm}0.82%$) in the $50{\mu}M/ml$ ginsenoside-$Rg_1$ group than in the other groups. Here, we report that ginsenoside-$Rg_1$ affects the motility and viability of boar spermatozoa. Moreover, ginsenoside-$Rg_1$ can be used as a protective additive for the suppression of intracellular mitochondrial oxidative stress caused by cryopreservation.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.63-76
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• 1991

Butylated hrdroxyanisole(BHA), a widely used food additive phenolic antioxidant, is known to inhibit cancer formations inducible with a wide variety of chemical carcinogens including aflatoxin $B_1(AFB_1)$. Thus, in the present study morphological characteristics underlying the hepatoprotective effects of BHA against $AFB_1$ inducible ultrastructural changes of hepatocytes have been examined. The obtained results are as follows : 1 . Livers obtained from rats treated with $AFB_1$ in vivo have been examined with transmission electron microscope. Among the many hepatocellular structural aberrations induced by $AFB_1$ treatment, the nuclear chromatins were found to be distributed irregularly('cap formation') and the nuclear membrane was found to be partially segregated. Furthermore, there were many lipid droplets, hyperplasia of smooth endoplasmic reticulum, dialated rough endoplasmic reticulum and, lysosomes arrested at various stages of its development. 2. Also, when $AFB_1$ was given in vitro to hepatocytes which have been isolated from untreated normal rats and examined under scanning electron microscope, there were much 'blobbing' phenomena resulting from cytoskeletal disturbances. 3. However, in the liver obtained from rats pretreated with BHA and then give the $AFB_1$, the observed morphological aberrations were in much reduced extent. Similarly, the BHA-hepatocytes had much decreased severity in the $AFB_1$ inducible blob formations.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.1011-1018
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• 2011

Aflatoxin-contaminated feed cause mortality, suppression of the immune system, reduced growth rates and losses in feed efficiency. This research study was planned to investigate the immunomodulatory and growth promoting effect of milk thistle as feed additive against aflatoxin $B_1$ in broiler chicks at NWFP Agricultural University Peshawar, Pakistan. Two hundred and forty (240) day old broilers chicks were randomly assigned into four major groups AfF, aflatoxin free feed; Aflatoxin $B_1$ was present in the feed at the levels of 80-520 ${\mu}g/kg$ of the feed in the remaining three groups. Aflatoxin contaminated feed was provided for 5 weeks. Group AfB was supplemented with toxin binder "Mycoad" at 3 g/kg of feed and group AfT was supplemented with milk thistle at10 g/kg of feed. Each group was further sub divided into two sub-groups, vaccinated against ND (Newcastle disease), IB (Infectious bronchitis) and IBD (Infectious bursal diseases) according to recommended schedule of vaccination or non vaccinated. Each sub group carried three replicates with 10 chicks per replicate. Chicks were reared in pens in an open sided house. Supplementary heat was provided to all the chicks during brooding period. Mean body weight gain and dressing percentage were significantly (p<0.05) higher in group AfF, followed by AfT, AfB and Af. Weight gain and dressing percentage was the same in group AfB and AfT, while it was significantly lower in group Af. Feed intake, breast, thigh and leg weight were found significantly (p<0.05) higher in group AfF, followed by AfB, AfT and Af. Significantly lower (better) FCR value was recorded in group AfT. Water intake was significantly (p<0.05) higher in group AfT and AfF as compared to other groups. Mortality was significantly (p<0.05) higher in group Af. Mean bursa and thymus weights were found significantly (p<0.05) higher in group AfF, AfB and AfT followed by Af, while higher spleen weight was recorded in group AfT. Mean antibody titer against ND, IB and IBD was significantly (p<0.05) higher in group AfT, as compared to other groups. It is concluded that milk thistle at 10 g/kg of feed could effectively be utilized as immunostimulant and growth promotant in the presence of immunosuppressant aflatoxin $B_1$ in the feed.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.513-519
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• 2012

Aged garlic extract (AGE) is known to have a protective effect against immune system, endothelial function, oxidative stress and inflammation. We examined the effects of exercise with and without aged garlic extract administration on body weight, lipid profiles, inflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress marker in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese rats. Forty-five Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either a HFD (HFD, n = 40) or a normal diet (ND, n = 5) for 6 weeks and thereafter randomized into ND (n = 5), HFD (n = 10), HFD with AGE (n = 10), HFD with Exercise (n = 10), or HFD with Exercise+AGE (n = 10) for 4 weeks. AGE groups were administered at a dose of 2.86 g/kg body weight, orally. Exercise consisted of running 15-60 min 5 days/week with gradually increasing intensity. AGE (P<0.01), Exercise, and Exercise+AGE (P<0.001) attenuated body weight gain and food efficiency ratio compared to HFD. Visceral fat and liver weight gain were attenuated (P<0.05) with all three interventions with a greater effect on visceral fat in the Exercise+AGE than AGE (P<0.001). In reducing visceral fat (P<0.001), epididymal fat (P<0.01) and liver weight (P<0.001), Exercise+AGE was effective, but exercise showed a stronger suppressive effect than AGE. Exercise+AGE showed further additive effects on reducing visceral fat and liver weight (P<0.001). AGE significantly attenuated the increase in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol compared with HFD (P<0.05). Exercise+AGE attenuated the increase in triglycerides compared with HFD (P<0.05). Exercise group significantly decrease in C-reactive protein (P<0.001). These results suggest that AGE supplementation and exercise alone have anti-obesity, cholesterol lowering, and anti-inflammatory effects, but the combined intervention is more effective in reducing weight gain and triglycerides levels than either intervention alone.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.655-663
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• 2002

Liver fibrosis is a prepathological state wherein damaged liver tissues in chronic liver diseases, such as hepatitis, are not repaired to normal tissues, but converted to fibrous tissue. 5-(2-Pyrazinyl)-4-methyl-1,2-dithiol-3-thione (oltipraz), a cancer chemopreventive agent, is effective against a wide variety of chemical carcinogens. Recently, we reported that oltipraz inhibits liver fibrogenesis (Kang et al., 2002). In the present study, the effects of oltipraz in combination with dimethyl-4,4'-dimethoxy-5,6,5',6'-dimethylene dioxybiphenyl-2,2'-dicarboxylate (DDb) on dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced liver fibrogenesis were assessed in rats. Oltipraz (30 mg/kg body weight, po, 3 times per week for 4 weeks) was found to inhibit the increases in plasma ALT, AST and bilirubin by DMN, whereas DDB (30 mg/kg body weight, po, 3 times per week for 4 weeks) attenuated the increases in the plasma ALT and bilirubin. The lowered plasma protein and albumin contents in DMN-treated rats were completely restored by oltipraz, but not by DDB. DDB decreases liver cell injury and inflammation through inhibition of nuclear factor-kB. DMN increased the accumulation of liver collagen, as indicated by the increase in the 4-hydroxyproline content in liver homogenates, which was reduced by treatment with oltipraz, but not by DDB. Given the differential effect between oltipraz and DDB, the potential enhancement of antifibrotic efficacy by the drugs was assessed in the animal model. Despite the minimal effect of DDB on DMN-induced fibrogenesis, DDB (5-25 mg/kg), administered together with oltipraz (25-5 mg/kg), showed an additive protective effect against hepatotoxicity and fibrosis induced by DMN, which was shown by the blood chemistry parameters and histopathological analysis. The adequate composition ratio of oltipraz to DDB was 5:1. These results provide information on the pharmaceutical composition, comprising of oltipraz and DDB as the active components, for the treatment and/or prevention of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.229-238
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• 2023

Bentonite is a type of rock that has been used as a traditional mineral medicine. It has a variety of pharmacological activities, and is used in traditional Korean medicine to treat jaundice, diarrhea, and hemostasis. In modern medicine, it is used as a raw material and additive for medicines such as antacids, gastrointestinal protective agents, and laxatives. Bentonite produced in Korea was produced through diagenesis or hydrothermal alteration of tertiary volcanic debris distributed in the Pohang and Gyeongju areas. It is mainly used for industrial purposes such as papermaking, paint, civil engineering, casting, and animal feed. Recently, technology is being developed to use it in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. In this study, the geochemical characteristics of bentonite were identified by analyzing the main components and trace elements of 40 and 21 types of bentonite produced in the Gampo Gyeongju and Yeonil Pohang area. Also it were classifed by formation envrionment of bentonite deposits in the Gampo and Yeonil. As a result of the study, bentonite from the reserch area may be cased by argillic alteraton that alkali elements are removed form basaltic rocks by hydrothermal fluids and AI-CCPI alteration indices wrere also indentified argillic alteraton. It was found that there is a correlation between the behavior characteristics of heavy metal elements (P b, Cr, As) and the hydrothermal alteration of bentonite in the reserch area.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.328-337
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• 1990

The incividual and combined effects of the chloroacetanilide herbicide pretilachlor and of the safener fenclorim on the growth and selected physiological processes of rice (Oryza sativa L., var 'Lemont')were evaluated under greenhouse and laboratory conditions. Fenclorim applied at rates ranging from 50 to 300 g a.i./ha antagonized the injurious effects caused by 150 to 900 g a.i./ha of pretilachlor on 15-day old wet-sown rice grown under greenhouse conditions. When used rates of 150 g/ha or higher, fenclorim reversed completely the effects of all doses of pretilachlor on rice. When the two compounds were given simultaneously, fenclorim enhanced the uptake of $^{14}C$pretilachlor into rice leaf mesophyll protoplasts measured for 1 hr, indicating that competition for uptake at the protoplast level is not involved in the protective action of this safener. The safener-induced stimulation of pretilachlor uptake was particularly evident when fenclorim was used at concentrations of 10, 20 and $40{\mu}M$. Following 4 hr of incubation, individual treatments with pretilachlor inhibited the in vitro incorporation of radiolabeled precursors into proteins, DNA, and lipids of rice leaf protoplasts only when used at the high concentration of $100{\mu}M$M. Individual treatments with high concentrations (10 or $100{\mu}M$) of the safener fenclorim inhibited the incorporation of radiolabeled precursors into proteins and lipids of rice protoplasts, but had no DNA synthesis. The combined effects of pretilachlor and fenclorim on the incorporation of radiolabeled precursors into these macromolecules of isolated rice mesophyll protoplasts appeared to be additive or slightly synergistic rather than antagonistic. Fenclorim at $1{\mu}M$ antagonized the effects of pretilachlor on total lipids of rice leaf protoplasts. In addition, individual and combined treat-menu with pretilachlor and fenclorim influenced the incoroporation of$^{14}C$acetate into polar lipids, triglycerides and steryl esters of rice leaf protoplas causing a redistribution of carbon in these lipid fractions. However, these effects were not large enough to explain the herbicidal activity of pretilachlor or to account for the protective action of the safener fenclorim. Overall, the uesults of the present study idnicate that the safener fenclorim does not seem to protect rice against pretilachlor injury by antagonizing its effects on protein, DNA, or lipid syntheses.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.595-602
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• 2014

Styela Clava tunic (SCT) has found some applications in many areas of medical treatment including as an anti-inflammatory compound, a wound healing film, in guided bone regeneration, and as a food additive. The protective effect of SCT aqueous extract (AE-SCT) on cell death induced by $H_2O_2$ treatment was investigated by measuring the changes in cell viability in HepG2 cells after AE-SCT treatment. High concentrations of antioxidant compounds including flavonoids (3.3 mg/g) and phenolics (32.3 mg/g) were detected in AE-SCT but no significant cytotoxicity was observed in HepG2 cells treated with AE-SCT. The viability of HepG2 cells was also not changed by treatment with different concentrations of AE-SCT after $H_2O_2$ treatment. However, cell viability was significantly increased in cells treated with three different concentrations of AE-SCT before $H_2O_2$ treatment. The greatest increase in cell viability was observed in the group treated with $50{\mu}g/ml$ AE-SCT, when compared with vehicle-treated group. FACS and DAPI staining analysis indicated that the decrease in number of dead cells was dependent on the concentration of AE-SCT. Alterations in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio after $H_2O_2$ treatment were significantly restored by treatment with different concentrations of AE-SCT. These results indicate that AE-SCT, which contains high levels of antioxidants, may protect cells against death induced by $H_2O_2$ treatment.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.73-86
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• 2007

Risk-based remediation strategy (RBRS) is a consistent decision-making process for the assessment and response to chemical release based on protecting human health and the environment. The decision-making process described integrates exposure and risk assessment practices with site assessment activities and remedial action selection to ensure that the chosen actions are protective of human health and the environment. The general sequences of events in Tier 1 is as follows: initial site assessment, development of conceptual site model with all exposure pathways, data collection on pollutants and receptors, and identification of risk-based screening level (RBSL). If site conditions do not meet RBSL, it needs further site-specific tier evaluation, Tier 2. In most cases, only limited number of exposure pathways, exposure scenarios, and chemicals of concern are considered the Tier 2 evaluation since many are eliminated from consideration during the Tier 1 evaluation. In spite of uncertainties due to the conservatism applied to risk calculations, limitation in site-specific data collections, and variables affecting the selection of target risk levels and exposure factors, RBRS provides us time- and cost-effectiveness of the remedial action. To ensure reliance of the results, the development team should consider land and resource use, cumulative risks, and additive effects. In addition, it is necessary to develop appropriate site assessment guideline and reliable toxicity assessment method, and to study on site-specific parameters and exposure parameters in Korea.