• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.601-610
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• 2022

P. tenebrifer (PT) belongs to the Diptera order and Stratiomyidae family. Recently, insect industry have been focused as food, animal feed and environmental advantages. γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and melatonin have been associated with regulating sleep and depression. GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter and is synthesized via biotransformation of monosodium glutamate (MSG) to GABA by lactic acid bacteria. In this study, we first used a GABA-enhanced PT extract, wherein GABA was enhanced by feeding MSG to PT. The underlying mechanisms preventing stress and insomnia were investigated in a corticosterone (CORT)-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and chronic restraint stress (CRS)-exposed mouse model, as well as in pentobarbital (45 mg/kg)-induced sleep behaviors in mice. In the present study, the GABA peak was detected in high-performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detector (HPLC-ELSD) analysis and showed in Ptecticus tenebrifer water extract (PTW) but not in non-PTW extract. The results showed that PTW and Ptecticus tenebrifer with 70% ethanol extract (PTE) exerted neuroprotective effects by protecting against CORT-induced downregulation of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) expression. In addition, PTW (300 mg/kg) significantly reduced CORT levels in CRS-exposed mice. Furthermore, PTW (100 and 300 mg/kg) significantly reduced sleep latency and increased total sleep duration in pentobarbital (45 mg/kg)-induced sleeping behaviors, which was related to serum melatonin levels. In conclusion, our results suggest that PTW exerts anti-stress and sleep-enhancing effects by regulating serum CORT and melatonin levels.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.350-359
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• 1993

The effect of gibberellic acid ($GA_3) and abscisic acid (ABA) on KCl-enhanced proteolysis of senescing leaves of rice(Oryza sativa L. cv. Chilsung) was studied. Emphasis was given to their effects on KCI-enhanced efflux of amino acids and proteinase activity. When treated singly, $GA_3 affected leaf proteolysis little, while ABA increased proteolysis, the rate of amino acid efflux, and ribulose -1,5 -bisphosphate carboxylase / oxygenase (Rubisco)-degrading endoproteinase activity. An additive increase in all three parameters mentioned above was observed when leaves were treated with ABA and KCl. No such an additive effect was found when $GA_3 was treated with KCl. Both $GA_3 and ABA helped to alleviate the KCI-suppressed activity of Rubisco-degrading exoproteinases. The additive increase in proteolysis of rice leaves in the presence of both ABA and KCl could thus be ascribed to a further increase in the efflux of protein hydrolyzates and Rubisco-degrading endoproteinase activity. An increase in proteolysis was accompanied by a decrease in water absorption, and the combined treatment of ABA with KCl resulted in a further reduction of water absorption.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.471-480
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• 2023

This study was designed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of Rumohra adiantiformis extracts fermented with Bovista plumbea mycelium (B-RAE) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The total polyphenol and total flavonoid content of B-RAE were 379.26±7.77 mg/g and 50.85±3.08 mg/g, respectively. The results of measuring the antioxidant activity of B-RAE showed that it scavenges 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2, 2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), and superoxide anion radical in a dose-dependent manner. B-RAE inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production in a dose-dependent manner without affecting cell viability. The gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-lβ (IL-1β), and IL-6 was measured using real time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). We found that, compared to the LPS-treated group, B-RAE significantly reduced the mRNA levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines in a concentration-dependent manner. The expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), the phosphorylation of transcription factors such as nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway proteins were assessed using Western blot analysis. We found that B-RAE significantly suppressed the expression of iNOS and COX-2, but their expression was increased by LPS treatment. In addition, the phosphorylation of NF-κB and IκB, which was increased by LPS treatment, was reduced with B-RAE treatment. The effect of B-RAE on the phosphorylation of the MAPK signaling pathway proteins was measured, and the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and the p38 MAPK proteins decreased in a dose-dependent manner, while the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) increased. These anti-inflammatory effects of B-RAE may thus have been achieved through the high antioxidant activity, the inhibition of NO production through the suppression of iNOS and COX-2 expression, the inhibition of the NF-κB pathway, and the suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.783-790
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• 2023

Modern people have an increased incidence of metabolic diseases due to changed eating habits, and diabetes is considered the most significant metabolic disease. Given that existing diabetes treatments are accompanied by side effects, the aim of this study was to identify traditional natural products that have anti-diabetic activity. The potential anti-diabetic and antioxidant activities of natural products were examined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay, α-glucosidase assay, and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibition assay. Methanol extracts of Ulmus davidiana var. japonica, Acer tegmentosum branches, Nelumbo nucifera seeds, and Carthamus tinctorius seeds were found to have high anti-diabetic activity and further fractionated with solvents using ethyl acetate and butanol. Consequently, the ethyl acetate fraction of C. tinctorius seeds (MG-11-E) with high α-glucosidase and PTP1B inhibitory activity was selected. MG-11-E was subjected to preparative thin layer chromatography, and fraction #6 showed high α-glucosidase and PTP1B inhibitory activity. Fraction #6 was analyzed and fractionated via high performance liquid chromatography with 50% methanol as the mobile phase, and anti-diabetic activity was observed in the sample that eluted after 4 min as a single peak. The α-glucosidase inhibitory activity exhibited by this sample seemed to be greater than the PTP1B inhibitory activity; thus, it was concluded that a greater anti-diabetic therapeutic effect may be achieved by combining this agent with natural products that inhibit PTP1B activity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.1002-1014
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• 2023

The root of Cirsium japonicum var. maackii (Maxim.) has long been used in traditional medicine to prevent the onset and progression of various diseases and has been reported to exert a wide range of physiological effects, including antioxidant activity. However, research on its effects on hepatocytes remains scarce. This study used the human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell line to investigate the antioxidant activity of ethanol extract of C. japonicum root (EECJ) on hepatocytes. Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) was used to mimic oxidative stress. The results showed that EECJ significantly reverted the decrease in cell viability and suppressed the release of lactate dehydrogenase in HepG2 cells treated with H₂O₂. Moreover, an analysis of changes in cell morphology, flow cytometry, and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3) expression showed that EECJ significantly inhibited HepG2 cell autophagy induced by H₂O₂. Furthermore, it attenuated H₂O₂-induced apoptosis and cell cycle disruption by blocking intracellular reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial superoxide production, indicating strong antioxidant activity. EECJ also restored the decreased levels of intracellular glutathione (GSH) and enhanced the expression and activity of superoxide dismutase and GSH peroxidase in H₂O₂-treated HepG2 cells. Although an analysis of the components contained in EECJ and in vivo validation using animal models are needed, these findings indicate that EECJ is a promising candidate for the prevention and treatment of oxidative stress-induced liver cell damage.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.8
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• pp.29-37
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• 1967

Citrus fruits of ten varieties grown in Chaeju island and a few other fruits for the comparison were analyzed to determined the contents of crude fat, crude fiber, total carbohydrates, macroelements and ash. Acids and sugars in fruit juices were also determined and the characteristic of neutralization of fruit juices were investigated. 1. The per cent of edible part of citrus fruits having the range of 48.5(Daingwoochi) to 72(Onju) were lower than that of other fruits. It was lower by about 8 per cent than that of the same variety produced in U.S.A. It was shown that the amount of rind per fruit might be increased in the citrus fruit grown in the low annual temperature. 2. The content of crude protein were around 1% and higher than other's. The contents of crude fat were below 0.1% in three varieties and over 0.1 in others. The contents of crude fiber were between 0.3 to 0.8% and the fruits with the high content of crude protein were inclined to have the high content of crude fiber and it was also shown that the low annual temperature was inclined to increase the amount of crude fiber per fruit. 3. The amount of total acid were from 19.5 m.e per 100 g of fresh fruit in Byongkyul to 44.2 m.e in Daingwoochi. The high percentage of titrable acid was over 90 in two sour varieties, Daingwoochi and Hakyul having pH below 3 and the high content of total acid. These two varieties were above 10 in the ratio of total acid in the edible part to the total acid in the rind(total acid in edible part/total acid in the rind). The content of combined acid was lower than that of titrable acid in the edible part and vice versa in the rind. 4. Navel was highest as 12.82% in the total sugar content and the lowest content was 4.9% of Hakyul. The contents of reducing sugar in the citrus fruits were about half of that in other fruits. The ratio of total sugar to titrable acid (sugar/acid: the grade of sweet taste) were lower than foreign products . 5. From the titration curves of fruit juices the characteristic of neutralization of juices could be grouped in three types, and other values, that is, pH, the content of total acid, the percentage of combined acid, the ratio of total acids in edible part and rind, the content of sugar, and the grade of sweet taste were also devided into the same three categories. 6. The contents of macroelements were different along to the each part of fruit. The content, in the seed were high and the ones in the rind were low. The contents of each element were in the order of $K_2O>N>P_2O_5{\gtrless}CaO{\gtrless}MgO$ in the edible part, $K_2O>N>CaO>P_2O_5{\gtrless}MgO$ in the rind, $N>K_2O>P_2O_5>CaO>MgO$ in the seed. The content of potassium was especially high in Marumeru and Hakyul and the content of calcium in citrus fruit was higher than others.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.846-860
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• 1998

Background: Endotoxin (LPS : lipopolysaccharide), a potent activator of immune system, can induce acute and chronic inflammation through the production of cytokines by a variety of cells, such as monocytes, endothelial cells, lymphocytes, eosinophils, neutrophils and fibroblasts. LPS stimulate the mononucelar cells by two different pathway, the CD14 dependent and independent way, of which the former has been well documented, but not the latter. LPS binds to the LPS-binding protein (LBP), in serum, to make the LPS-LBP complex which interacts with CD14 molecules on the mononuclear cell surface in peripheral blood or is transported to the tissues. In case of high concentration of LPS, LPS can stimulate directly the macrophages without LBP. We investigated to detect the generation of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 1 (IL-1), IL-6 and TNF-$\alpha$ and fibrogenic cytokine, TGF-$\beta$, by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) after LPS stimulation under serum-free conditions, which lacks LBPs. Methods : PBMC were obtained by centrifugation on Ficoll Hypaque solution of peripheral venous bloods from healthy normal subjects, then stimulated in the presence of LPS (0.1 ${\mu}g/mL$ to 100 ${\mu}g/mL$ ). The activities of IL-1, IL-6, TNF, and TGF-$\beta$ were measured by bioassaies using cytokines - dependent proliferating or inhibiting cell lines. The cellular sources producing the cytokines was investigated by immunohistochemical stains and in situ hybridization. Results : PBMC started to produce IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$ and TGF-$\beta$ in 1 hr, 4 hrs and 8hrs, respectively, after LPS stimulation. The production of IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$ and TGF-$\beta$ continuously increased 96 hrs after stimulation of LPS. The amount of production was 19.8 ng/ml of IL-6 by $10^5$ PBMC, 4.1 ng/mL of TNF by $10^6$ PBMC and 34.4 pg/mL of TGF-$\beta$ by $2{\times}10^6$ PBMC. The immunoreactivity to IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$ and TGF-$\beta$ were detected on monocytes in LPS-stimulated PBMC. Some of lymphocytes showed positive immunoreactivity to TGF-$\beta$. Double immunohistochemical stain showed that IL-1$\beta$, IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$ expression was not associated with CD14 postivity on monocytes. IL-1$\beta$, IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$ and TGF-$\beta$mRNA expression were same as observed in immunoreactivity for each cytokines. Conclusion: When monocytes are stimulated with LPS under serum-free conditions, IL-6 and TNF-$\alpha$ are secreted in early stage of inflammation. In contrast, the secretion of TGF-$\beta$ arise in the late stages and that is maintained after 96 hrs. The main cells releasing IL-1$\beta$, IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$ and TGF-$\beta$ are monocytes, but also lymphocytes can secret TGF-$\beta$.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.3
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• pp.49-82
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• 1965

For the stable and high yields of low-land rice in Korea, the characteristics of rice plant for the vegetative and physiological responses, plant type formation, and yield components have been studied in order to obtain the fundamental data for the improvement of cultural practices, especially for the ideal fertilizer application. Furthermore the environmental conditions in Korea including temperatures, light, precipitation, and soil conditions have been compared in the broad sense with those in Japan, and the application of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, silicate and other micro-nutrients were described in relation to the characteristics of environmental conditions for the improvement of fertilizer application. 1. The average yield of polished-rice per 10 are in Korea is about 204 kg and this values are much less than those in Japan and Taiwan where they produce 77% to 13% more than in Korea. The rate of yield increase a year in Korea is 4.2 kg, but in Japan and Taiwan the rates of yield increase a year are 81 % and 62%, respectively. It was also found that the coefficient of variation of yield is 7.7% in Korea, 6.7% in Japan and 2.5% in Taiwan. This means that the stability of producing rice in Korea is very low when compared with those in Japan and Taiwan. 2. It was learned from the results obtained from the 'annual yield estimation experiment' that there are big differences in the respect of plant type formations between rice crops grown in Japan and Korea. The important differences found were as follows: (1) The numbers of spikelets per 3.3 square meters are 891 in Korea and 1, 007 in Japan(13% more than in Korea). (2) The numbers of tillers per 3.3 square meters at the stage of maximum tillering are 1, 150 in Korea, but in Japan they showed 19% more than in Korea. (3) The ratio of effective tillers to total tillers is 77.5% in Korea and 74.7% in Japan, which seems to be higher in Korea than in Japan. But the ratio in Korea is very low when considered the numbers of total tillers in both countries. (4) The ratio of grain to straw is 85.4% in Korea and 96.3% in Japan. 3. The average temperatures during the growing season at the area of Suwon, Kwangjoo and Taegu are almost same as those in the district of Jookokoo(Fookoo yama) in Japan, i.e., the temperatures during the rice-growing season in Korea are similar to those in the southern-warm regions of Japan. 4. Considering the minimum temperatures at the stage of limiting transplanting, 13$^{\circ}C$, the time of transplanting might be 30 to 40 days earlier than presently practicing transplanting time, which comes around June 10. 5. The temperatures during the vegetative growth in Korea were higher than those temperatures that needed in the protein synthesis which ate the main metabolism during this stage. However, the temperatures at the time of reproductive growth was lower than the temperatures that needed in the sugar assimilation which is main metabolism in this stage. In this point of view, it might be considered that the proper time of growing rice plant in Korea would be rather earlier. 6. The temperatures and the day light conditions at the time of first tillering stage of rice plant, when planted as presenting transplanting practices, are very satisfactory, but the poor day light length, high temperatures and too wet conditions in the time of last-tillering stage(mid or last July) might cause the occurrence of disease such as blast. 7. The heading stage of rice plants at each region through nations when planted as presently practicing method comes when the day light length is short. 8. It was shown that the accumulated average air-temperature at the time of maturing stage was not enough and the heading time was too late, when considered the annual deviations of mean temperatures and low minimum temperatures. 9. The nitrogen content of each plant part at the each growing stage was very high at the stage of vegetative growth when compared with the nitrogen content at the stage of reproductive growth after heading. In this respect it was believed to be important to prevent the nutrient shortages at the reproductive stages, especially after the heading. 10. The area of unsatisfactory irrigation paddy fields and natural rain-fed paddy fields are getting reduced in Korea. The correlation between the rate of reducing unsatisfactory irrigation and natural rain-fed paddy fields and the rate of yield increase were computed. The correlation coefficients(r) between the area of unsatisfactory irrigation paddy fields and yield increase were +0.525, and between the natural rain-fed paddy fields and yield increase, +0.832 and between the unsatisfactory irrigation plus natural rain-fed paddy fields and yield increase, +0.84. And there were. highly significant positive correlations between natural rain-fed paddy fields and yield increases indicating that the less the area of natural rain-fed paddy fields, the greater the yields per unit area. 11. The results obtained from the fertilizer experiments (yield performance trials) conducted in both Korea and Japan showed that the yield of non-fertilized plots per 10 are was 231 kg in Korea and 360 kg in Japan. On the basis of this it might be concluded that the fertility of soil in Korea is lower than that in Japan. Furthermore it was. also found that the yields of non-nitrogen applied plots per 10 are were 236 kg in Korea and 383 kg in Japan. This also indicates that the yields of rice in Korea are largely depending on the nitrogen content in the soil. 12. The followings were obtained when the chemical natures of soils in both Korea and Japan were compared. (1) The content of organic matter, total nitrogen, exchangeable calcium, and magnesium in Korea were no more than the half those in Japan. (2) The content of N/2 chloride and soluble silicate in low-land soil were on the average lower in Korea. (3) The exchange capacity of bases in Korea was no more than half that in Japan. 13. It was also observed by comparing the soil nature of the soil with high yielding capacity with the soil with low yielding capacity that the exchange capacity of bases, exchangeable calcium and magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, silicate and iron were low in the soil with low yielding capacity. 14. The depth of furrow slice was always deeper in the soil with high yielding capacity, and the depth of furrow slice in Korea was also shallower than that in Japan. 15. Summarizing the various conditions mentioned previously and considering the effects of silicate and trace elements such as manganese and iron besides three elements on the physiological and plant type formation of rice crops, more realistic and more ideal fertilizing practices were proposed. proposed.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.95-104
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• 2002

A study was conducted to evaluate feed intake of Hanwoo bulls and steers fed diets of compound feed and rice straw. Twenty bull calves and sixty steers at 5 to 7 months old were used. The experimental period was divided into three feeding stages which are growing period (〈300 kg body weight (BW)), early fattening period (300-450 kg BW) and late fattening period (〉450 kg BW). The animals were given the diets containing 14.1% crude protein (CP) and 70.0% total digestible nutrients (TDN) in the growing period, 12.1% CP and 70.6% TDN in the early fattening period, and 11.2% CP and 71.9% TDN in the late fattening period, respectively. Experiment 1 was designed to compare feed intake (as-fed basis) between Hanwoo bulls and steers fed the experimental diets ad libitum. In Experiment 2, Hanwoo steers were allocated in one of three compound feed feeding treatments to investigate feed intake (as-fed basis). The treatment groups were ① feeding level 1 group fed compound feed ad libitum through the whole periods; ② feeding level 2 group fed 1.0% compound feed per kg BW in the growing period, 1.5% compound feed per kg BW in the early fattening period and compound feed ad libitum in the late fattening period; and ③ feeding level 3 group fed 1.5% compound feed per kg BW in the growing period, 2.0% compound feed per kg BW in the early fattening period and compound feed ad libitum in the late fattening period. In Experiment 1, the average daily feed intake of bulls increased linearly through the whole experimental period while the feed intake of steers increased until their body weight was reached upto 521 kg, afterward reduced. Average daily feed intake was about 3.5% per kg BW of both bulls and steers at the beginning (150 kg BW) of Experiment 1 while bulls and steers at 600 kg BW consumed the diets of 2.0 and 1.5% per kg BW, respectively. In Experiment 2, the average daily feed intake of steers in the feeding level 1 group gradually increased through the growing and early fattening periods and then steadily reduced over the late fattening period. The average daily feed intake in the feeding level 2 group linearly increased through the whole period while the feed intake in the feeding level 3 group showed a relatively rapid increase and reached a peak at 455 kg BW, and then sharply dropped. The average daily feed intake of steers in the feeding level 1 at the beginning (150 kg BW) of Experiment 2 was about 3.5% per kg BW but there was a reduction (1.5% per kg BW) at 600 kg BW. Besides, The feed intake of steers in the feeding level 2 and 3 in which compound feed was given with limitation increased to 2.0-3.0% per kg BW in the growing period and then reduced to 1.5-2.0% per kg BW. The limited compound feed feeding of steers in Experiment 2 resulted in higher rice straw intakes up to two to three folds and two folds in the growing and early fattening periods, respectively, than the ad libitum feeding.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.165-173
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• 2004

Objectives: Diabetes mellitus is a heterogeneous, chronic, progressive disease characterized by hyperglycemia and abnormality in protein, carbohydrate, fat metabolism. Recent studies have reorted two times prevalence of depression in individuals with diabetes compared to individuals without diabetics. This study was designed to investigate glycemic controls, anxiety, alexithymia, stress responses between depressed diabetic patients and non-depressed diabetic patients. Methods The subjects were 60 diabetic patients(mean age : $50.3{\pm}9.7$ years, 31 men and 29 women) who were confirmed to have diabetes depending on the laboratory findings as welt as clinical symptoms at the St. Vincent Hospital Diabetes Clinic, from Mar. 2004 to Sep. 2004. Laboratory test including, blood chemistry. glycated hemoglobin, urinalysis for proteinuria and Korean version of Beck Depression Inventory(BDI), State and Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI), Toronto Alexithymia Scale(TAS) and Stress Response Inventory(SRI) were used for assessment. Based on BDI scores, all diabetics were divided into 13 depressed-diabetics group(above 20 point) and 47 non-depressed group(below 20 point). We compared demographic data. glycemic controls, STAI, TAS and SRI scores between two groups by independent t-test. Results : 1) Depressed diabetic groups were 13(mean age : $55.4{\pm}7.2$ years, 7 men and 6 women) and non depressed groups were 47(mean age $48.9{\pm}9.8$ years, 24 men and 23 women). In depressed diabetics, compared with non-depressed group, manifested aged(p=0.031), but other demographic data showed no difference between two groups. 2) No significant differences were noted in FBS, PP2h, Hb A1C, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, SGOT/SGPT, BUN levels between depressed and non-depressed groups. But, blood creatine levels of depressed group were significantly increased than non-depressed group(p=0.026). 3) No significant differences were found in the score of STAI, STAI-S, STAI-T, TAS between depressed and non-depressed groups. 4) The SRI scores of depressed groups were significantly higher than non-depressed groups$(59.7{\pm}24.9\;vs.\;31.5{\pm}22.0)(p=0.000)$. Conclusion : The above results suggest that depressed diabetic patients are have more stress responses and higher blood creatine levels. However, there were no differences in laboratory data related to glycemic controls, and anxiety. alexithymia levels between two groups. We suggest that physicians should consider integrated approaches for psychiatric problems in the management of diabetes.