• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.278-282
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• 1998

An attempt was made in this study to investigate the possibility of processing fresh garlic into an fresh garlic paste. The characteristics of fresh garlic paste and processing properties were investigated and the effect of salt, maltodextrin, acid and heat on product quality during storage were studied. After the processed fresh garlic paste was stored at 3$0^{\circ}C$ and 5$^{\circ}C$ without light for 6 months. The weight and pH of colve were 93% of total and 5.95, respectively. Addition of 10% salt, 10% maltodextrin, 01.% dl-malic acid, and heat on fresh garlic paste maintain color of fresh garlic could be preserved for 6 months at 5$^{\circ}C$. Judging from thiosulfinate and pyruvate content, and sensory evaluation, quality damage of fresh garlic paste which was make of 10% salt, 10% maltodextrin, 0.1% dl-malic acid, and heat on fresh garlic paste hardly occurred at 5$^{\circ}C$ but occurred considerable level at 3$0^{\circ}C$ during storage for 6 months.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.572-577
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• 2002

We investigated the optimal condition for production of bacterial cellulose with Gluconacetobacter persimmonus KJ145. For bacterial cellulose production, optimal medium composition and culture conditions were conducted to determine. Apple juice (10$^{\circ}$Brix) medium was suitable than Hestrin & Schramm medium which is generally used for the bacterial cellulose production. When 1% pyruvate as carbon source was added to apple juice, bacterial cellulose production rose to high level. The effect of various nitrogen sources was investigated: CSL was found to be essential to high cellulose yields and the optimal CSL concentration was 10%. Optimal temperature and culture time for the bacterial cellulose production was 35$^{\circ}C$ and 16 days, respectively At the optimal condition Gluconacetobacter persimmonus KJ145 produced 8.96g/L of bacterial cellulose (dry weight), which was much higher than reported values.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.437-443
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• 1984

Muscular exercise induced by electrical stimulation of femoral nerves in perfused rat hindquarters(5 contractions per sec) in the presence of insulin and glucose effected a rapid increase(c. a. two-fold) in the level of citric acid cycle intermediates. The highest values were found within one minute of stimulation. The tissue concent ratios of lactate, pyruvate and alanine increased rapidly on initiation of exercese. Release of lactate also increased rapidly, whereas that of pyruvate was only moderately elevated. In the course of three minute exercese, the sum of alanine, glutamate and aspartate was only transiently elevated. A fall in creatine-p and ATP in the stimulated muscle was accompanied by increases in tissue level of AMP and release of ammonia into perfusing medium. However, the changes in glutamine were small. It is concluded that the pool of citric acid cycle intermediates is expanded during muscular work due (a) to an elevated level of pyruvate, leading to shifts in the levels of alanine and cycle intermediates vie trans-amination reactions and (b) to stimulation of the purine nucleotide cycle due to elevated AMP, resulting in generation of cycle intermediates and ammonia at the expense of aspartate.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.47-56
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• 2016

The identification of biomarkers for the early detection of acute kidney injury (AKI) is clinically important. Acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill patients is closely associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Conventional biomarkers, such as serum creatinine (SCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), are frequently used to diagnose AKI. However, these biomarkers increase only after significant structural damage has occurred. Recent efforts have focused on identification and validation of new noninvasive biomarkers for the early detection of AKI, prior to extensive structural damage. Furthermore, AKI biomarkers can provide valuable insight into the molecular mechanisms of this complex and heterogeneous disease. Our previous study suggested that pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), which is excreted in the urine, is a sensitive biomarker for nephrotoxicity. To appropriately and optimally utilize PKM2 as a biomarker for AKI requires its complete characterization. This review highlights the major studies that have addressed the diagnostic and prognostic predictive power of biomarkers for AKI and assesses the potential usage of PKM2 as an early biomarker for AKI. We summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the role of biomarkers and the molecular and cellular mechanisms of AKI. This review will elucidate the biological basis of specific biomarkers that will contribute to improving the early detection and diagnosis of AKI.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.572-576
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• 1997

Effect of anoxia treatment on alcohol fermentation in the placenta of oriental melons (Cucumis melo) at different developmental stages was studied. Results showed that fruits at the rapid growth stage (stage III) contained the lowest amount of acetaldehyde and ethanol as compared with fruits at other developmental stages. During anoxia treatment, a steady increase in ethanol content was observed in the placenta of oriental melons, regardless of their developmental stages, while the increment of acetaldehyde content was relatively small. Alcohol dehydrogenase in growing and maturing stage fruits showed increased activity with the maximum value at one day after the onset of anoxia treatment and then decreased gradually. An increase in the activity of pyruvate decarboxylase was also observed during anoxia.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.212-217
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• 2015

Purpose: For a single time-point hyperpolarized $^{13}C$ magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging (MRSI) of animal models, scan-time window after injecting substrates is critical in terms of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of downstream metabolites. Pre-scans of time-resolved magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) can be performed to determine the scan-time window. In this study, based on two-site exchange model, protocol-specific simulation approaches were developed for $^{13}C$ MRSI and the optimal scan-time window was determined to maximize the SNR of downstream metabolites. Materials and Methods: The arterial input function and conversion rate constant from injected substrates (pyruvate) to downstream metabolite (lactate) were precalibrated, based on pre-scans of time-resolved MRS. MRSI was simulated using two-site exchange model with considerations of scan parameters of MRSI. Optimal scan-time window for mapping lactate was chosen from simulated lactate intensity maps. The performance was validated by multiple in vivo experiments of BALB/C nude mice with MDA-MB-231 breast tumor cells. As a comparison, MRSI were performed with other scan-time windows simply chosen from the lactate signal intensities of pre-scan time-resolved MRS. Results: The optimal scan timing for our animal models was determined by simulation, and was found to be 15 s after injection of the pyruvate. Compared to the simple approach, we observed that the lactate peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) was increased by 230%. Conclusion: Optimal scan timing to measure downstream metabolites using hyperpolarized $^{13}C$ MRSI can be determined by the proposed protocol-specific simulation approaches.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.99-106
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• 2006

The electronic absorption spectra of [3-(2-thenoyl) 3-(p-NO2-phenylhydrazone) ethyl pyruvate] (I), p-Br (II) and p-CH3 (III) were studied in ethanol and the spectra comprise four absorption bands which assigned to the corresponding electronic transition. The pK values of these compounds have been determined spectrophotometrically and pH-metrically, the results shown that the interval range for color change of compound (I) is (8-10) similar to that of phenolphethalin indicator, indicating that this compound can be used as acid-base indicator. The successive stability constants of the compounds under study with some transition elements (Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), UO2(II), La(III) and Zr(IV) have been determined pH- metrically. Stoichiometric complexes with ratios 1:1 and 1:2 (M: L) were formed for all metals. The pK of the three derivatives and the values of the stability constant (logK) of the complexes have the order; III > II > I. Also conductometric titrations have been carried out and the results show that this titration can be used for determination of both the metal ion and the ligand concentrations by each others.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.135-141
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• 2013

Background: Although paclitaxel is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of solid cancers, side effects such as neuropathic pain lead to poor compliance and discontinuation of the therapy. Ethyl pyruvate (EP) is known to have analgesic effects in several pain models and may inhibit apoptosis. The present study was designed to investigate the analgesic effects of EP on mechanical allodynia and apoptosis in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells after paclitaxel administration. Methods: Rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: 1) a control group, which received only vehicle; 2) a paclitaxel group, which received paclitaxel; and 3) an EP group, which received EP after paclitaxel administration. Mechanical allodynia was tested before and at 7 and 14 days after final paclitaxel administration. Fourteen days after paclitaxel treatment, DRG apoptosis was determined by activated caspase-3 immunoreactivity (IR). Results: Post-treatment with EP did not significantly affect paclitaxel-induced allodynia, although it tended to slightly reduce sensitivities to mechanical stimuli after paclitaxel administration. After paclitaxel administration, an increase in caspase-3 IR in DRG cells was observed, which was co-localized with NF200-positive myelinated neurons. Post-treatment with EP decreased the paclitaxel-induced caspase-3 IR. Paclitaxel administration or post-treatment with EP did not alter the glial fibrillary acidic protein IRs in DRG cells. Conclusions: Inhibition of apoptosis in DRG neurons by EP may not be critical in paclitaxel-induced mechanical allodynia.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.763-771
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• 2015

Components and physiological activity of crops are strongly affected by the natural environments of the growth regions. In this study, we carried out soil analysis and determined the allicin, alliin, total pyruvate, total phenol and flavonoid, and reducing sugar contents of garlic from garlic-cultivating regions in the eastern and western portions of Jeju Province. Significantly higher contents of macronutrients were found in the soil and garlic from the eastern region of Jeju compared to western region, but micronutrients were higher in the western region than eastern region. In addition, the alliin and total phenolic contents were higher in the western region than in the eastern region. Also, allicin, total pyruvate, total flavonoid content, and ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activity of the eastern region samples were higher than those of the western region in Jeju. This study promotes our understanding of the different components of garlic according to the cultivation regions of Jeju.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.7
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• pp.454-464
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• 2022

DJ-1 is one of the causative genes of early-onset familial Parkinson's disease (PD). As a result, DJ-1 influences the pathogenesis of sporadic PD. DJ-1 has various physiological functions that converge to control the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Based on genetic analyses that sought to investigate novel antioxidant DJ-1 downstream genes, pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) kinase (PDK) was demonstrated to increase survival rates and decrease dopaminergic (DA) neuron loss in DJ-1 mutant flies under oxidative stress. PDK phosphorylates and inhibits the PDH complex (PDC), subsequently downregulating glucose metabolism in the mitochondria, which is a major source of intracellular ROS. A loss-of-function mutation in PDK was not found to have a significant effect on fly development and reproduction, but severely ameliorated oxidative stress resistance. Thus, PDK plays a critical role in the protection against oxidative stress. Loss of PDH phosphatase (PDP), which dephosphorylates and activates PDH, was also shown to protect DJ-1 mutants from oxidative stress, ultimately supporting our findings. Further genetic analyses suggested that DJ-1 controls PDK expression through hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), a transcriptional regulator of the adaptive response to hypoxia and oxidative stress. Furthermore, CPI-613, an inhibitor of PDH, protected DJ-1 null flies from oxidative stress, suggesting that the genetic and pharmacological inhibition of PDH may be a novel treatment strategy for PD associated with DJ-1 dysfunction.