• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.155-165
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• 2021

Objectives : Recent studies have suggested that Platycodonis Radix has various pharmacological effects such as anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-asthma, anti-diabetes, anti-obesity, hepatoprotective, and cardiovascular protection effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of water extract of Platycodonis Radix (WPR)-induced autophagy in H460 human lung cancer cells. Methods : H460 cells were treated with WPR and cell viability was calculated by an MTT assay. To evaluate changes in apoptosis- and autophagy-related genes, Western blotting was performed. Two kinds of autophagy inhibitors, 3-Methyladenine (3-MA) and bafilomycin A1, were pretreated to confirm the role of WPR-induced autophagy. Results : WPR reduced the viability of H460 cells in a treatment concentration-dependent manner, which was associated with induction of apoptosis. It was also confirmed that WPR induced autophagy based on the formation of specific intracellular vacuoles and changes in the expression of autophagy-related genes. Interestingly, pretreatment with 3-MA and bafilomycin A1 increased WPR-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis. Conclusions : WPR induced autophagy at low concentrations and early stages of treatment, but promoted apoptosis at high concentrations and late stages. Moreover, WPR-induced autophagy had a cytoprotective role in H460 cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1835-1842
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• 2020

Ergosterol, an essential constituent of membrane lipids of yeast, is distributed in both the cell membrane and intracellular endomembrane components such as vacuoles. Honokiol, a major polyphenol isolated from Magnolia officinalis, has been shown to inhibit the growth of Candida albicans. Here, we assessed the effect of honokiol on ergosterol biosynthesis and vacuole function in C. albicans. Honokiol could decrease the ergosterol content and upregulate the expression of genes related with the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway. The exogenous supply of ergosterol attenuated the toxicity of honokiol against C. albicans. Honokiol treatment could induce cytosolic acidification by blocking the activity of the plasma membrane Pma1p H+-ATPase. Furthermore, honokiol caused abnormalities in vacuole morphology and function. Concomitant ergosterol feeding to some extent restored the vacuolar morphology and the function of acidification in cells treated by honokiol. Honokiol also disrupted the intracellular calcium homeostasis. Amiodarone attenuated the antifungal effects of honokiol against C. albicans, probably due to the activation of the calcineurin signaling pathway which is involved in honokiol tolerance. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that honokiol could inhibit ergosterol biosynthesis and decrease Pma 1p H+-ATPase activity, which resulted in the abnormal pH in vacuole and cytosol.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.34.1-34.4
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• 2021

An 11-year-old obese dog was referred for a liver mass. Cytologic examination revealed vacuolated hepatocytes with mild pleomorphism. A partial liver lobectomy was performed. On histopathologic examination, the mass was diagnosed as hepatocellular carcinoma composed of hepatocytes with clear vacuoles. These findings were consistent with clear cell hepatocellular carcinoma (CCHCC). The CCHCC is a rare subtype of hepatocellular carcinoma in dogs, and clinical features are poorly defined. This is the first report on the cytological, histological and clinical aspects of CCHCC, suggesting that obesity and hyperlipidemia are potential risk factors for CCHCC in dogs.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.321-329
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• 2022

Four species of cyanobacteria that are unrecorded in Korea were isolated from freshwater and brackish water. These four species are Laspinema thermale of Laspinemaceae, Planktothricoides raciborskii and Planktothrix spiroides of Microcoleaceae, and Cephalothrix lacustris of Phormidiaceae, all belonging to the order Oscillatoriales. Laspinema thermale is morphologically characterized as apical cells that are longer than other cells. In this strain, the similarity of the 16S rRNA gene sequence with the previously reported L. thermale strains were 99.30-99.50%. Planktothricoides raciborskii, which is characterized by bluntly conical morphology of apical cells, showed 98.80-99.50% of similarity of the 16S rRNA gene sequence to the previously reported P. raciborskii strains. Planktothrix spiroides are characterized by floating due to gas vacuoles. In this strain, the similarity of the 16S rRNA gene sequence with the previously reported P. spiroides strains were 99.80-99.90%. Cephalothrix lacustris, characterized by having calyptra in apical cells, showed 99.80-99.90% similarity of the 16S rRNA gene sequence to previously reported C. lacustris strains. Also, these species were clustered in the same clade in phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequences with each corresponding species.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.223-229
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• 2006

Two litonotid ciliates collected from the freshwater habitats in Korea were identified as Loxophyllum meleagris ($M\ddot{u}ller$, 1773) and Siroloxophyllum utriculariae (Penard, 1922). The description was based on the observation of living and protargol impregnated specimens, and biometric analysis. Their diagnostic characteristics are as follows. L. meleagris; $163-480\times80-100{\mu}m$ in vivo, body shape lancet or knife-like; dorsal margin with 10-19 extrusome warts; 8-35 macronuclei nodules, like a string of bead; 16-21 somatic kineties on right side (including perioral kinety 2, 3) and 6-11 on left side (including perioral kinety 1); 1 contractile vacuole located at posterior part at diastole stage, extending along the dorsal margin toward anterior end with a single long narrow canal. S. utriculariae; $110-170\times78-150{\mu}m$ in vivo, body shape lancet like; dorsal margin without extrusome warts; 2 macronuclei, spherical; 12-19 somatic kineties on right side, 3-7 on left side (including perioral kinety 1); 2-3 contractile vacuoles, first one located anterior ventrally, second one located posterior dorsally and last one located near posterior end of cell.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.1507-1517
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• 2023

Centrifugal pumps are a crucial part of nuclear power plants, and their dependable and safe operation is crucial to the security of the entire facility. Cavitation will cause the centrifugal pump to violently vibration with the large number of vacuoles generated, which not only affect the hydraulic performance of the centrifugal pump but also cause structural damage to the impeller, seriously affecting the operational safety of nuclear power plants. A closed cavitation test bench of a centrifugal pump is constructed, and a method for precisely identifying the cavitation state is proposed based on Complementary Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (CEEMD) and Deep Residual Shrinkage Network (DRSN). First, we compared the cavitation sensitivity of pressure fluctuation, vibration, and liquid-borne noise and decomposed the liquid-borne noise by CEEMD to capture cavitation characteristics. The decomposition results are sent into a 12-layer deep residual shrinkage network (DRSN) for cavitation identification training. The results demonstrate that the liquid-borne noise signal is the most cavitation-sensitive signal, and the accuracy of CEEMD-DRSN to identify cavitation at different stages of centrifugal pumps arrives at 94.61%

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.48-52
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• 2024

This study investigated the microscopic characteristics and genetic relationships of Ganoderma applanatum fruiting bodies. Basidiospores were brown, ellipsoid, and had one or two large vacuoles and a double wall. The surface of basidiospores was smooth or wrinkled and most had numerous small and shallow holes. The length and width of basidiospores of Ganoderma applanatum isolates GBGA-01, GBGA-02, ASI 50167, ASI 52821, ASI 52822, ASI 52823, and ASI 53399 were on average 7.6×4.8 ㎛, 7.9×4.6 ㎛, 7.7×4.9 ㎛, 8.2×5.3 ㎛, 7.7×5.0 ㎛, 8.0×4.9 ㎛, and 7.9×4.9 mm, respectively. In contrast, the basidiospores of Ganoderma lucidum isolate ASI 7125 were 7.7×5.2 ㎛. Using the universal ITS1/ITS4 primer set, the ITS region of the isolates were amplified and sequenced. The ITS sequences were very closely related to G. applantum isolate GBGA-01, GBGA-02, ASI 50167, ASI 52821, ASI 52822, ASI 52823 and ASI 53399, but were not the same species. Whereas, G. lucidum isolate ASI 7125 belongs to different group.

• Journal of Convergence Korean Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.11-16
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• 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-obesity effects of the aqueous extract of Schizandra chinensis (SC) in menopausal mice. Methods: To induce menopausal obesity, female mice were ovariectomized (OVX) and fed a high-fat diet (HFD; 60% fat, 28% carbohydrates, 14% protein) for 12 weeks. The mice were divided into 6 groups (n = 8): NOR (sham-operated and vehicle-treated), HFD+OVX (vehicle-treated), E2 (17-beta estradiol 50 ㎍/kg-treated), SC1 (1 mg/kg SC-treated), SC10 (10 mg/kg SC-treated), and SC100 (100 mg/kg SC-treated). Samples were orally administered for 6 weeks, after which all experimental mice were sacrificed. Body weight, feeding efficiency, white adipose tissue weight, adipocyte diameter, and fat vacuoles in liver were analyzed. Results: By treating with SC extract, the body weight and feeding efficiency of mice were significantly decreased. The weight of visceral fat tissues was decreased in the SC10 and SC100 groups. Histopathology showed that fat cell diameters of white adipose tissue were also decreased in the SC10 and SC100 groups. Additionally, SC extract regenerated the hepatocyte damage and decreased the size and number of follicular adipocytes Conclusion: In summary, these results suggest that SC has inhibitory effects against menopausal obesity. Schizandra chinensis may be a potential alternative for obesity among female menopausal diseases.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.537-542
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• 2007

Purpose: Adipose tissue contains a population of pluripotent stem cells capable of differentiating along multiple mesenchymal cell lineages. It is well known that fat depots from different part of our body shows different nature not only in morphological aspect but also physiologic aspect. The authors compared the adipogenic potentials and osteogenic potentials of adipose stem cells from different anatomical sites of human. Methods: After laparotomy by surgery team, the authors isolated these adipose stem cells successfully from 7 men with an average age of 58, and induced differentiation along adipogenic and osteogenic lineages in vitro. On the 14th day, cells cultured in adipogenic media differentiated into adipocytes in vitro, as evidenced by positive Oil Red O staining of lipid vacuoles. On the 21st day, cells cultured in osteogenic media differentiated into osteoblasts in vitro as demonstrated by Alizarin red staining of a calcified extracellular matrix. Results: After exposure to adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation medium, subcutaneous adipose stem cells were found to possess greater adipogenic and osteogenic potentials than cells isolated from visceral adipose tissues. Conclusion: This study indicates that adipogenic and osteogenic potentials of adipose stem cells vary by their anatomical sites, with subcutaneous adipose stem cells exhibiting higher adipogenic and osteogenic potential than those isolated from visceral fat.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.79-84
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• 2012

An efficient protocol for cryopreservation of madder hairy root cultures has been developed using droplet-vitrification. In previous study, combining loading solution C4 (35% PVS3) and vitrification solution B5 (80% PVS3) was the most effective method. In this study, we tried three types of vitrification solution, B5, A3 (90% PVS2, on ice), and A5 (70% PVS2, on ice). Combining loading solution C4 and vitrification solution A5 (on ice) showed the best regeneration rate in this study. Histological changes of the cells within the hairy root of madder were also observed in different steps. The cells from the hairy roots of the control treatment were full and intact with different size of vacuoles and obvious cell nucleus having a dark nucleolus. After the stage of preparing for cryopreservation (after preculturing, loading, followed by dehydration solution A5 or B5), intercellular spaces had become distinct, and within cells, the cytoplasms had become denser and week plasmolyses had appeared. The cell plasmolyses were much more apparent and we measured the degree of plasmolysis by calculating, the area of cell/the area of cytoplasm. The value of plasmolysis degree was the highest in the combination of preculture, loading solution C4, and dehydration solution A5, 1.97. Because the highest regeneration rates appeared in the treatment of A5 for 20 min, we could assume that the optimal degree of plasmolysis for cryopreservation might be around 1.97. The changes in cell structure during cryopreservation might be a useful basis for the development of a proper long-term preservation method for madder germplasms.