• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.607-614
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• 2015

Cancers are the largest cause of mortality and morbidity all over the world. Cordycepin, an adenosine analog, is a major functional component of the Cordyceps species, which has been widely used in traditional Oriental medicine. Over the last decade, this compound has been reported to possess many pharmacological properties, such as an ability to enhance immune function, as well as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-cancer effects. Recently, numerous studies have reported interesting properties of cordycepin as a chemopreventive agent as well. There is an accumulating body of experimental evidences suggesting that cordycepin impedes cancer progression by promoting apoptosis, inducing cell cycle arrest, modulating intracellular signaling pathways, and inhibiting invasion and metastasis of cancer cells. In many cancer cell lines, cordycepin inhibits growth and cell cycle progression by inducing arrest of the G2/M phase, resulting from the inhibition of retinoblastoma protein phosphorylation and induction of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors. To induce apoptosis, cordycepin activates the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways, which promotes reactive oxygen species generation and the downstream activation of kinase cascades. Cordycepin also can activate alternative pathways to cell death such autophagy. In addition, cordycepin can inhibit the pro-metastatic processes of cancer cell detachment, migration, and invasion through a variety of mechanisms, including the nuclear factor-kappa B and activated protein-1 signaling pathways. In this review, we summarized the variety of action mechanisms by which cordycepin may mediate chemopreventive effects on cancer and discussed the potential of this natural product as a promising therapeutic inhibitor of cancer development.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.300-306
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• 1989

This study was investigated to determine the functional properties of mugbean protein isolates(MPI) from sunhwa-nogdu(SH) and conventional mungbean varieties(C). MPI were prepared from defatted mungbean flour by extraction with 0.1N NaOH, precipitation at pH 4.5, washing of dispersed precipitate with buffer solution and distilled water, and subsequent freeze-drying. Crude protein content of MPI was in the range of $88.7{\sim}91.3%$. The lowest solubility was recorded at $pH\;4{\sim}5$, whereas the best buffering action was in the range of $5.5{\sim}7.5$. On the other hand, gelation of MPI was found to depend on the protein concentration. In the cases of foamability, % volume increase and specific volume were higher for 10 min. with a good whipping ability. And also, the MPI properties of two varieties of SH and C were compared and discussed.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.38-44
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• 2003

In vitro inhibitory activity of 34 insecticides and 31 fungicides to glutathione-S-transferase and esterases extracted from rats was determined. Of tested pesticides, the pesticides with high activity on both detoxifying enzymes were mixed with pesticides that are known to be detoxified by detoxifying enzymes. Glutathione-S-transferase was inhibited by thiodicarb $(I_{50}:1.87\times10^{-4}M)$, thiocyclam $(7.40\times10^{-4}M)$, dithianon $(7.55\times10^{-5}M)$, and tolylfluanide $(8.66\times10^{-5}M)$, while esterases by dichlorvos $(8.95\times10^{-8}M)$, pirimicarb $(2.74\times10^{-6}M)$, pyrazophos $(3.31\times10^{-5}M)$, and benomyl $(4.96\times10^{-5}M)$. After acephate known to be detoxified by glutathione-S-transferase was mixed with glutathione-S-transferase-inhibiting pesticides and phenthoate known to be detoxified by esterases was mixed with esterases-inhibiting pesticides, insecticidal activities of such mixtures were determined against diamondback moth (PlutelLa xylostella L.). Synergistic action was observed in all pesticide combinations. The highest synergistic action was obtained when phenthoate was combined with dichlorvos, showing that co-toxicity coefficients were 1512 and 1877 after 24 and 48 hours of treatment, respectively. Several other combinations of pesticides, such as phenthoate with benomyl, and acephate with dithianon, also showed synergism, showing that their co-toxicity coefficients were about 1,000 and 500, after 24 hours of treatment, respectively. Our results showed that combinations of pesticides inhibited by detoxifying enzymes and ones detoxified by detoxifying enzymes resulted in increased toxicities of pesticides, suggesting that such combinations could be used to develop pesticide mixtures with more broad spectrum and high effectiveness.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.299-311
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• 1994

The present study was attempted to investigate whether pentazocine, which is known to possess both opioid agonistic and antagonistic properties, produces catecholamines (CA) secretion from the isolated perfused rat adrenal gland, and to establish the mechanism of its action, and also to compare its action with that of some opioids. Pentazocine (30 to 300 ug) injected into an adrenal vein caused a dose-dependent secretory response of CA from the rat adrenal medulla. The pentazocine-evoked secretion of CA was remarkably diminished by the preloading with chlorisondamine $(10^{-6}\;M)$, naloxone $(1.22{\times}10^{-7}\;M)$, morphine $(1.7{\times}10^{-5}\;M)$, met-enkephalin $(9.68{\times}10^{-6}\;M)$, nicardipine $(10^{-6}\;M)$ and TMB-8 $(10^{-5}\;M)$ while was not influenced by the pretreatment of pirenzepine $(2{\times}10^{-6}\;M)$. The perfusion of $Ca^{++}$-free Krebs solution for 30 min into the gland also led to the marked reduction in CA secretion evoked by pentazocine. Furthermore, the CA release evoked by ACh and/or DMPP was greatly inhibited by the pretreatment with pentazocine $(1.75{\times}10^{-4}\;M)$ for 20 min. From these experimental results, it is thought that pentazocine causes markedly the increased secretion of CA from the isolated perfused rat adrenal medulla by a calcium-dependent exocytotic mechanism. The secretory effect of pentazocine appears to be mediated through activation of opioid receptors located on adrenal chromaffin cells, which may be also associated with stimulation of cholinergic nicotinic receptors.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.123-128
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• 2013

Water quality and contamination of sediment is a growing concern in the Iksan stream of Korea. Heavy metal contamination and changes in the physicochemical properties of the stream were evaluated. Water and sediment samples were collected from six sites during the dry and rainy seasons; pH, DO, EC, ORP, turbidity, $PO_4$-P, $NO_3$-N and selected heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Ni, As, Zn, Cd, Hg) were measured. Results showed almost no change in pH between seasons. DO was highest at site 2 (~2.63 mg/L) in the dry season; EC (1,540 ms/m) was greatest at site 1 in both seasons. The ORP gradually increased from the dry to rainy season at most of the sites and was highest at site 5. Turbidity was highest at site 1 and gradually decreased from the dry to rainy season at all sites except site 3. $PO_4$-P ranged from a high of 1,193mg/L at site 1 to in the dry season to a low of ~1.2 mg/L at site 4. In contrast, $NO_3$-N was highest at site 3 in the rainy season (12,531 mg/L). Among the heavy metals measured, Cu and Zn concentrations were highest at all sediment sites. Cu and Zn are added to livestock feed to improve reproductive rates and can be carried to the stream with manure. Transport of sediment and heavy metals during the rainy season is the major source of stream contamination and it is important to continue monitoring and take necessary action in these areas.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.17-32
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• 2013

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether Lonicera japonica(LJ) could inhibit LPS-induced type I IFN production. Methods: To evaluate inhibitory effect of LJ on type I IFN, we examined type I IFN, IRF-1, 7 and IL-10 production on LPS-induced macrophages using real time RT-PCR. Next, we observed the interaction of type I IFN, IRF-1, 7 and IL-10 using IL-10 neutralizing antibody. Finally we examined the activation of STAT-1, 3 using western blot. Results: LJ inhibited Type I IFN expression of mRNA and increased IL-10 expression of mRNA. Also LJ inhibited the level of IRF-1, 7 mRNA and the nuclear translocation of IRF-3. Further more, LJ reduced the activation of STAT-1, 3 which are involved in continuous secretion of immune cytokines. Blockade of IL-10 action caused a significant reduction of type I IFN and IRF-1, 7 than LPS-induced LJ pretreatment. Conclusions: LJ inhibits LPS-induced production of type I IFN by IL-10. This study may provide a clinical basis for anti-inflammatory properties of LJ.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.749-769
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• 2003

The structural deterioration of concrete structures due to reinforcement corrosion is a major worldwide problem. Service life of the age-degraded concrete structures is governed by the protective action provided by the cover concrete against the susceptibility of the reinforcement to the corrosive environment. The corrosion of steel would result in the various corrosion products, which depending on the level of the oxidation may have much greater volume than the original iron that gets consumed by the process of corrosion. This volume expansion would be responsible for exerting the expansive radial pressure at the steel-concrete interface resulting in the development of hoop tensile stresses in the surrounding cover concrete. Once the maximum hoop tensile stress exceeds the tensile strength of the concrete, cracking of cover concrete would take place. The cracking begins at the steel-concrete interface and propagates outwards and eventually resulting in the through cracking of the cover concrete. The cover cracking would indicate the loss of the service life for the corrosion-affected structures. In the present paper, analytical models have been developed considering the residual strength of the cracked concrete and the stiffness provided by the combination of the reinforcement and expansive corrosion products. The problem is modeled as a boundary value problem and the governing equations are expressed in terms of the radial displacement. The analytical solutions are presented considering a simple 2-zone model for the cover concrete viz. cracked or uncracked. A sensitivity analysis has also been carried out to show the influence of the various parameters of the proposed models. The time to cover cracking is found to be function of initial material properties of the cover concrete and reinforcement plus corrosion products combine, type of rust products, rate of corrosion and the residual strength of the cover concrete. The calculated cracking times are correlated against the published experimental and analytical reference data.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.6947-6951
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• 2015

Background: Oral carcinoma (OC) remains one of the most difficult malignancies to cure. Hesa-A is an Iranian herbal-marine compound that has shown promising anti-tumor properties against various human tumors. However, its mechanism of action remains to be addressed. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of two doses of Hesa-A on mRNA expression of erb$\backslash$b2 as a main prognosticator tumor marker for OC in an animal model. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of 12 animals each. Rats in carcinoma groups received 0, 250 and 500mg/kg body weight doses of Hesa-A 3 times a day. The other two groups were considered as treated and untreated control groups. At the end of the experiment, animals were sacrificed and tongue tissues subjected to H and E staining and real time PCR. Results: Our results showed that compared to the control group, erb$\backslash$b2 was over-expressed ~ 30% in the carcinoma group. After treatment with 250mg/kg and 500mg/kg body weight of Hesa-A, erb$\backslash$b2 levels dropped by 24.1% and 3.4 % respectively compared to the control carcinoma group (p<0.01, p<0.0001). Moreover, there was a significant relation between erb$\backslash$b2 mRNA content and observed pathological changes in studied groups (p<0.05). Conclusions: These data provide insight into mechanism(s) by which Hesa-A may improve clinical outcome of oral carcinoma by affecting oncogene erb$\backslash$b2 expression and suggest Hesa-A as an effective chemotherapeutic agent in treatment of HER+tumors.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.648-656
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• 2019

The ecological changes in the ocean due to the drastic global warming require that action be taken to sustain the productivity of fisheries. Proper ocean facilities could help prevent the loss of the expenditures made on marine aquaculture and reduce the related compensation for various ocean conditions. The aim of this study was to develop a floating ocean wave-breaker using an eco-friendly concrete and conducting a site survey, a structural analysis, and a test of towing the tank. As a result, the wave at the fish farm would be reduced. The results of the holding power of anchors and the capability of moving the floating structures were considered in the design of the wave-breaker. The analyses of the material properties of concrete and the steel structures, as well as the CAPEX and OPEX analyses of the manufacturing and operation processes confirmed the superiority of the floating concrete wave-breaker. In particular, this study demonstrated that the concrete floating breakwater can protect the fish farm against typhoons and reverse-waves, thereby reducing losses of the fish.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.385-395
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• 2017

Vasoconstrictive properties of sympathomimetic drugs are the basis of their widespread use as decongestants and possible source of adverse responses. Insufficiently substantiated practice of combining decongestants in some marketed preparations, such are those containing phenylephrine and lerimazoline, may affect the overall contractile activity, and thus their therapeutic utility. This study aimed to examine the interaction between lerimazoline and phenylephrine in isolated rat aortic rings, and also to assess the substrate of the obtained lerimazoline-induced attenuation of phenylephrine contraction. Namely, while lower concentrations of lerimazoline ($10^{-6}M$ and especially $10^{-7}M$) expectedly tended to potentiate the phenylephrine-induced contractions, lerimazoline in higher concentrations ($10^{-4}M$ and above) unexpectedly and profoundly depleted the phenylephrine concentration-response curve. Suppression of NO with NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor $N^w$-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; $10^{-4}M$) or NO scavanger $OHB_{12}$ ($10^{-3}M$), as well as non-specific inhibition of $K^+$-channels with tetraethylammonium (TEA; $10^{-3}M$), have reversed lerimazoline-induced relaxation of phenylephrine contractions, while cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin ($10^{-5}M$) did not affect the interaction between two vasoconstrictors. At the receptor level, non-selective 5-HT receptor antagonist methiothepin reversed the attenuating effect of lerimazoline on phenylephrine contraction when applied at $3{\times}10^{-7}$ and $10^{-6}M$, but not at the highest concentration ($10^{-4}M$). Neither the 5-$HT_{1D}$-receptor selective antagonist BRL 15572 ($10^{-6}M$) nor 5-$HT_7$ receptor selective antagonist SB 269970 ($10^{-6}M$) affected the lerimazoline-induced attenuation of phenylephrine activity. The mechanism of lerimazoline-induced suppression of phenylephrine contractions may involve potentiation of activity of NO and $K^+$-channels and activation of some methiothepin-sensitive receptors, possibly of the 5-$HT_{2B}$ subtype.