• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.166-170
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• 2006

In this study, we investigated whether schizandrin, schizandrin-A, gomisin-A and uridine affect mucin secretion from cultured airway epithelial cells and compared the potential activities of these agents with the inhibitory action on mucin secretion by poly-1-lysine (PLL) and the stimulatory action by adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Confluent primary hamster tracheal surface epithelial (HTSE) cells were metabolically radiolabeled using $^3H-glucosamine$ for 24 h and chased for 30 min in the presence of varying concentrations of each agent to assess the effects on $^3H-mucin$ secretion. The results were as follows: schizandrin-A and uridine increased mucin secretion at the highest concentrations ($2{\times}10^{-4}\;-\;10^{-3}M$). We conclude that schizandrin-A and uridine can stimulate mucin secretion via direct effect on airway mucin-secreting cells and suggest that these agents be further investigated for the potential use as mucoregulators during the treatment of chronic airway diseases.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.178-182
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• 2006

In this study, we investigated whether daidzein, puerarin, genistein and (+)-ar-tumerone affect mucin secretion from cultured airway epithelial cells and compared with the inhibitory action of poly-L-lysine (PLL) and the stimulatory action of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) on mucin secretion. Confluent primary hamster tracheal surface epithelial (HTSE) cells were metabolically radiolabeled using $^3H$-glucosamine for 24 h and chased for 30 min in the presence of varying concentrations of each agent to assess the effects on $^3H$-mucin secretion. The results were as follows: daidzein, puerarin, genistein and (+)-ar-tumerone did not affect mucin secretion at the highest concentrations $(10^{-3}M)$, during 30 min of treatment period. Basically, this finding suggests that daidzein, puerarin and genistein - 3 components derived from Puerariae Radix - and (+)-ar-tumerone derived from Curcumae Rhizoma might not function as a mucoregulator in various inflammatory respiratory diseases showing mucus hypersecretion, although further studies are needed.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.233-240
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• 2015

Although the effects of the rice bran have recently been investigated, there is no information regarding platelet physiology available. However, it is well known that fermented natural plants have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate whether fermented rice bran extract (FRBE) with several plants (Artemisia princeps, Angelica Gigantis Radix, Cnidium officinale, and Camellia sinensis) affected agonist-induced platelet aggregation, and if so, what the underlying mechanism of its activity was. We performed several experiments, including in vitro platelet aggregation, intracellular calcium concentration and adenosine triphosphate release. In addition, the activation of integrin ${\alpha}_{II}b{\beta}3$ was determined using fibrinogen binding. Thrombus formation was also evaluated in vivo using an arterio-venous shunt model. The FRBE inhibited collagen-induced platelet aggregation in a concentration-dependent manner. FRBE significantly and dose dependently attenuated thrombus formation using rat arterio-venous shunt. FRBE suppressed the intracellular calcium mobilization in collagen-stimulated platelets. We also found that FRBE inhibited extracellular stimuli-responsive kinase 1/2, p38-mitogen-activated protein kinases and c-Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylation. These results suggested that FRBE inhibited collagen-induced platelet aggregation, which was mediated by modulation of downstream signaling molecules. In conclusion, FRBE could be developed as a functional food against aberrant platelet activation-related cardiovascular diseases.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 2016

The intestinal environment plays a critical role in maintaining swine health. Many factors such as diet, microbiota, and host intestinal immune response influence the intestinal environment. Intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) is an important apical brush border enzyme that is influenced by these factors. IAP dephosphorylates bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS), unmethylated cytosine-guanosine dinucleotides, and flagellin, reducing bacterial toxicity and consequently regulating toll-like receptors (TLRs) activation and inflammation. It also desphosphorylates extracellular nucleotides such as uridine diphosphate and adenosine triphosphate, consequently reducing inflammation, modulating, and preserving the homeostasis of the intestinal microbiota. The apical localization of IAP on the epithelial surface reveals its role on LPS (from luminal bacteria) detoxification. As the expression of IAP is reported to be downregulated in piglets at weaning, LPS from commensal and pathogenic gram-negative bacteria could increase inflammatory processes by TLR-4 activation, increasing diarrhea events during this phase. Although some studies had reported potential IAP roles to promote gut health, investigations about exogenous IAP effects or feed additives modulating IAP expression and activity yet are necessary. However, we discussed in this paper that the critical assessment reported can suggest that exogenous IAP or feed additives that could increase its expression could show beneficial effects to reduce diarrhea events during the post weaning phase. Therefore, the main goals of this review are to discuss IAP's role in intestinal inflammatory processes and present feed additives used as growth promoters that may modulate IAP expression and activity to promote gut health in piglets.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.65-69
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• 2011

In this study, we investigated whether ambroxol significantly affects secretion, production and gene expression of mucin from cultured airway epithelial cells. Confluent primary rat tracheal surface epithelial (RTSE) cells were pretreated with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for 5 min and then treated for 30 min with ambroxol to assess the effect on mucin secretion using ELISA. Additionally, confluent NCI-H292 cells were pretreated with ambroxol for 30 min and then stimulated with EGF or PMA for 24 h. The MUC5AC mucin gene expression and mucin protein production were measured by RT-PCR and ELISA. The results were as follows: (1) ambroxol did not significantly affect ATP-induced mucin secretion from cultured RTSE cells; (2) ambroxol inhibited the production of MUC5AC mucin protein induced by EGF and PMA in NCI-H292 cells; (3) ambroxol also inhibited the expression of MUC5AC mucin gene induced by EGF and PMA in NCI-H292 cells. This result suggests that ambroxol can inhibit the production and gene expression of MUC5AC mucin, by directly acting on human airway epithelial cells.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.77-88
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• 2015

Soil column experiments were evaluated effects of silver nanoparticles (i.e., 0, 2.5, 5, and 10 mg/L) on the microbial viability which is strongly associated with the degradation of organic matter, pharmaceutically active compounds(PhACs) and biological oxidation of nitrogenous compounds during river bank filtration. The addition of silver nanoparticles resulted in almost no change in the aqueous matrix. However, the intact cell concentration decreased with addition of silver nanoparticles from 2.5 to 10 mg/L, which accounted for 76% to 82% reduction compared to that of control (silver nanoparticles free surface water). The decrease in adenosine triphosphate was more pronounced; thus, the number and active cells in aqueous phase were concurrently decreased with added silver nanoparticles. Based on the florescence excitation-emission matrix and liquid chromatograph - organic carbon detection analyses, it shows that the removal of protein-like substances was relatively higher than that of humic-like substances, and polysaccharide was substantially reduced. But the extent of those substances removed during soil passage was decreased with the increasing concentration of silver nanoparticles. The attenuation of ionic PhACs ranged from 55% to 80%, depending on the concentration of silver nanoparticles. The attenuation of neutral PhACs ranged between 72% and 77%, which was relatively lower than that observed for the ionic PhACs. The microbial viability was affected by silver nanoparticles, which also resulted in inhibition of nitrifiers.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.131-137
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• 1994

Drug delivery system by the use of red blood cells was established to sustain the release of drugs in the circulatory system by the intravenous injection. The entrapment method by the preswelling technique was re-examined and evaluated for searching the new entrapping conditions without hemolysis. The addition of 4 volume of $0.6{\times}\;hank's$ balanced salt solution (HBSS) into 1 volume of 50% red blood cells suspension did not induce the hemolysis and change the hematocrit level in this experimental condition (within 15 min). Most of daunorubicin could be entrapped into red blood cells within 15 min. While the intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) level followed by the entrapment was reduced to 86% of normal ATP level, the membrane fluidity and the shape factor of red blood cells were not altered. The release rate of daunorubicin from red blood cells was affected by the hemolysis under this condition. To maintain the intracellular ATP in red blood cells, the new reaction buffer was made With the addition of ATP and sodium pyruvate during the entrapment procedure because the hemolysis during the release test would reflect the loss of intracellular ATP that might result in the decrease of the viability in vivo. The addition of ATP raised the intracellular ATP level, which protect the hemolysis during the release test.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.87-100
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• 1997

To investigate the effects of mercuric chloride $(HgCl_2)$ on the differentiation of the cerebral neuron of chick embryo 10 days, the ultrastructural changes in nerve cells injected with a various doses of mercuric chloride were observed with transmission electron microscope. The enzyme activity of the some dehydrogenases, cerebral proteins and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) were also analyzed. The results obtained are as follows; The ultrastructural changes in 1.0 mg-injected group, the nuclear membranes were irregular, outer of mitochondria membrances dispressioned, their cristae were destroyed. In 2.0 mg-injected group, the nuclear envelops were destroyed and divided, were not observed organelle except of few ribosome, the RER and mitochondria. The number of polypeptide bands were separated by SDS-PAGE in the normal group were 38 bands. According to the in creased dose of mercuric chloride, contends of the bands were increased in 4 bands, but were decreased in 1 band. The activities of dehydrogenases were declined by increasing the dose of mercuric chloride. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity fatted to 61% in 2.0 mg-injected group. Malate dehydrogenase (MDH) activity fatted to 90% in 1.0 mg-injected group, greatly to 76% in 2.0 mg-injected group. Succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity decreased to 79% in 1.0 mg-injected group and greatly to 62% in 2.0 mg-injected group. ATP content in 1.0 mg-injected group was almost near to the normal level, but it was increased greatly in 2.0 mg-injected group.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.233-238
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• 2020

PURPOSE. This study aims to compare the marginal fitness of two types of implant-supported fixed dental prosthesis, i.e., cementless fixation (CL.F) system and cement-retained type. MATERIALS AND METHODS. In each group, ten specimens were assessed. Each specimen comprised implant lab analog, titanium abutment fabricated with a 2-degree tapered axial wall, and zirconia crown. The crown of the CL.F system was retained by frictional force between abutment and relined composite resin. In the cement-retained type, zinc oxide eugenol cement was used to set crown and abutment. All specimens were sterilized with ethylene oxide, immersed in Prevotella intermedia culture in a 50 mL tube, and incubated with rotation. After 48 h, the specimens were washed thoroughly before separating the crown and abutment. The bacteria that penetrated into the crown-abutment interface were collected by washing with 500 µL of sterile saline. The bacterial cell number was quantified using the agar plate count technique. The BacTiter-Glo Microbial Cell Viability Assay Kit was used to measure bacterial adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-bioluminescence, which reflects the bacterial viability. The t-test was performed, and the significance level was set at 5%. RESULTS. The number of penetrating bacterial cells assessed by colony-forming units was approximately 33% lower in the CL.F system than in the cement-retained type (P<.05). ATP-bioluminescence was approximately 41% lower in the CL.F system than in the cement-retained type (P<.05). CONCLUSION. The CL.F system is more resistant to bacterial penetration into the abutment-crown interface than the cement-retained type, thereby indicating a precise marginal fit.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2018

Objective: Placental oxidative stress is known to be a factor that contributes to pregnancy failure. The aim of this study was to determine whether selenium could induce antioxidant gene expression and regulate invasive activity and mitochondrial activity in trophoblasts, which are a major cell type of the placenta. Methods: To understand the effects of selenium on trophoblast cells exposed to hypoxia, the viability and invasive activity of trophoblasts were analyzed. The expression of antioxidant enzymes was assessed by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. In addition, the effects of selenium treatment on mitochondrial activity were evaluated in terms of adenosine triphosphate production, mitochondrial membrane potential, and reactive oxygen species levels. Results: Selenium showed positive effects on the viability and migration activity of trophoblast cells when exposed to hypoxia. Interestingly, the increased heme oxygenase 1 expression under hypoxic conditions was decreased by selenium treatment, whereas superoxide dismutase expression was increased in trophoblast cells by selenium treatment for 72 hours, regardless of hypoxia. Selenium-treated trophoblast cells showed increased mitochondrial membrane potential and decreased reactive oxygen species levels under hypoxic conditions for 72 hours. Conclusion: These results will be used as basic data for understanding the mechanism of how trophoblast cells respond to oxidative stress and how selenium promotes the upregulation of related genes and improves the survival rate and invasive ability of trophoblasts through regulating mitochondrial activity. These results suggest that selenium may be used in reproductive medicine for purposes including infertility treatment.