• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.97-103
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• 2021

Perilla frutescens (P. frutescens) is an important herb used for many purposes such as medicinal, aromatic, and functional food in Asian countries and has beneficial effects such as antioxidant activity, anti-inflammation activity, anti-depression activity, and anxiolytic activity. However, there have been no studies on the protective effect of P. frutescens extract (PFE) on amnesia in vivo. The present study aimed to investigate whether PFE protects memory deficit using a scopolamine-induced mice model and elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved. The protective effect of PFE against scopolamine-induced memory deficits was investigated using Y-maze, passive avoidance, and Morris water maze tests. Furthermore, the potential mechanisms of PFE in improving memory capabilities related to the cholinergic system and antioxidant activity were examined. PFE significantly increased spontaneous alternation in the Y-maze test, step-through latency in the passive avoidance test, and swimming time in the target quadrant in the probe test when compared to the scopolamine-treated group. Likewise, PFE significantly decreased escapes latency in the Morris water maze test. PFE could not regulate cholinergic function in acetylcholine level and acetylcholine esterase activity. However, PFE increased DPPH radical scavenging activity dose-dependently and total polyphenol content was 127.7±1.2 ㎍ GAE/mg. The results showed that the PFE could be a preventive and/or therapeutic candidate for memory and cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.65 no.1
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• pp.57-62
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• 2022

Excessive activation and aggregation of platelets is a major cause of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, inhibition of platelet activation and aggregation is considered an attractive therapeutic target in preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases. In particular, strong platelet activation and aggregation by collagen secreted from the vascular endothelium are characteristic of vascular diseases. Artesunate is a compound extracted from the plant roots of Artemisia or Scopolia species, and has been reported to be effective in anticancer and Alzheimer's disease fields. However, the effect and mechanism of artesunate on collagen-induced platelet activation and aggregation have not been elucidated. In this study, the effect of artesunate on collagen-induced human platelet aggregation was confirmed and the mechanism of action of artesunate was clarified. Artesunate inhibited the phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt and Mitogen-activated protein kinases, which are phosphoproteins that are known to act in the signal transduction process when platelets are activated. In addition, artesunate decreased TXA₂ production and decreased granule secretion in platelets such as ATP and serotonin release. As a result, artesunate strongly inhibited platelet aggregation induced by collagen, a strong aggregation inducer secreted from vascular endothelial cells, with an IC₅₀ of 106.41 µM. These results suggest that artesunate has value as an effective antithrombotic agent for inhibiting the activation and aggregation of human platelets through vascular injury.

• Design Convergence Study
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.143-164
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• 2014

In this study, we suggest a tablet-PC based application as an instrument for self-examination of dementia and aim to evaluate its usability for the practical use. The tool for the self-diagnosis of dementia is testing a person's sentence comprehension, which is investigated by the accuracy of a sentence-picture matching task, and the result of the test can differentiate individuals with dementia of Alzheimer's type from normal aging population. According to its use for diagnosis of dementia, we developed a new version of sentence-picture matching task by a cooperative study with NABLE(Neurogenic communication And Brain Lab at Ewha) and applied to the application as a main function. Targeting the New Silver who are preliminary aged people in Korea, this application can provide them with three values: 'self-', 'easy', and 'simple'. When using this application, users can gain these values by an instruction manual with the recorded guide voice, easy-to-use functions and the simplified menu structure of it. After prototyping, we conducted the usability test and it was proved as a result that the New Silver users can easily operate the application by themselves.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.175-184
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• 2022

The present study investigated the neuroprotective effects of Coreopsis lanceolate extract against hydrogen-peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced oxidative damage and cell death in pheochromocytoma 12 (PC12) cells. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbebzothiazoloine-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activities, as well as the expression levels of proteins associated with oxidative damage and cell death were investigated. According to the results, C. lanceolate extract exhibited inhibitory activity against intracellular ROS generation and cell-damaging effects induced by hydroxyl radicals in a dose-dependent manner. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were 22.3 mg·g^-1 gallic acid equivalent and 16.2 mg·g^-1 catechin equivalent, respectively. Additionally, a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay based on the internal standard method used to detect phenolic compounds. The phenolic compounds identified in C. lanceolata extract contained (+)-catechin hydrate (5.0 ± 0.0 mg·g^-1), ferulic acid (1.6 ± 0.0 mg·g^-1), chlorogenic acid (1.5 ± 0.0 mg·g^-1), caffeic acid (1.2 ± 0.0 mg·g-1), naringin (0.9 ± 0.0 mg·g^-1), and p-coumaric acid (0.5 ± 0.0 mg·g^-1). C. lanceolata extract attenuated pro-apoptotic Bax expression levels and enhanced the expression levels of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, caspase-3, and caspase-9 proteins. Therefore, C. lanceolata is a potential source of materials with neuroprotective properties against neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.250-257
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• 2023

Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter distributed in the central nervous system of mammals. However, high concentrations of glutamate are known to cause neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and stroke by causing nerve cell death. In this study, the antioxidant activity and neuroprotective effect of subtropical natural products were analyzed. Among 11 subtropical plant extracts mainly tested, Sallacca wallichiana extract (SE) showed the greatest free radical scavenging activity. Then, we confirmed through WST-1 assay that SE protected HT22 cells against glutamate-induced cell death in a concentration-dependent manner. The protective effects of SE against glutamate-induced apoptosis in HT22 cells were also confirmed by flow cytometry analysis using Annexin V/PI double staining. We also confirmed using H₂DCF-DA single staining that SE inhibits glutamate-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species. And we were confirmed through that SE inhibited glutamate-induced phosphorylation of Mitogen-activated Protein kinases. Consequently, our results propose that SE may contribute to the development of therapeutics to prevent neurodegenerative diseases.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.402-407
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• 2023

The regulation of platelet aggregation is crucial for maintaining normal hemostasis, but abnormal or excessive platelet aggregation can contribute to cardiovascular disorders such as stroke, atherosclerosis, and thrombosis. Therefore, identifying substances that can control or suppress platelet aggregation is a promising approach for the prevention and treatment of these conditions. Artemisinin, a compound derived from Artemisia or Scopolia plants, has shown potential in various areas such as anticancer and Alzheimer's disease research. However, the specific role and mechanisms by which artemisinin influences platelet activation and thrombus formation are not yet fully understood. This study investigated the effects of artemisinin on platelet activation and thrombus formation. As a result, cAMP production were increased significantly by artemisinin, as well as phosphorylated VASP and IP₃R which are substrates to cAMP-dependent kinase by artemisinin in a significant manner. The Ca²⁺ normally mobilized from the dense tubular system was inhibited due to IP₃R phosphorylation from artemisinin, and phosphorylated VASP by artemisinin aided in inhibiting platelet activity via αIIb/β3 platelet membrane inactivation and inhibiting fibrinogen binding. Finally, artemisinin inhibited thrombin-induced thrombus formation. Therefore, we suggest that artemisinin has importance with cardiovascular diseases stemming from the abnormal platelets activation and thrombus formation by acting as an effective prophylactic and therapeutic agent.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.335-340
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• 2024

In this paper, we synthesized organic and inorganic hybrid materials to introduce antibody functionality to UIO-66 and incorporated them into a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assay to enhance the sensitivity of detecting small molecules such as oxytocin. A biological marker peptide called oxytocin may help in the diagnosis of heart failure, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer. To detect oxytocin at concentrations as low as a few femtomole (fM), we developed a surface sandwich assay utilizing a pair of oxytocin-specific antibodies for enhancing selectivity and one of metal organic frameworks [e.g., UiO-66-(COOH)₂] possessing high porosity and surface-area as a signal amplifier. Initially, real-time SPR assays were used to confirm that each selected oxytocin-specific antibody binds strongly to oxytocin and to different binding sites on oxytocin. One of these antibodies (e.g., anti-OXT[OTI5G4]) was immobilized on the surface of a thin gold chip. Upon sequential injecting of oxytocin and the other antibody (e.g., anti-OXT[4G11]) conjugated to UiO-66-(COOH)₂ onto the surface to form the surface sandwich complex of anti-OXT[OTI5G4]/oxytocin/UiO-66-(COOH)₂-anti-OXT[4G11]), SPR changes, which varied with oxytocin concentration, were then measured in real time. The results demonstrated that sensitivity was amplified by over a million-fold compared to assays without UiO-66-(COOH)₂, enabling oxytocin detection down to approximately 10 fM.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2013

Objectives: Cognitive impairment in restless legs syndrome (RLS) patients can be affected by sleep deprivation, anxiety and depression, which are common in RLS. The objective of this study is to investigate relationship between cognitive impairment and RLS in the non-medicated Korean elderly with controlling for psychiatric conditions. Method: The study sample for this study comprised 25 non-medicated Korean elderly RLS patients and 50 age-, sex-, and education- matched controls. All subjects were evaluated with comprehensive cognitive function assessment tools- including the Korean version of Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Packet (CERAD-K), severe cognitive impairment rating scale (SCIRS), frontal assessment battery (FAB), and clock drawing test (CLOX). Sleep quality and depression were also assessed with Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and geriatric depression scale (GDS). Results: PSQI and GDS score showed no difference between RLS and control group. There was no significant difference between two groups in nearly all the cognitive function except in constructional recognition test, in which subjects with RLS showed lower performance than control group (t=-2.384, p=0.02). Subjects with depression ($GDS{\geq}10$) showed significant cognitive impairment compared to control in verbal fluency, Korean version of Mini Mental Status Examination in the CERAD-K (MMSE-KC), word list memory, trail making test, and frontal assessment battery (FAB). In contrast, no difference was observed between subjects who have low sleep quality (PSQI>5) and control group. Conclusions: At the exclusion of the impact of insomnia and depression, cognitive function was found to be relatively preserved in RLS patients compared to control. Impairment of visual recognition in RLS patients can be explained in terms of dopaminergic dysfunction in RLS.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.179-196
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• 2015

Because of our aging population, there is increasing concern about the impact of dementia and age-related cognitive decline. Intense research efforts on effective dietary interventions for the prevention or amelioration of dementia and age-related cognitive decline have indicated that dairy products affect physiological health and potentially healthy brain function during aging. Milk is a rich source of proteins and peptides with nutritional and immunotropic activities. The preparation of biologically active proteins and peptides generally requires enzymatic degradation, chemical modification, or the addition of specific co-factors. Milk-derived preparations are widely available in the food industry in the form of hygiene products and infant formulas. However, milk-derived products could also be applied as preventive or therapeutic measures for a wide-range of pathological conditions not only in neonates and infants but also in adults, including the elderly. Because they have no adverse side effects, milk-derived proteins and peptides could be used as a supplementary treatment for dementia and age-related cognitive decline.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.17-38
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• 1999

The effects of Sahyangsohapwon on the affective reactivity of rats were studied with open-field behavior. Sample group was treated with the medicine for 8 weeks, whereas control group was treated with the vehicle. The effects of Sahyangsohapwon on the enhancement of learning and memory of AD model rats were studied with two-way avoidance task. Sample group electrically lesioned on nbM(nucleus basalis of Meynert) was treated with the medicine for 8 weeks, whereas control group with nbM lesion and sham group with the sham operation were treated with the vehicle. 1. In the open-field behavior task, the start latency from start box was measured $27.08{\pm}7.51sec$ in control group, $23.15{\pm}5.98sec$ in sample group. Rats in sample group showed a tendency of shortened latency going out to a strange place compared with those in control group, but with no statistical significance(p>0.05). 2. In the open-field behavior task, the number of locomotion crossing the grid lines was measured $84.54{\pm}3.55$ in control group, $116.93{\pm}6.41$ in sample group. There was an increased locomotion in sample group compared with control group with statistical significance(p<0.01). This can be interpreted as rats in sample group showed lowerd anxiety under a strange environment. 3. In the open-field behavior task, the rearing number was measured $7.46{\pm}0.57$ in control group, $10.13{\pm}0.95$ in sample group. There was an increased rearing in sample group compared with control group with statistical significance(p<0.05). This can also be interpreted as rats in sample group showed lowerd anxiety under a strange environment. 4. In the open-field behavior task, the number of crossing behavior was measured $5.54{\pm}1.50$ in control group, $9.20{\pm}1.67$ in sample group. There was a increasing tendency of crossing behavior in sample group compared with control group, but with no statistical significance(p<0.05). 5. In the open-field behavior task, the total activity was measured $97.54{\pm}4.70$ in control group, $136.27{\pm}792$ in sample group. There was an increased total activity in sample group compared with control group with statistical significance(p<0.01). This can also be interpreted as rats in sample group showed lowerd anxiety under a strange environment. 6. In the analysis of effects on the learning and memory in AD model rats with two-way avoidance task, the response latency was measured $6717{\pm}134msec$ in the 1st session, $5416{\pm}160msec$ in the 2nd session, $5252{\pm}148msec$ in the 3rd session in control group. It was measured $6724{\pm}155msec$ in the 1st session, $4642{\pm}139msec$ in the 2nd session, $4914{\pm}148msec$ in the 3rd session in sample group and $4357{\pm}144msec$ in the 1st session, $3125{\pm}115msec$ in the 2nd session, $3091{\pm}98msec$ in the 3rd session in sham group. There were differences between sham group and nbM lesioned groups with statistical significance in post hoc analysis(p<0.000). And in the 2nd session, there was a reduction of latency in sample group compared with control group with statistical significance (p<0.000). This showed that sample group had better learning capacity than control group. 7. In the analysis of effects on the learning and memory in AD model rats with two-way avoidance task, the number of avoidance response was measured $5.85{\pm}1.41$ in the 1st session, $14.23{\pm}2.89$ in the 2nd session, $15.69{\pm}2.56$ in the 3rd session in control group. It was measured $7.92{\pm}1.94$ in the 1st session, $16.83{\pm}2.29$ in the 2nd session, $15.42{\pm}2.81$ in the 3rd session in sample group and $14.38{\pm}1.62$ in the 1st session, $22.88{\pm}0.89$ in the 2nd session, $23.88{\pm}1.64$ in the 3rd session in sham group. There were differences between sham group and nbM lesioned groups with statistical significance in post hoc analysis(p<0.001). But between control and sample group, there was no significant difference. With the experimental results above, Sahyangsohapwon can be supposed to have the enhancing effects on the affect reactivity and learning with memory of AD model rats induced by electrolyte injury of nbM.