• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.197-202
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• 2006

Devices in current market to perform electrical stimulation therapy of the urinary incontinence frequent in aging women are very much impractical to us ε due to the wired configuration. The present study implemented new wireless device to enhance self as well as in-hospital therapy with the easiest and the most convenient application. The therapy system consisted of two modules, called 'master' and 'slave', communicating with each other by the wireless Bluetooth protocol. The patient controls therapy processes on the master module in hand, transmitting the required informations to operate the slave module placed within her pants with the viginal electrode connected, delivering appropriate electrical stimulation. Wireless communication enabled self therapy with clothes on, leading to a great convenience for the patient. The stimulation output signal was comparable to commercialized products in both waveform and stimulation capacity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.475-482
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• 2021

Prodigiosins, which are natural tripyrrole red pigments and synthetic derivatives, reportedly have multiple biological effects mainly on various types of cancer cells. However, the effects of bacterial prodigiosin on non-cancerous HaCaT human skin keratinocytes have not been reported. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the functional activities of prodigiosin derived from cultures of the bacterium Hahella chejuensis in HaCaT cells. Cell viability, the cell proliferation rate, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in vitro were assayed following treatment of HaCaT cells with prodigiosin. Prodigiosin did not cause cytotoxicity and notably increased proliferation of HaCaT cells. Furthermore, prodigiosin reduced ultraviolet (UV) irradiation-induced ROS production and the inflammatory response in HaCaT cells. More importantly, prodigiosin reduced matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression and increased collagen synthesis in UV-irradiated HaCaT cells, demonstrating that it elicits anti-aging effects. In conclusion, our results reveal that H. chejuensis-derived prodigiosin is a potential natural product to develop functional cosmetic ingredients.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.215-224
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• 2020

The vinegar can be used not only as functional foods but as the new high-quality materials. Lifestyles have changed a lot because of single-person households, women's economic activities, the aging society, the diversification of mass media, and the traveling abroad. Lifestyle diseases have increased with the life extension. The preference for the fermented vinegar, which is safer and healthier than the synthetic vinegar, has increased since the 1990s. The market of the functional fermented vinegars rapidly grew as researches and product developments on biological activities. In particular, the fermented vinegar, which can be enhanced in functionality depending on the characteristic of materials, is useful not only in the food industry but in various industries such as medical, defense, and construction. For the steady growth of the vinegar industry in the future, it is necessary to research and develop the function of the vinegar that can be utilized in various industries.

• BMB Reports
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.329-334
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• 2021

Collagen type I is the most abundant form of collagen in human tissues, and is composed of two identical α-1 type I chains and an α-2 type I chain organized in a triple helical structure. A previous study has shown that human collagen α-2 type I (hCOL1A2) promotes collagen synthesis, wound healing, and elastin production in normal human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). However, the biological effects of human collagen α-1 type I (hCOL1A1) on various skin properties have not been investigated. Here, we isolate and identify the hCOL1A1-collagen effective domain (CED) which promotes collagen type I synthesis. Recombinant hCOL1A1-CED effectively induces cell proliferation and collagen biosynthesis in HDFs, as well as increased cell migration and elastin production. Based on these results, hCOL1A1-CED may be explored further for its potential use as a preventative agent against skin aging.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.211-217
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• 2021

The treatments of nervous system diseases (NSDs) have long been difficult issues for researchers because of their complexity of pathogenesis. With the advent of aging society, searching for effective treatments of NSDs has become a hot topic. Ginseng polysaccharides (GP), as the main biologically active substance in ginseng, has various biological properties in immune-regulation, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammation and etc. Considering the association between the effects of GP and the pathogenesis of neurological disorders, many related experiments have been conducted in recent years. In this paper, we reviewed previous studies about the effects and mechanisms of GP on diseases related to nervous system. We found GP play an ameliorative role on NSDs through the regulation of immune system, inflammatory response, oxidative damage and signaling pathway. Structure-activity relationship was also discussed and summarized. In addition, we provided new insights into GP as promising neuroprotective agent for its further development and utilization.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.42-49
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• 2023

The plant-specific NAC transcription factors control various biological processes, including plant development and stress responses. We have isolated an ANAC032 gene, one of the NAC transcription factor family, which was highly activated by multi-abiotic stresses, including high salt and drought in Arabidopsis. Here, we generated transgenic plants constitutively expressing ANAC032 and its knockout to identify the functional roles of ANAC032 in Arabidopsis under abiotic stress responses. The ANAC032-overexpressing plants showed enhanced tolerance to salinity and drought stresses. The anac032 knockout mutants were observed no significant changes under the high salt and drought conditions. We also monitored the expression of high salt and drought stress-responsive genes in the ANAC032 transgenic plants and anac032 mutant. The ANAC032 overexpression upregulated the expression of stress-responsive genes, RD29A and ERD10, under the stresses. Thus, our data identify that transcription factor ANAC032 plays as an enhancer for salinity and drought tolerance through the upregulation of stress-responsive genes and provides useful genetic traits for generating multi-abiotic stress-tolerant forage crops.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.870-882
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Obesity is a major risk factor for metabolic syndrome, a global public health problem. Mentha canadensis (MA), a traditional phytomedicine and dietary herb used for centuries, was the focus of this study to investigate its effects on obesity. MATERIALS/METHODS: Thirty-five male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 2 groups and fed either a normal diet (ND, n = 10) or a high-fat diet (HFD, n = 25) for 4 weeks to induce obesity. After the obesity induction period, the HFD-fed mice were randomly separated into 2 groups: one group continued to be fed HFD (n = 15, HFD group), while the other group was fed HFD with 1.5% (w/w) MA ethanol extract (n = 10, MA group) for 13 weeks. RESULTS: The results showed that body and white adipose tissue (WAT) weights were significantly decreased in the MA-supplemented group compared to the HFD group. Additionally, MA supplementation enhanced energy expenditure, leading to improvements in plasma lipids, cytokines, hepatic steatosis, and fecal lipids. Furthermore, MA supplementation regulated lipid-metabolism-related enzyme activity and gene expression, thereby suppressing lipid accumulation in the WAT and liver. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that MA has the potential to improve diet-induced obesity and its associated complications, including adiposity, dyslipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and inflammation.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.607-619
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• 2024

Probiotics are functional microorganisms that exhibit various biological activities, such as allergic reactions, inflammation, and aging. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of Bifidobacterium lactis CBT BL3 (BL) on the amyloid beta (Aβ)-mediated cognitive impairments. Oral administration of live BL to intracerebroventricularly Aβ-injected mice significantly attenuated short- and long-term memory loss estimated using the Y-maze and Morris water maze tests. We found that expression of apoptosisrelated proteins such as caspase-9, caspase-3, and cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase was significantly elevated in the brain tissues of Aβ-injected mouse brains when compared to that of the control mouse group. Interestingly, these expression levels were significantly decreased in the brain tissue of mice fed BL for 6 wk. In addition, the abnormal over-phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) such as ERK1/2, p38 MAPK, and JNK in the brain tissue of intracerebroventricularly Aβ-injected mice was significantly attenuated by oral administration of BL. Taken together, the results indicate that Aβ-induced cognitive impairment may be ameliorated by the oral administration of BL by controlling the activation of MAPKs/apoptosis in the brain. This study strongly suggests that BL can be developed as a functional probiotic to attenuate Aβ-mediated cognitive deficits.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.30-35
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• 2008

In order to investigate whether or not CCD-986sk cell line can be affected by Korean Ecklonia stolonifera Okamura, we examined the MTT assay when we treated Korean Ecklonia stolonifera Okamura extract in CCD-986sk human fibroblast cell line. The sample were tested for cell proliferation activity by means of a modification of the MTT assay. Ecklonia stolonifera Okamura extract showed significantly strong cell proliferation activity at the range of from 6.25 mg $mL^{-1}$ to 1.56 mg $mL^{-1}$ compared with control group. And in order to search for inhibition agents of skin melanin formation, we tested for inhibition effect of melanin pigmentation of Korean Ecklonia stolonifera Okamura using Clone M-3 mouse melanocyte cell lines. when we treated the extracts of Ecklonia stolonifera Okamura to the mouse melanocyte cell lines, the sample showed a significantly little formation of melanin pigments compared with control group at the only range of 200 mg $mL^{-1}$. These results suggest that extract of Korean Ecklonia stolonifera Okamura may represents an excellent candidate for inhibition of melanin pigmentation and for protection of human skin aging at in vitro level.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.171-180
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• 1970

The yeasts in the soy sauce mash were isolated and identified, and they were classified by coloring with the treatment of TTC(2, 3, 5, triphenyltetrazolium chloride) agar and counted in process of time. The results obtained were as follows: a) The number of ordinary and osmophilic yeasts in 1 ml. of the soy sauce mash showed a tendency to be increased from the mashing to the mature stages and to decrease in the aging stages: $127{\times}10^3$ immediately after mashing, $83{\times}10^3$ 1 month after, $356{\times}10^3$ 3 months after, $1250{\times}10^3$ 6 months after and $65{\times}10^3$ 2 years after mashing in the case of ordinary yeasts, and 0 after mashing, $40{\times}10^3$ 1 month after, $81{\times}10^3$ 3 months after, $358{\times}10^3$ 6 month after and $23{\times}10^3$ 2 years after mashing in the case of osmophilic yeasts. b) 50 strains of yeasts were isolated from the soy sauce mash optionally in process of fermentation period, and they were identified as 7 genera and 18 species: 10 strains of Saccharomyces rouxii, 1 strain of Saccharomyces marxianus, 3 strains of Saccharomyces rosei, 1 strain of Saccharomyces fermentati, 6 strains of Saccharomyces mellis, 1 strain of Saccharomyces acidifaciens, 1 strain of Saccharomyces pastori, 3 strains of Pichia polymorpha, 2 strains of Hansenula anomala, 1 strain of Hansenula saturnus, 2 strains of Hansenula suaveolens, 5 strains of Nadsonia fulvescens, 8 strains of Debaryomyces hasenii, 1 strain of Debaryomyces nicotianae, 1 strain of Debaryomyces kloeckeri, 2 strains of Torulopsis sake, 1 strain of Torulopsis holmii and 1 strain of Candida pelliculasa. c) Distribution of yeasts according to the fermentation period was as follows: i) Saccharomyces rouxii, Saccharomyces marxianus, Saccharoymces rosei, Pichia polymorpha, Debaryomyces hansenii, Torulopsis sake, Candida pelliculosa, Debaryomyces nicotianae, Nadsonia fulvescens, Hansenula suaveolens and Hansenula saturnus were found in the early stages of fermentation. ii) Saccharomyces rouxii, Saccharomyces rosei, Saccharomyces fermentati, Saccharomyces mellis, Saccharomyces pastori, Hansenula anomala, Saccharomyces acidifaciens and Debaryomyces hansenii appeared in the mature stages. iii) Saccharomyces rouxii, Saccharomyces mellis, Nadsonia fulvescenes, Dedaryomyces hansenii, Debaryomyces kloeckeri, Torulopsis sake and Torulopsis holmii were distributed in the aging stages. d) TTC white yeasts were found in abundance in the early stages of fermentation and TTC red yeasts appeared more than 50 per cent in the mature and aging stages. e) The yeasts belonging to Saccharomyces mellis and Saccharomyces pastori were classified as TTC red yeasts, Saccharomyces acidifaciens were reel pink, Hansenula saturnus Debaryomyces kloeckeri, and Torulopsis holmii were pink, Saccharomyces marxianus and Nadsonia fulvescens were white and the others were the same as the description in the previous report. Saccharomyces rouxii ware classified for the most part as TTC red yeasts, and while some of them were red pink. f) Species of yeasts in the soy sauce mash were similar to those in the soy sauce koji, but the latter were not osmophilic and in the former case, the osmophilic yeasts were increased in process of fermentation period.