• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.701-709
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• 2006

The Rhus verniciflua Stokes (乾漆-RVS) has been used in traditional East Asia medicine for the therapy of gastritis, stomach cancer, although the mechanism for the biological activity is unclear. In the present study aims to investigate RVS extract contributes to growth inhibitory effect and it's the molecular mechanism on the human gastric cancer cells. AGS (gastric cancer cells) and RIEI (normal cells) were treated to different concentrations and periods of RVS extract $(10{\;}{\sim{{\;}100{\;}ug/mil)$. Growth inhibitory effect was analyzed by measuring FACS study and MTS assay. Cell cycle inhibition was confirmed by measuring CDK2 kinase activity by immunoprecipitation and kinase assay. And apoptosis was confirmed by surveying caspase cascades activation using a pan caspase inhibitor Exposure to RVS extract (50 ug/mll) resulted in a synergistic inhibitory effect on cell growth in AGS cells. Growth inhibition was related with the inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis. The extract induces Gl -cell cycle arrest through the regulation of cyclins, the induction of p27kip1, and the decrease CDK2 kinase activity. And upregulated p27kip1 level is caused by protein stability increment by the reduction of S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (Skp2), a key molecule related with p27kip1 ubiquitination and degradation, and do novo protein synthesis. Besides, 乾漆 extract induces apoptosis through the expression of Bax, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and activation of caspase-3. RVS extract induces Gl -cell cycle arrest via accumulation of p27kip1 and apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells but not in normal cells, therefore we suggest that the extract can be used as a novel class of anti-cancer drugs.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.272-278
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• 2001

To investigate of C and N metabolisms in response to phosphorus-deficient stress during regrowth of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.), C and N metabolites were analyzed at 0, 6, 12 and 24 days after defoliation. P-sufficient (control, +P) and P-absent (-P) nutrient solutions were applied from 7 days before defoliation, and continued for one cycle of 24 day-regrowth period. During 24 days of regrowth, dry matter of regrowing shoots and remaining tissues were not significantly different between +P and -P treatment. In remaining stubble, 70% to 91 % decline of the initial level (at day 0) in all C compounds occurred during the first 6 days of regrowth. Initial amounts of nitrate and amino acids in roots were significantly higher in the +P medium. Nitrate contents in stubble in the +P medium significantly decreased for the first 12 days and then rapidly recovered, while that of the -P medium continuously decreased until day 24. Amino acids in stubble in the P medium were continuously increased during the whole regrowth period. Soluble proteins in stubble in the +P medium also largely fell down (46.0% of the initial) for only the first 6 days, however the decline in the -P medium continued until day 12. In regrowing shoots, the accumulation of C compounds was significantly higher, while that of N compounds except amino acids was largely lower in the -P medium. These results showed a stimulation of carbohydrate synthesis and a compensatory utilization of organic reserves occurred to support regrowth under P-deficient condition.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.427-433
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• 1999

The purpose of the study is to develop an improved pitch extraction method that can be used in a variety of speech applications such as high-puality compression and vocoding, and recognition and synthesis of speech. To do so, we develop a new electroglottograph (EGG) measurement system that is based on the four modulation-demodulation type spot electrodes for detecting the EGG signals. Then, the glottal closure instant(GCI) is determined from the EGG signals on a real-time basis. We can obtain the pitch contour using the information on the GCI. It turns out that the new pitch contour algorithm (PCA) operates more reliably as compared to the conventional speech-only-based algorithm. In addition, we study the speech source models and glottal vibratory patterns for Koreans by measuring and analyzing the diversified vibration patterns of the vocal from the EGG signals.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.323-329
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• 1999

Synthesis of inorganic nanophase particles was performed to verify and understand the binding of non-ferrous metal ions including Al and $UO_2$ to the apoferritin molecules. Reconstituted inorganic particles of Al or $UO_2$ were identified by TEM as discrete electron dense cores encapsulated within the protein shell. The corresponding EDXA spectra confirm the presence of metal ions in the reconstituted ferritin. The Al cores of ferritin has been studied by TEM for the first time. Bimetallic cores with Al/Fe and $UO_2/Al$ were also produced and examined under TEM. Mixed metal cores encapsulated in the protein shell are well formed and its corresponding EDXA spectra also confirm the presence of metal ions in the mineral cores. Therefore, the present study proves that ferritin can be used to synthesize inorganic nanophase particles of Al and $UO_2$.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.3304-3308
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• 2010

Condensation of 4-amino-5-mercapto-3-($\alpha$-naphthyl)-s-triazole (1) with cyanogen bromide gives 6-amino-3-($\alpha$-naphthyl)-s-triazolo[3,4-b]-1,3,4-thiadiazole (2) which on condensation with chloranil yields 3,9-di-($\alpha$-naphthyl)-6,14-dioxo-bis-(s-triazolo[3,4-b]-1,3,4-thiadiazolo[3,2-b]imidazo[4,5-b]cyclohexane]-5a,6a-diene) (3). 3-($\alpha$-naphthyl)-s-triazolo[3,4-b]-1,3,4-thiadiazolo[3,2-b]imidazo[4,5-b]quinoxaline (4) is obtained by a similar condensation of (2) with 2,3-dichloroquinoxaline. The reaction of (2) with $\alpha$-haloketones followed by bromination affords 7-aryl-3-($\alpha$-naphthyl)-imidazo[2,1-b]-1,3,4-thiadiazolo[2,3-c]-s-triazoles (5) and their 6-bromo analogues 6 respectively. The structures of all newly synthesized compounds were established on the basis of elemental analyses, IR, $^1H$-NMR. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of all newly synthesized compounds have also been evaluated.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.2309-2317
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• 2009

Depurination, the release of purine bases from nucleic acids by hydrolysis of the N-glycosidic bond, gives rise to alterations of the cell genome. Though cells have evolved mechanisms to repair these lesions, unrepaired apurinic sites have been shown to have two biological consequences: lethality and base substitution errors. 2-Bromopropane (2-BP) is used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, dyes, and other organics. In addition, 2-BP has been used as a replacement for chloroflurocarbons and 1,1,1-trichloroethane as a cleaning solvent in electronics industry. However, 2-BP was found to cause reproductive and hematopoietic disorders in local workers exposed to it. Owing to the toxicity of 2-BP, there has been a tendency to use 1-BP as an alternative cleaning solvent to 2-BP. However, 1-BP has also been reported to be neurotoxic in rats. Though $N^7$-guanine adduct of 2-BP has been reported previously, massive depurination of the nucleosides and calf thymus DNA was observed in this study. We incubated the nucleosides (ddG, dG, guanosine, ddA, dA and adenosine) with excess amount 2-BP at the physiological condition (pH 7.4, $37\;{^{\circ}C}$), which were analyzed by HPLC and LC-MS/MS. In addition, the time and dose response relationship of depurination in nucleosides induced by 2-bromopropane at the physiological condition was investigated. Similarly, incubation of calf-thymus DNA with the excess amount 2-BP at the physiological condition was also performed. In addition, the time and dose response relationship of depurination in calf-thymus DNA induced by 2-BP at the physiological condition was investigated. Those results suggest that the toxic effect of 2-BP could be both from the depurination of nucleosides and DNA adduct formation.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.74-79
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• 2016

Eruca sativa (known as rocket plant) is a member of the Brassicaceae, which is considered an important chemo-preventive plant family. Although Eruca sativa has positive biological effects such as antioxidant and renal protective activities, the effect of the Eruca sativa extract as a therapeutic agent for skin whitening has not been reported. In this study, we investigated the applicability of the extract of Eruca sativa as a functional materials by examining the its physiological activities. The Eruca sativa extract showed low cytotoxicity against murine melanoma B16F10 cells. At concentrations (below 100 mg/L) that showed none or little cytotoxicity, the Eruca sativa extract showed high DPPH radical scavenging activity (ID50, 17.60 mg/L). In addition, the Eruca sativa extract inhibited tyrosinase activity ($ID_{50}$, 132.54 mg/L) and decreased melanin content ($ID_{50}$, 158.90 mg/L). Finally, the treatment with the Eruca sativa extract suppressed the protein expression of tyrosinase in a concentration-dependent manner. These findings suggested that the Eruca sativa extract inhibited melanin synthesis by not only suppressing intracellular tyrosinase expression but also directly inhibiting tyrosinase activity. Therefore, these results indicate that the Eruca sativa extract may be an effective material for functional cosmetics such as skin whitening materials.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.116-122
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• 2000

The molecular modification of antiepileptic drugs and direct synthesis of new drugs with the predetermined antiepileptic properties are perspective. New neurochemical attacking to solve the problem including prevention and inhibition of seizures seems to be related to ginsenosides and ginseng polypeptides. The main study based on the severity of febrile convulsions of rat pups has been done from the earlier investigations of antiepileptical action of ginsenosides between KGTRI and MSU (Chepurnov, Park et al., 1995) with different kinds of experimental models of epilepsy. From the cultured cell line DAN25 of ginseng root, the extracts of ginsenosides made in "BIOKHIMMASH" were studied by the project of preclinical anticonvulsant screening (Stables, Kupferberg, 1997). The inhibition of severity of convulsions, decrease of seizures threshold, decrease of audiogenic seizures in rats of different strains and normalization of cerebral blood flow (measured by hydrogen test) were demonstrated in rats after i.c.v., intraperitoneally and orally administration, respectively. The antiepileptical effects by the combination of compounds from ginseng; were compared with the iuluence of Rg1, Rb1, Rc and with the well known antiepileptical drugs such as carbamazepine, valproic acid. The base for the research is obtained by using the WAG/Rij strain (Luijtelaar, Coenen, Kuznetcova), an excellent genetic model for human generalized absence epilepsy. The improving action of gensinosides was effectively demonstrated on the model of electrical kindling of amygdala of WAG/Rij rats with genetically determined absences, and the influences of ginsenosides on the slow wave discharges have also been being investigated. The different characteristics of a kindling process exerted in the sex-different region of the amygdala and demonstrated that the level of sex steroids and content of neurosteroids in amygdaloid tissue can modify the development of seizures. The chemical structures of ginsenosides not only have some principal differences from well-known antiepileptical drugs but the Plant Pharmacology gives us unique possibility to develop new class of antiepileptic drugs and to improve its biological activity.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.2900-2904
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• 2013

We present the synthesis and characterization of DTPA-bis(histidylamide) (1a), DTPA-bis(aspartamide) (1b), and their gadolinium complexes of the type $[Gd(L)(H_2O)]$ (2a:L = 1a; 2b:L = 1b). Thermodynamic stabilities and $R_1$ relaxivities of 2a-b compare well with Omniscan$^{(R)}$, a well-known commercial, extracellular (ECF) MRI CA which adopts the DTPA-bis(amide) framework for the chelate: $R_1$ = 5.5 and 5.1 $mM^{-1}$ for 2a and 2b, respectively. Addition of the Cu(II) ion to a solution containing 2b triggers relaxivity enhancement to raise $R_1$ as high as 15.3 $mM^{-1}$, which corresponds to a 300% enhancement. Such an increase levels off at the concentration beyond two equiv. of Cu(II), suggesting the formation of a trimetallic ($Gd/Cu_2$) complex in situ. Such a relaxivity increase is almost negligible with Zn(II) and other endogenous ions such as Na(I), K(I), Mg(II), and Ca(II). In vivo MR images and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) obtained with an aqueous mixture of 2b and Cu(II) ion in an 1:2 ratio demonstrate the potentiality of 2 as a copper responsive MRI CA.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.641-646
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• 1997

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA; 1-acyl-glycerol-3-phosphate) has been known as an intercellular phospholipid messenger with a wide range of biological activities. In this study, the effect of LPA on both the proliferation and differentiation of rat E63 myoblasts has been investigated. In the serum-free Insulin-Transferrin-Selenium (ITS) media, the proliferation of E63 cells was largely restricted. Addition of LPA into the ITS media strongly promoted the cell proliferation and resulted in two to four fold increase of cell number. Furthermore, it appeared to increase the percent fusion in a dose-dependent manner up to 15 ug/ml. The synthesis of myosin heavy chain (MHC) was increased by LPA as well. These results indicate that LPA is able to promote both cell proliferation and differentiation in rat E63 myoblasts. Suramin, known to have uncoupling activity on growth factor-receptor interaction, was tested for antagonistic activity in myoblast proliferation and differentiation. Myoblasts grown in the ITS medium containing LPA were able to proliferate well even in the presence high concentration of suramin whereas myoblast differentiation was completely blocked by 30 ug/ml of suramin. The inhibitory effect of suramin on the myoblast differentiation was completely reversible by removing the suramin. This result indicates that the intracellular signaling pathway of LPA leading to cell proliferation might be distinct from that leading to cell differentiation on E63 myoblasts. Also, the antagonistic effect of suramin suggests that the differentiation activity elicited by LPA might be mediated by a specific G protein-coupled receptor.