• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1177-1182
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• 2004

The effect of poly[2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine] (pMPC) on the skin permeation property was investigated by performing in vitro skin permeation study of a model drug, nicotinic acid (NA). Effect of pMPC polymer in donor solution on skin permeation rates was evaluated using side-by-side diffusion cells. Also, the structural alterations in the stratum corneum (SC), inter-lamellar bilayer (ILB) and dermis layers in pMPC-treated and -untreated skin sections were investigated with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The permeation profile of NA without pMPC in donor solution showed biphasic mode: initial $1^{st} phase and 2^{nd}$ hydration phase. The sudden, more than 10-fold increase in flux from the initial steady state (43.5 $\mu g/cm^2$/hr) to the $2^{nd}$ hydration phase (457.3 $\mu g/cm^2$/hr) suggests the disruption of skin barrier function due to extensive hydration. The permeation profile of NA with 3% pMPC in the donor solution showed monophasic pattern: the steady state flux (10.9 $\mu g/cm^2$/hr) without abrupt increase of the flux. The degree of NA permeation rate decreased in a concentration-dependent manner of pMPC. TEM of skin equilibrated with water or 2% pMPC for 12 h showed that corneocytes are still cohesive and epidermis is tightly bound to dermis in 2% pMPC-treated skin, while wider separation between corneocytes and focal dilations in inter-cellular spaces were observed in water-treated skin. This result suggests that pMPC could protect the barrier property of the stratum corneum by preventing the disruption of ILB structure caused by extensive skin hydration during skin permeation study.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.884-892
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• 2001

Biodegradable wafers were prepared with poly (L-lactide-co-glycolide) (50 : 50 mole ratio of lactide to glycolide, molecular weight:5000 g/mole) by direct compression method for the sustained release of nifedipine to investigate the possibility of the treatment of hypertension. PLGA wafers were prepared by altering initial drug/polymer loading ratio, wafer thickness, and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) content. These wafers showed new zero-order release patterns for 11 days, and various biphasic release patterns could be obtained by altering the composition of wafers such as addition of matrix binder as HPMC to the PLGA wafer to reduce release rate of initial phase. The onset of polymer mass loss only occured after 4 days and about 40% of mass loss was observed after 11 days nifedipine release. This system had advantages in terms of simplicity in design and obviousness of drug release rate and may be useful as an implantable dosage form.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.334-342
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• 2001

Gentamicin sulfate (GS)-loaded poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)(PHBV) devices were prepared for controlled-release of antibiotics. In this study, the effects of thickness, hydroxyvalerate (HV) content, initial drug-loading ratio, and additive content on the release profile have been investigated. The morphology of devices was examined with scanning electron microscope (SEM) before and after in vitro release; their highly porous surface and cross-sectional were observed. It could be suggested that device would be affected by the packing of the HV and additive content, which would depend on their structure. A high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to detect and quantify the release of GS from the device. The drug release from all the devices showed biphasic release patterns, and some matrices released the incorporated antibiotic throughout 30 days with a near zero-order release rate. The release patterns were shown to be changed by altering the thickness, copolymer ratio, and additive content.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.229-244
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• 1991

A bioassay technique and organ bath study were performed to analyze the effects of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ and $Ca^{2+}$-antagonists on endothelium-derived relaxing factor[s][EDRF] released from the endothelial cells of rabbit aorta. Transverse strips with intact endothelium or damaged endothelium were used for the mechanical contraction experiment using organ bath. Long segment including thoracic and abdominal aorta with endothelium [EDRF donor aorta] was perfused with Tyrode solution which was aerated with 95% $O_2-5%$ $CO_2$ mixed gas and kept at 35oC. The perfusate was bioassayed with a transverse strip of thoracic aorta with damaged endothelium. The test strip was contracted with nor-epinephrine and acetylcholine was used to stimulate the release of EDRF from endothelial cells. The results obtained were as follows; 1] The endothelium-dependent relaxation[EDR] induced by acetylcholine was biphasic; an initial rapid relaxation followed by a slow relaxation. 2] EDR induced by acetylcholine was reduced gradually with the decrease in the concentration of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$. The effect of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ on EDR was more prominent in the late slow relaxation phase. 3] EDR to acetylcholine was not altered by acute exposure to organic $Ca^{2+}$-antagonists. Pretreatment with verapamil to the EDRF donor aortic segment did not alter the magnitude of EDR. 4] Among the inorganic $Ca^{2+}$-antagonists $Mn^{2+}$ and $Cd^{2+}$ did not inhibit EDR, whereas $Co^{2+}$ and $La^{3+}$ inhibited EDR. 5] The inhibitory response of $Co^{2+}$ to EDR developed when infused directly on the test strip. That of $La^{3+}$, however, was evoked when added to solution perfusing the donor aortic segment. The above results suggest that $Ca^{2+}$-antagonists do not affect EDR and the inhibitory effect of $Ca^{2+}$ results from influencing the action of EDRF on vascular smooth muscle, whereas that of $La^{3+}$ results from its action on the release of EDRF from endothelial cells.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.17-28
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• 1998

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of different stimulation-duration of high frequency electroacupuncturet(EA) treatment on the neuronal activities in the spinal cord and brainstem using Fos immunohistochemical technique. Three different stimulus-duration was used in this experiment : 30minutes, 1 hour and 2 hours. The summerized results were summerized as follow : 1. The number of Fos expression was significantly increased in the spinal cord dorsal horn depending upon the increase of stimulus-duration (P<0.05). Otherwise, there was no significant difference between 30 minutes EA treated group and anesthetic control. 2. High frequency EA biphasic stimulation significantly enhanced the Fos expression in the DR, middle and rostral portion of PAG LD, and caudal PAG LV after 1 hour and 2 hours treatment. The number of Fos immunoreactive neuron in the brainstem was increased accorcting to the length of stimulus-duration. Those results indicate that at least 1 hour EA treatment was necessary to increase the neuronal activities in the spinal cord and brainstem. Those basic data from this study can be applied to establish the effective treatment of EA for pain control in the clinical field.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.304-312
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• 1997

Acetolactate synthase(ALS) is the common enzyme in the biosynthetic of valine, leucine, and isoleucine, and is the target of several classes of structually unrelated herbicides, including sulfonylureas, imidazolinones, and triazolopyrimidines. In an effort to develop new and desirable herbicides, we have synthesized 4,6-dimethoxypyrimidine derivatives, and examined their inhibitory activities on pea ALS. The most active compound was found to be K11570 and $IC_{50}$ value for K11570 was 0.2 ${\mu}M.$ The inhibition of pea ALS by K11570 was biphasic, showing increased inhibition with incubation time. The K11570 showed mixed-type inhibition with respect to substrate pyruvate. Dual inhibition analysis of K11570 versus sufonylurea herbicide Ally and feedback inhibitor leucine revealed that three inhibitors were competitive for binding to ALS. The arginine modified enzyme showed decreased inhibition by K11570, sufonylurea Ally, and leucine, in constrast to, tryptophan modification did not affect on the sensitivity of ALS to the inhibitors.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.195-201
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• 2002

Background: IgE is closely related to the development of allergies. However, the poor relationship between the specific IgE level and the severity of allergic diseases suggests the possibility of functionally different IgE isoforms. With this in mind, rat basophilic leukemia (RBL)-2H3 activation was analyzed with each type of rat IgE for two parameters, exocytosis and IL-4 mRNA production. RBL-2H3 has been well documented in the rat mucosal mast cell line. Methods: RBL-2H3 cells sensitized with each kind of rat IgE was activated by cross-linking FcRI with B5 (monoclonal anti-rat IgE mouse IgG antibodies). The RBL-2H3 exocytosis was measured by analyzing the ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase level, and the level of IL-4 mRNA synthesis was analyzed using semiquantitative RT-PCR. Rat IgE, which was produced by a parasite infection (REP), was prepared using either Paragonimus westermani metacercariae (REP-PW) or Anisakis simplex third stage larvae (REP-AS). A rat IgE prototype of IR162 was prepared by a peritoneal injection of immunocytoma. Results: The level of exocytosis showed a linear relationship with the rat IgE concentration when REP-PW or REP-AS was applied. However, it exhibited a biphasic response with IR162. In addition, the time course of heating at $56^{\circ}C$ illustrated the similarity between REP-PW and REP-AS, which differed from that of IR162. In contrast, the level of IL-4 mRNA synthesis in the RBL-2H3 cells with IR162 was comparable to that of either REP-PW or REP-AS. Conclusion: These results suggest that functionally different rat IgE isoforms exists in RBL-2H3 exocytosis.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.245-250
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• 2006

The effects of aliphatic hydrocarbons (n-hexadecane and n-dodecane) on the volumetric oxygen mass transfer coefficient $(k_L\;a)$ were studied in flat alveolar airlift reactor and continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs). In the flat alveolar airlift reactor, high aeration rates (>2vvm) were required in order to obtain efficient organic-aqueous phase dispersion and reliable $k_La$ measurements. Addition of 1% (v/v) n-hexadecane or n-dodecane increased the $k_La$ 1.55- and 1.33-fold, respectively, compared to the control (superficial velocity: $25.8{\times}10^{-3}m/s$, sparger orifice diameter: 0.5 mm). Analysis of the gas-liquid interfacial area a and the liquid film mass transfer coefficient $k_L$ suggests that the observed $k_La$ increase was a function of the media's liquid film mass transfer. Addition of 1% (v/v) n-hexadecane or n-dodecane to analogous setups using CSTRs led to a $k_La$ increase by a factor of 1.68 and 1.36, respectively (superficial velocity: $2.1{\times}10^{-3}m/s$, stirring rate: 250 rpm). These results propose that low-concentration addition of oxygen-vectors to aerobic microbial cultures has additional benefit relative to incubation in purely aqueous media.

• BMB Reports
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.72-78
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• 1995

Time-dependent inactivation of E. coli GTP cyclohydrolase I with a 2',3'-dialdehyde derivative of GTP (oGTP) was directed to the active site of the enzyme, and was dependent on the concentration of oGTP. The kinetics of inactivation were biphasic with a rapid reaction occurring immediately upon exposure of the enzyme to oGTP followed by a slow rate of inactivation. The $K_i$ value of oGTP for the enzyme was 0.25 mM. Inactivation was prevented by preincubation of the enzyme with GTP, the substrate of the enzyme. At 100% inactivation, 2.3 mol of [8.5'-$^3H$]oGTP were bound per each enzyme subunit, which consists of two identical polypeptides. The active site residue which reacted with the affinity label was lysine. oGTP interacted selectively with the ${\varepsilon}$-amino group of lysine in the GTP-binding site to form a morpholine-like structure which was stable without sodium borohydride treatment. However, triphosphate group was eliminated during the hydrolysis step. To identify the active site of the enzyme, [8.5'-$^3H$]oGTP-labeled enzyme was cleaved by endoproteinase Lys-C, and the $^3H$-labeled peptide was purified by HPLC. The amino acid sequence of the active site peptide was Pro-Ser-Leu-Ser-Lys, which corresponds to the aminoterminal sequence of the enzyme.

• BMB Reports
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• v.45 no.12
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• pp.707-712
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• 2012

Human glutamate dehydrogenase isozymes (hGDH1 and hGDH2) have been known to be inhibited by palmitoyl-CoA with a high affinity. In this study, we have performed the cassette mutagenesis at six different Cys residues (Cys59, Cys93, Cys119, Cys201, Cys274, and Cys323) to identify palmitoyl-CoA binding sites within hGDH2. Four cysteine residues at positions of C59, C93, C201, or C274 may be involved, at least in part, in the inhibition of hGDH2 by palmitoyl-CoA. There was a biphasic relationship, depending on the levels of palmitoyl-CoA, between the binding of palmitoyl-CoA and the loss of enzyme activity during the inactivation process. The inhibition of hGDH2 by palmitoyl-CoA was not affected by the allosteric inhibitor GTP. Multiple mutagenesis studies on the hGDH2 are in progress to identify the amino acid residues fully responsible for the inhibition by palmitoyl-CoA.