• Development and Reproduction
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.259-267
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• 2017

Present study aimed to determine the effect of 'bitter melon', a popularly used fruit in Bangladesh and several other Asian countries, on high-fat-diet-induced type 2 diabetes. To investigate the effect, ethanol extract from bitter melon (BME) as a dietary supplement with mouse chow was used. BME was found to significantly attenuate the high-fat diet (HFD) -induced body weight and total fat mass. BME also effectively reduced the insulin resistance induced by the HFD. Furthermore, dietary supplementation of BME was highly effective in increasing insulin sensitivity and reducing hepatic fat and obesity. These results indicate that BME could be effective in attenuating type 2 diabetes and could therefore be a preventive measure against type 2 diabetes.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.57-62
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• 2012

The nasal cavity encounters various irritants during inhalation such as dust and pathogens. To detect and remove these irritants, it has been postulated that the nasal mucosa epithelium has a specialized sensing system. The oral cavity, on the other hand, is known to have bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) that can detect harmful substances to prevent ingestion. Recently, solitary chemosensory cells expressing T2R subtypes have been found in the respiratory epithelium of rodents. In addition, T2Rs have been identified in the human airway epithelia. However, it is not clear which T2Rs are expressed in the human nasal mucosa epithelium and whether they mediate the removal of foreign materials through increased cilia movement. In our current study, we show that human T2R receptors indeed function also in the nasal mucosa epithelium. Our RT-PCR data indicate that the T2R subtypes (T2R3, T2R4, T2R5, T2R10, T2R13, T2R14, T2R39, T2R43, T2R44, T2R 45, T2R46, T2R47, T2R48, T2R49, and T2R50) are expressed in human nasal mucosa. Furthermore, we have found that T2R receptor activators such as bitter chemicals augments the ciliary beating frequency. Our results thus demonstrate that T2Rs are likely to function in the cleanup of inhaled dust and pathogens by increasing ciliary movement. This would suggest that T2Rs are feasible molecular targets for the development of novel treatment strategies for nasal infection and inflammation.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.408-415
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• 2018

This study aimed to investigate the changes in the ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content of bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) cultivated from different regions, with different harvest times and at various maturation stages. Methods for observing the changes in GABA content were validated by determining the specificity, linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), and precision and accuracy using the HPLC-FLD system. Results showed high linearity in the calibration curve with a coefficient of correlation ($R^2$) of 0.9999. The LOD and LOQ values for GABA were 0.29 and $0.87{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. The relative standard deviations for intra- and inter-day precision of GABA were less than 5%. The recovery rate of GABA was in the range of 98.77% to 100.50%. The average content of GABA was 0.93 mg/g and Cheongju showed highest GABA content of 1.88 mg/g. As the time of harvest increased from May to September, the GABA content decreased from 1.56 to 0.86 mg/g. Also, maturation of the bitter melon fruit was associated with a decreased in GABA content.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.5-11
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• 2018

Recent findings indicate that Type 2 taste receptors (T2Rs) are expressed outside the gustatory system, including in the gastrointestinal tracts and the exocrine glands, such as the submandibular (SM), parotid (P), lacrimal (L) glands and pancreas (PC). Specifically, T2Rs are found in some of the gastrointestinal endocrine cells, and these cells secreted peptide hormones in response to stimulation by bitter-tasting compounds. The results show that T2Rs may have significant physiological roles besides bitter taste reception. The functions of the T2Rs in the exocrine glands remain poorly understood. An expression levels analysis of T2Rs will help to determine those functions in the exocrine glands. The expression levels of the T2Rs in the exocrine glands were discovered via the qPCR. C57BL/6J mice of 42~60-day-old were used. Messenger RNAs were extracted from S, P, L and PC. Cloned DNAs were synthesized by reverse transcription. Quantitative PCRs were performed using the SYBR Green method. The expression levels of the T2Rs were calculated as relative expression levels to that of the GAPDH. The statistical significance among the observed exocrine glands was tested using the variance analysis (ANOVA test). Tas2r108, out of murine 35 T2Rs, was the most highly expressed in every observed exocrine gland. This finding was similar to previous results from tongue papillae, but the expression levels were lower than those of the tongue papillae. Tas2r137 of SM, P, L and PC were expressed a little lower than that of tongue papillae. The T2Rs in the exocrine glands may play slightly different roles from those in the tongue. We suggest that physiological studies such as a patch clamp and functional $Ca^{2+}$ imaging of acinar cells are necessary for understanding the Tas2r108 functions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.74-81
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• 1995

In the proximate composition of the yams of home product, wild yam was most abundant in crude lipid and crude protein, and those content in the cultivated yams, cultivated long yam and cultivated short yam were similar. Cultivated long yam is the richest in crude ash. African yam had more crude lipid and crude protein compare to those of home product yams. Especially, the amount of crude lipid in African yam was four-fold of home product yams. In the mineral content, Ca was the richest mineral in four kinds of yam. The rest of mineral were in order of Fe, Mn and Zn. Among the home product yams, the Ca content of wild yam was higher than that of cultivated yam. The contents of Fe, Mn and Zn were also high in wild yam compared to cultivated yam. In the composition of free sugars, the sucrose content is the highest in wild yam, cultivated short yam and African yam. in order The fructose content was the most abundant in cultivated long yam and the next was sucrose. The composition of free fatty acids were in order of lactobacillic acid, palmitic acid and palmitoleic acid. Crude saponin contents of the home products were almost similar levle, but crude saponin of wild yam was more abundant than that of cultivated yam. And crude saponin of African yam was much more abundant compared that of other home product yams. there is not much difference in the kinds of saponin from the home product yams. However, the amount of each saponin from the home product yams was different. In case of African yam, 'b' saponin did not appear and 'e' saponin was higher compared with home product yams. In African yam, the bitter taste from ethyl acetate layer was the strongest, and the next was n-butanol layer. It is possible that there was a powerful UV absorption material in the bitter taste of ethyl acetate layer and also supposed that there were saponin and phenol is material.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.129-138
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• 2019

In many cases, obesity is associated with metabolic disorders. Recently, natural compounds that may be beneficial for improving obesity have received increasing attention. Bitter melon has received attention as a diabetes treatment. $NAD^+$-dependent deacetylase (Sirtuin 1, SIRT1) has emerged as a novel therapeutic target for metabolic diseases. In this study, ethanol extract of bitter melon (BME) suppressed adipocyte differentiation and significantly increased the expression of SIRT1 in fully differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. Moreover, it enhanced the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). In high-fat diet (HFD)-fed induced-obesity mice, BME suppressed HFD-induced increases in body weight and white adipose tissue (WAT) weight. BME also increased the expression of SIRT1 and suppressed peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor and sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 expressions of WAT from HFD-fed mice. These findings suggest that BME prevents obesity by activating the SIRT1 and AMPK pathway and that it may be a useful dietary supplement for preventing obesity.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.439-446
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• 2008

A fungicidal spray program for effective control of three major apple diseases in Korea (white rot, bitter rot, and Marssonina blotch) was developed. This was based on our previous studies showing that application of ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitors (EBIs) in early or mid-August can eradicate white rot infection in fruit and that some protective fungicides show after-infection activity against white rot. The basic spray program focused on control of white rot, the main target disease, and the fungicides were sprayed at 15-day intervals from petal fall to late August using fungicides that show after-infection and EBI activity. The basic spray program was modified over 4 successive years to improve control efficacy against bitter rot and Marssonina blotch, which sometimes cause as much damage as white rot. Modifications to the regime were made every year by replacing one fungicide in the basic program at a specific spraying time. Substitution of only one fungicide in the spray program, even early in the growing season, greatly influenced the final disease incidence at harvest. Applying this principle, a moderately efficient spray program for cv. Fuji that increased the spray interval from 10 to 15 days and thus reduced the number of sprays required per crop season was developed.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.2-4
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• 1948

Syringa oblata var dilatata (Nakai) Rehder is a oleaceous, deciduous shrub indigenous in the calcareous zones of Korea. The author researched the constituents of the leaves of the plant, especially the bitter principles which may be used as amara. According to the literature a bitter principle Syringin and Mannitol were isolated from the leaves of S. vulgaris L. And later on B. Power indicated that syringin and mannitol were widely distributed in oleaceous plants. The fresh leaves of the plant wer extracted with hot water, the filtered clear liquid was mixed with solution of lead acetate. The lead precipitate was filtered off and the filtered liquid was freed from lead by H$_{4}$S. The filtrate thus obtained was evaporated, and from the residue colorless needles, M. P. 166.deg., were obtained. It was soluble in water, in hot alcohol, and insoluble in ether and had a sweet taste. The results of the elementar analysis, M. P. and other characteristics agreed with that of d-mannitol. Finally it was proved to be identical with d-mannitol through conversion of it into Hexaacetyl mannitol, M. P. 124.deg., Triformal mannitol, M. P. 227.deg., Tribenzal mannitol, M. P. 224.deg., which exhibited no depression, when mixed with authentic specimens. The experiments to isolate bitter principles of the plant are in progress.

• KIEE International Transactions on Power Engineering
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• v.3A no.4
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• pp.222-230
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• 2003

This paper presents reference designs for vapor-cooled HTS/Copper leads rated at 25 kA and 40 kA and that satisfy a protection criterion. Each HTS section is cooled by the effluent helium vapor boiling from a 4.2-K bath. Each HTS section is based on a design concept in which a short portion of its warm end (77.3 K) operates in the current-sharing mode; such operation results in a considerable saving for HTS materials required in the HTS section. Two designs of "fully superconducting" vapor-cooled HTS sections, one rated at 25 kA and the other at 40 kA are also presented as comparison bases for the new HTS sections. Each warm end of HTS sections is coupled to an optimal vapor-cooled copper lead rated at the same current as that for the HTS section. The extra coolant required at 77.3 K at the coupling station, an optimal length of the copper section will be shorter than that optimized for helium-vapor cooling between 4.2 K and room temperature.mperature.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.131-135
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• 2015

Two new bitter-tasting cyclic peptides comprising six amino acids, namely gamakamide C and D, were isolated from cultured oysters Crassostrea gigas. Dimethylaminoazobenzene sulfonyl-amino acid analysis detected Val and Leu in gamakamide C and Ile and Leu in gamakamide D. The molecular formula of gamakamide C was determined as $C_{43}H_{60}N_{7}O_8S$ by high-resolution fast atom bombardment mass spectroscopy (HR FAB-MS) ($[M+H]^+m/z822.4200{\Delta}-2.4mmu$), and that of gamakamide D was determined as $C_{43}H_{62}N_7O_8S$ by HR FAB-MS ($[M+H]^+m/z836.4379{\Delta}-2.0mmu$). Comparison of amino acid analyses and fragment ions by MS/MS among gamakamide C, D, and E (known), the structures of gamakamide C and D were confirmed $as-{\small{L}}-Val-{\small{L}}-Met(SO)-{\small{L}}-NMe-Phe-{\small{L}}-Leu-{\small{D}}-Lys-{\small{L}}-Phe-$ and $-{\small{L}}-Ile-{\small{L}}-Met(SO)-{\small{L}}-NMe-Phe-{\small{L}}-Leu-{\small{D}}-Lys-{\small{L}}-Phe-$, respectively.