• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• 제2권4호
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• pp.92-95
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• 2011

Pyrophosphates are the key intermediates in the biosynthesis of isoprenoids, and their concentrations could reveal the benefits of statins in cardiovascular diseases. Quantitative analysis of five pyrophosphates, including isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP), dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP), geranyl pyrophosphate (GPP), farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP), and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP), was performed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in negative ionization mode. After dilution with methanol, samples were separated on a 3 ${\mu}m$ particle multi-modal $C_{18}$ column ($50{\times}2$ mm) and quantified within 10 min. The gradient elution consists of 10 mM ammonium bicarbonate and 0.5% triethylamine (TEA) in water and 0.1% TEA in 80% acetonitrile was used at the flow rate of 0.4 mL/min. Overall recoveries were 51.4-106.6%, while the limit of quantification was 0.05 ${\mu}g$/mL for GPP and FPP and 0.1 ${\mu}g$/mL for IPP, DMAPP, and GGPP. The precision (% CV) and accuracy (% bias) of the assay were 1.9-12.3% and 89.6-111.8%, respectively, in 0.05-10 ${\mu}g$/mL calibration ranges ($R^2$ > 0.993). The devised LC-MS/MS technique with the multi-modal $C_{18}$ column can be used to estimate the biological activity of pyrophosphates in plasma and may be applicable to cardiovascular events with cholesterol metabolism as well as the drug efficacy of statins.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.207-214
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• 1976

Operations for cardiac valvular disease has been progressed in various ways. Since 1949 when Lord Russel operated mitral stenosis by closed technique at Johns Hopkins Hospital then much progress has been achieved and that nowadays severely diseased cardiac valve has been replaced by prosthetic valve, which is almost ideal in hemodynamic aspect, but still it has many problems such as thromboembolism, destruction of red blood cell, pressure gradient, and disturbance of left ventricular function, so in case of delicate situations, valve replacement should be decided carefully. Besides prosthetic valve, there are some kinds of reconstructive procedures and these have been resulted in better prognosis than prosthetic valve replacement in selected cases. So, authors have reviewed 61 Cases of cardiac patients who have been operated reconstructive valvular surgery by cardiopulmonary bypass, at Yonsei University, from Jan. 1963 to Mar. 1976. Out of 61 cases, 9 patients were replaced by prosthetic valve and rest of the patients were operated upon in various reconstructive procedures such as commissurotomy, valvotomy, valvuloplasty, and annuloplasty. Twenty cases of congenital heart diseases with valvular lesion, which had been operated for valvular lesion were also included in this statistics. Out of 9 cases of prosthetic valvular replacement five cases of prosthetic valvular replacement was done combined with other reconstructive procedures after attempted valvuloplasty. Comparative prognosis of both procedures are somewhat variable by reporters, average 19% of mortality after reconstructive surgery and 38% of mortality after prosthetic valve replacement in long term results. Most common cause of death in postoperative period was low output syndrome in both cases. It seems that good preoperative evaluation and proper reconstructive surgery will afford good prognosis in selected cardiac valvular diseased patient.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.317-324
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• 2007

The application of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and fiber tractography to Wallerian degeneration (WD) is important because this technique is a very potent tools for quantitatively evaluating fiber tracts in vivo brain. We analyzed a case and control using tracts of interest (TOI) analysis to quantify WD. We scanned a case of old infarction and an age-matched healthy volunteer. T1 magnetization prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo (MPRAGE), fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and 12-direction diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were obtained and analyzed using TOI analysis. The value of mean diffusity ($D_{av}$) and fracional anisotrophy (FA) were analyzed statistically by MWU test. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. A comparison of the global fiber diffusion characteristics shows WD of both the corpus callosum and the ipsilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus. The corpus callosum in particular showed trans-hemispherical degeneration. Local fiber characteristics along the geodesic paths show WD in the corpus callosum, ipsilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus, ipsilateral corticospinal tract, and ipsilateral corticothalamic tract. We have demonstrated changes in $D_{av}$ and FA values and a clear correspondence with the WD in various tracts. TOI analysis successfully revealed radial WD in white matter tracts from a region of encephalomalacia and primary gliosis, although they were only slightly affected.

• 분석과학
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• 제33권5호
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• pp.224-231
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• 2020

With the improvement in the standard of living and extension of life expectancy, the incidence of prostate diseases has increased yearly, thus becoming a serious disease affecting the health of men. The extract mixture of Cornus officinalis and Stauntonia hexaphylla leaves is a developed functional food formula to improve prostate health. This study developed a simultaneous analytical method of bioactive compounds for quantifying the mixture of Cornus officinalis and S. hexaphylla leaves using high-pressure liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (HPLC-UV). HPLC analytical condition was performed on a Hector C₁₈ column with a mobile phase of 0.1 % formic acid in water (A) and 0.1 % formic acid in acetonitrile (B) under the following gradient conditions: 0-50 min, 12 %-40 % (B) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. Meanwhile, this method was validated properly and successfully used to quantify the bioactive components of morroniside and hederacoside D in 20 sample batches and assess the quality of different ages and seasons of S. hexaphylla leaves. The result showed that the content of morroniside in the extract mixture of Cornus officinalis and S. hexaphylla leaves ranged from 1.38-1.62 mg/g, and the hederacoside D ranged from 28.42-32.02 mg/g, suggesting that this novel analytical method will be suitable for the quality control of the extract mixture to improve benign prostatic hyperplasia.

• 한국임상수의학회지
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.325-328
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• 2014

A 8-month-old female Maltese dog was presented with a history of heart murmur. In physical examination, grade 4/6 systolic murmur heard at the left heart base. Electrocardiography showed sinus arrhythmia, right axis deviation, deep S wave and splintered QRS complex. Thoracic radiography revealed enlarged right side heart and bulging of the main pulmonary artery. Echocardiography showed mild hypertrophy of right ventricle, a supravalvular stenosis, marked post-stenotic dilation of the main pulmonary artery and a moderately increased pulmonary arterial velocity through the stenotic area (4.4 m/s, pressure gradient of 78.7 mmHg). The dog was diagnosed with supravalvular pulmonic stenosis based on the diagnostic imaging findings. Medical management using ${\beta}1$-blocker and ACE inhibitor was started in this dog and this is first case report described diagnostic characteristic features of supravalvular pulmonic stenosis in korea.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.168-177
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• 2015

Purpose: Brain surface intensity model (BSIM)-based cortical thickness analysis does not require complicated 3D segmentation of brain gray/white matters. Instead, this technique uses the local intensity profile to compute cortical thickness. The aim of the present study was to evaluate intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of BSIM-based cortical thickness analysis using images from elderly participants. Materials and Methods: Fifteen healthy elderly participants (ages, 55-84 years) were included in this study. High-resolution 3D T1-spoiled gradient recalled-echo (SPGR) images were obtained using 3T MRI. BSIM-based processing steps included an inhomogeneity correction, intensity normalization, skull stripping, atlas registration, extraction of intensity profiles, and calculation of cortical thickness. Processing steps were automatic, with the exception of semiautomatic skull stripping. Individual cortical thicknesses were compared to a database indicating mean cortical thickness of healthy adults, in order to produce Z-score thinning maps. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated in order to evaluate inter-rater and intra-rater reliabilities. Results: ICCs for intra-rater reliability were excellent, ranging from 0.751-0.940 in brain regions except the right occipital, left anterior cingulate, and left and right cerebellum (ICCs = 0.65-0.741). Although ICCs for inter-rater reliability were fair to excellent in most regions, poor inter-rater correlations were observed for the cingulate and occipital regions. Processing time, including manual skull stripping, was $17.07{\pm}3.43min$. Z-score maps for all participants indicated that cortical thicknesses were not significantly different from those in the comparison databases of healthy adults. Conclusion: BSIM-based cortical thickness measurements provide acceptable intra-rater and inter-rater reliability. We therefore suggest BSIM-based cortical thickness analysis as an adjunct clinical tool to detect cortical atrophy.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.441-451
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• 2017

Imperatorin, a major bioactive furanocoumarin with multifunctions, can be used for treating neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of imperatorin transport in the brain. Experiments of the present study were designed to study imperatorin transport across the blood-brain barrier both in vivo and in vitro. In vivo study was performed in rats using single intravenous injection and in situ carotid artery perfusion technique. Conditionally immortalized rat brain capillary endothelial cells were as an in vitro model of blood-brain barrier to examine the transport mechanism of imperatorin. Brain distribution volume of imperatorin was about 6 fold greater than that of sucrose, suggesting that the transport of imperatorin was through the blood-brain barrier in physiological state. Both in vivo and in vitro imperatorin transport studies demonstrated that imperatorin could be transported in a concentration-dependent manner with high affinity. Imperatorin uptake was dependent on proton gradient in an opposite direction. It was significantly reduced by pretreatment with sodium azide. However, its uptake was not inhibited by replacing extracellular sodium with potassium or N-methylglucamine. The uptake of imperatorin was inhibited by various cationic compounds, but not inhibited by TEA, choline and organic anion substances. Transfection of plasma membrane monoamine transporter, organic cation transporter 2 and organic cation/carnitine transporter 2/1 siRNA failed to alter imperatorin transport in brain capillary endothelial cells. Especially, tramadol, clonidine and pyrilamine inhibited the uptake of [$^3H$]imperatorin competitively. Therefore, imperatorin is actively transported from blood to brain across the blood-brain barrier by passive and carrier-mediated transporter.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• 제41권1호
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

Background: Though the biomass of floral vegetation in understory plant communities in a forested ecosystem only accounts for less than 1% of the total biomass of a forest, they contain most of the floral resources of a forest. The diversity of understory honey plants determines visitation rate of pollinators such as honey bee (Apis mellifera) as they provide rich food resources. Since the flower visitation and foraging activity of pollinators lead to the provision of pollination service, it also means the enhancement of plant-pollinator relationship. Therefore, an appropriate management scheme for understory vegetation is essential in order to conserve pollinator population that is decreasing due to habitat destruction and disease infection. This research examined the diversity of understory honey plant and studied how it is related to environmental variables such as (1) canopy density, (2) horizontal heterogeneity of canopy surface height, (3) slope gradient, and (4) distance from roads. Vegetation survey data of 39 plots of mixed forests in Chuncheon, Korea, were used, and possible management practices for understory vegetation were suggested. Results: This study found that 113 species among 141 species of honey plant of the forests were classified as understory vegetation. Also, the understory honey plant diversity is significantly positively correlated with distance from the nearest road and horizontal heterogeneity of canopy surface height and negatively correlated with canopy density. Conclusions: The diversity of understory honey plant vegetation is correlated to vegetation structure and human impact. In order to enhance the diversity of understory honey plant, management of density and height of canopy is necessary. This study suggests that improved diversity of canopy cover through thinning of overstory vegetation can increase the diversity of understory honey plant species.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.52-57
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• 2004

Sclerotinia sp. (isolate BWC98-105) causes stem blight and root rot in Leghum sp., and is presently being evaluated as a potential mycoherbicide for the control of Trifoliorium repens. Bioassays have shown that Sclerotinia sp. produces phytotoxic substance which is biologically active against T. repens. Two biologically active compounds, designated as compoundsI and II, were produced in vitro from the culture filtrate of BWC98-105 isolate Sclerotium sp. Compounds I and II were purified by means of liquid-liquid extraction and $C_{18}$ open column chromatography (300 ${\times}$ 30 mm, i.d). To determine the purity, the purified compounds were analyzed by RP-HPLC. The analytical RP-HPLC column was a TOSOH ODS-120T (150 ${\times}$ 4.6 mm i.d, Japan), of which the flow rate was set at 0.7 mL/min using the linear gradient solvent system initiated with 15 % methanol to 85 % methanol for 50 min with monitoring at 254 nm. Under these RP-HPLC conditions, compounds I and II eluted at 3.49 and 4.13 min, respectively. Compound II was found to be most potent and host specific. However, compound I had a unique antibiotic activity against phytopathogenic bacteria like bacterial leaf blight (Xanthomonas oryzae) on rice, where it played a less important role in producing toxicity on T. repens. No toxin activity was detected in the water fraction after partitioning with several organic solvents. However, toxin activity was detected in the ethyl acetate and butanol fractions. In the leaf bioassay using compound II, the disease first appeared within 4-5 h as water soaked rot, which subsequently developed into well-defined blight affecting the whole plant.

• 생약학회지
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• 제47권1호
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• pp.62-72
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• 2016

Banhasasim-tang is a well-known traditional Korean herbal formula and has been used clinically for the treatment of gastric disease, including acute and chronic gastritis, diarrhea and gastric ulcers in Korea. In this study, an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometer method was developed for the quantitative determination of the 13 marker constituents, homogentisic acid (1), 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (2), spinosin (3), liquiritin (4), baicalin (5), ginsenoside Rg1 (6), liquiritigenin (7), wogonoside (8), ginsenoside Rb1 (9), baicalein (10), glycyrrhizin (11), wogonin (12), and 6-gingerol (13) in Banhasasim-tang decoction. Separation of the compounds 1-13 was using an UPLC BEH $C_{18}$ ($100{\times}2.1mm$, $1.7{\mu}m$) column and column oven temperature was maintained at $45^{\circ}C$. The mobile phase consisted of 0.1% (v/v) formic acid in water (A) and acetonitrile (B) by gradient elution. The injection volume and flow rate were $2.0{\mu}L$ and 0.3 mL/min, respectively. Calibration curves of the compounds 1-13 were showed with $r^2$ values ${\geq}0.9908$. The limit of detection and limit of quantification values of the compounds 1-13 were 0.04-1.11 ng/mL and 0.13-3.33 ng/mL, respectively. Among the these compounds, the compounds 1-3 were not detected, while the compounds 4-13 were detected in the ranges of $3.20-107,062.98{\mu}g/g$ in Banhasasim-tang sample.