• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.735-743
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• 2009

The common word flavonoids is often used to classify a family of natural compounds, highly abundant in all higher plants, that have received significant therapeutic interest in recent years. Naringin is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, neurodegenerative disease, cancer and other chronic diseases; however the molecular basis of this effect remains to be elucidated. Thus we attempted to elucidate the anti-allergic effect of Naringin in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma model mice. The OVA-induced mice showed allergic reactions in the airways. These included an increase in the number of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, an increase in inflammatory cell infiltration into the lung around blood vessels and airways, airway luminal narrowing, and the development of airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR). The administration of Naringin before the last airway OVA challenge resulted in a significant inhibition of all asthmatic reactions. Accordingly, this study may provide evidence that Naringin plays a critical role in the amelioration of the pathogenetic process of asthma in mice. These findings provide new insight into the immunopharmacological role of Naringin in terms of its effects on asthma in mice.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.840-849
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• 2006

Severe brain injuries induced by toxin pose one of the most important problems on our health care because of their high morbidity and mortality, are implicated to leucocyte infiltration more premature or immature brain than mature brain. Chemokines are the induction meditators for infiltration of inflammatory cells to the inflammation sites. In order to study the mechanism of leucocyte infiltration, the expression of several chemokines, MCP-1, $MIP-1{\alpha}$ and MIP-2 was studied in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-stimulated neonatal and adult brain. One week old Sprague-Dawley rats or adult male rats weighing 300-350 g were used for the experiment. After anesthetization, $1\;{\mu}l$ LPS (0.5 mg/ml) subsequently was injected in the right caudate nucleus of the brain with stereotaxic frame. Animals were sacrificed at 6 hours, 24 hours, and 72 hours after injection. The present study was carried out using RT-PCR for the mRNA and immunohistochemistry for the expression of the proteins. In the neonatal rat brain, prominent interstitial edema with significant accumulation of leukocytes was detected at 24 and 72 hours after LPS injection. A semiquantitative analysis of RT-PCR revealed that the MCP-1, $MIP-1{\alpha}$, and MIP-2 mRNA expression peaked at 24 hours in neonatal and adult rat brain. Neonatal rats showed about 2.6, 1.4, and 1.2 times more expression of the MCP-1, $MIP-1{\alpha}$, and MIP-2 than that of the adult rats in the brain tissue. Immunohistochemical analysis also showed that MCP-1 immunoreactivity was paralleled with the RT-PCR results. MCP-1 protein was significantly detected at 24 and 72 hours in the brain parenchyma. $MIP-1{\alpha}$protein was highly expressed at 24 hours. The results of leukocyte infiltration in H&E stain was parallelled with that of the immunohistochemistry. Chemokine proteins were markedly detected at 24 hours after injection of LPS and neutrophil influx into intraparenchymal was prominent at 24 hours. These results suggest that the leukocyte infiltration in the intracranial infection may be controlled by mechanisms influenced by chemokine producing cells in the central nervous system such as microglia, astrocyte and endothelial cell.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.109-117
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• 2007

[ $\underline{Purpose}$ ]: To evaluate the incidences and potential predictive factors for symptomatic radiation pneumonitis (SRP) and radiographic pulmonary toxicity (RPT) following adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) for patients with breast cancer. A particular focus was made to correlate RPT with the dose volume histogram (DVH) parameters based on three-dimensional RT planning (3D-RTP) data. $\underline{Materials\;and\;Methods}$: From September 2003 through February 2006, 171 patients with breast cancer were treated with adjuvant RT following breast surgery. A radiation dose of 50.4 Gy was delivered with tangential photon fields on the whole breast or chest wall. A single anterior oblique photon field for supraclavicular (SCL) nodes was added if indicated. Serial follow-up chest radiographs were reviewed by a chest radiologist. Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) toxicity criteria were used for grading SRP and a modified World Health Organization (WHO) grading system was used to evaluate RPT. The overall percentage of the ipsilateral lung volume that received ${\geq}15\;Gy\;(V_{15}),\;20\;Gy\;(V_{20})$, and $30\;Gy\;(V_{30})$ and the mean lung dose (MLD) were calculated. We divided the ipsilateral lung into two territories, and defined separate DVH parameters, i.e., $V_{15\;TNGT},\;V_{20\;TNGT},\;V_{30\;TNGT},\;MLD_{TNGT}$, and $V_{15\;SCL},\;V_{20\;SCL},\;V_{30SCL},\;MLD_{SCL}$ to assess the relationship between these parameters and RPT. $\underline{Results}$: Four patients (2.1%) developed SRP (three with grade 3 and one with grade 2, respectively). There was no significant association of SRP with clinical parameters such as, age, pre-existing lung disease, smoking, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and regional RT. When 137 patients treated with 3D-RTP were evaluated, 13.9% developed RPT in the tangent (TNGT) territory and 49.2% of 59 patients with regional RT developed RPT in the SCL territory. Regional RT (p<0.001) and age (p=0.039) was significantly correlated with RPT. All DVH parameters except for $V_{15\;TNGT}$ showed a significant correlation with RPT (p<0.05). $MLD_{TNGT}$ was a better predictor for RPT for the TNGT territory than $V_{15\;SCL}$ for the SCL territory. $\underline{Conclusion}$: The incidence of SRP was acceptable with the RT technique that was used. Age and regional RT were significant factors to predict RPT. The DVH parameter was good predictor for RPT for the SCL territory while $MLD_{TNGT}$ was a better predictor for RPT for the TNGT territory.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.153-163
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• 2005

This experiment was performed to evaluate the morphological responses of the gastric chief cells of the mouse, inoculated with Ehrlich carcinoma cells in the inguinal area, following administration of BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin). Healthy adult ICR mice weighing 25 gm each were divided into normal and experimental groups (experimental control group and BCG treated group). In the experimental groups, each mouse was inoculated with $1x10^7$ Ehrlich carcinoma cells subcutaneously in the inguinal area. From next day after inoculations, 0.2 mL of saline or BCG (0.5 mL/25 g B.W.: $0.03{\times}10^8{\sim}0.32{\times}10^8$ CFU) were injected subcutaneously to the animals every other day, respectively. The day following the last injection, each mouse was sacrificed. Pieces of the tissue were taken from the stomach, prefixed with 2.5% glutaraldehyde-1.5% paraformaldehyde solution, followed by post-fixation with 1% osmium tetroxide solution. The ultrathin sections were stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate. The size of zymogen granule and the size of the mitochondrion of the gastric chief cells were observed and calculated. In the BCG treated group, most chief cells did not show any difference in ultrastructure, except that myelin figures were more frequently observed, in comparison with that of nornmal control group. The size of zymogen granule in the gastric chief cells of normal control, experimental control and BCG-treated groups were $0.98({\pm}0.108){\mu}m,\;1.05({\pm}0.092){\mu}m\;and\;0.93({\pm}0.053){\mu}m$, respectively. And the mitochondrial size of the gastric chief cells of normal control, experimental control and BCG-treated groups were $0.80({\pm}0.130){\mu}m,\;0.83({\pm}0.143){\mu}m\;and\;0.72({\pm}0.078){\mu}m$, respectively. From the above results, it was concluded that BCG may slightly suppress function of the gastric chief cells.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.152-160
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of aging process on the immunity in human subjects. In this investigation, nineteen families of three generations (daughters on college age, their mothers, and grandmothers) participated to avoid genetic variation among individuals. Dietary food records, anthropometric measurements and biochemical assessments of serum nutrients were used to evaluate the nutritional status of subjects. The immune parameters of subjects were assessed by the total and differential WBC count. Total B and T lymphocytes, and T cell subsets were quantified by flowcytometer. Serum immunoglobulin G, A, M concentrations were also measured as an index of humoral immunity. The result of this study can be summarized as follows: 1. Along with the aging process, body fat was found to be increased whereas lean body mass and total body water were diminished. Since there were no significant difference in serum vitamin E levels in all age groups, serum retinal concentrations tended to decrease as one gets old. 2. Although total number of T lymphocytes seemed to be unchanged, B lymphocytes and NK cell numbers were increased by aging. The Percentage of CD8 + lymphocytes was lower in the elderly subjects compared with the younger, resulting in higher ratio of CD4 +/CD8 + lymphocytes in the elderly. Serum Ig G and Ig A levels remained unchanged, but IgM levels were significantly decreased as the age processes continue. Taking all together, it could be suggested that the alteration of immune cell population by aging is selective and possibly nonage factors such as nutrition may be attributable to the change of immunity in the elderly. The nutritional status and aging process may selectively affect both the cell-mediated (CD8 +, CD4 + CD8 + ratio, NK cell) and humoral (B lymphocyte, Immunoglobulin M, G) immune parameters in human subjects.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.159-168
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• 2005

This experiment was carried out during the period from May to October 1998 to determine the effect of fermented sawdust swine manure application (SSM) on the herbage production of Japanese millet and soil properties in the Cheju brown volcanic ash soil. The randomized block design (T1 : basic chemical fertilizer, N 200 kg/ha + $P_2O_5\;300 kg/ha+K_2O$ 200kg/ha ; T2 : 1/2 basic chemical fertilizer, N $100+P_2O_5\;150+K_2O$ 100kg/ha; T3 : 1/2 basic SSM, N 100kg/ha, T4:basic SSM, N 200kg/ha; T5:2 times basic SSM, N 400 kg/ha ; T6:4 times basic SSM, N 800 kg/ha) was used. At the same application level of nitrogen 200kg/ha, the application of $100\%$ chemical fertilizer (T1) had significantly lower dry matter yield than that of $50\%$ chemical fertilizer and $50\%$ SSM (T2) or $100\%$ SSM (T4)(p<0.01). Dry matter yield increased with an increase of SSM application to N 400kg/ha level but decreased at N 800 kg/ha level. P, K and Ca contents of Japanese millet tended towards to decrease with an increase of SSM level. The application of chemical fertilizer lowered P and K content of Japanese millet in comparison with that of SSM (p<0.05). pH, available phosphorus. exchangeable potassium, Ca and Mg content of soil studied showed a significant increase with an increase of SSM application level (p<0.05). However, at the same application level of N 200kg/ha, there was statistically no significant difference between chemical fertilizer and SSM in those contents of soil after experiment. The bacterial number of soil among microbial population increased with an increase of SSM level, in June, 1998 (p<0.05), but there was no regular tendency, in October. The rate of bacteria to fungus in soil had a tendency to decrease with an increase of SSM level. In conclusion, it is recommended to use N 400kg/ha of SSM or N 100 kg/ha of chemical fertilizer+N 100 kg/ha of SSM for Japanese millet.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.550-563
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• 2000

This study was carried out in order to elucidate the fundamental data on the taste compounds between wild and cultured fishes produced on Chungmu and Wando at the southern coast areas of Korea. For this purpose, the food components of cultured fishes such as red sea bream Pagnus major, Sebastes pachycephalus and flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus being spot lighted for the main sea fish, the staple food and high economic fish were investigated and compared with those of the wild ones. There was a little appreciable difference in the proximate compositions of all the species from localities between wild and cultured fishes. But according to the growing conditions, wild fishes were higher in moisture contents and lower in crude lipid content than those of cultured fishes and little difference was seen in protein and ash contents between the two. With regard to the nucleotides and their related compounds, i.e. ADP, IMP and inosine were detected but ATP and hypoxanathine were not from them. On the other hand, there were little difference in the total taste compounds of all the species from localities and the growing conditions between wild and cultured fishes. But all the species were higher in IMP content. The total of seventeen amino acids were detected in samples. The highly contents of glutamic acid, lysine, aspartic acid, proline, leucine, alanine, valine and alginine were showed and less low contents of cystein, histidine, methionine, tyrosine and phenylalanine were detected. The total amino acids of the others were much alike in that composition. Little difference was seen from localities and the growing conditions between wild and cultured ones. The free amino acids were much alike in that composition of all the species. There was little difference in the free amino acid compositions all the species from localities and the growing conditions between wild and cultured fishes. But taurine was dominant, showing from 39% to 65% of the free amino acid content and it is followed by hydroxyproline, lysine, alanine and glycine in other. There were differences in the organic acid compositions of all the species from localities and the growing conditions between wild and cultured fishes. In addition, cultured fishes were more abundant in the total organic acid compositions than those of wild ones.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.20 no.5 s.94
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• pp.376-382
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• 2005

Avermectin (AVM) $B_{1a}$ produced by Streptomyces avermitilis via polyketide pathway is a secondary metabolite with powerful anthelmintic and insecticidal activities, thus being used as an efficient agent in the field of agriculture and animal health. It has been reported that a precursor for AVM $B_{1a}$ biosynthesis was isoleucine and the biosynthetic pathway of AVM $B_{1a}$ was closely similar to that of fatty acid. Based on understanding of the biosynthetic pathway of AVM $B_{1a}$, we intended to screen various mutants resistant against O-methyl threonine (OMT), an isoleucine-anti metabolite, and/or mutants resistant against p-fluoro phenoxy acetic acid (pFAC), an inhibitor of fatty acid biosynthesis. It was inferred that these mutants could produce AVM $B_{1a}$ more efficiently, due to the acquired capability of not only overproducing isoleucine intracellularly but also channelling metabolized carbon-sources into the polyketide pathway, thus leading to enhanced biosynthesis of AVM $B_{1a}$. The resulting mutant (PFA-1 strain) resistant against 100 ppm of pFAC was able to produce approximately 42 fold higher amount of AVM $B_{1a}$ compared to the parallel mother strain (4,200 vs. 100 units/l). In addition, through the process of continuous strain improvement program carried out by gradually increasing the OMT concentration, it was possible to obtain a more attractive mutant with greater AVM $B_{1a}$ production capacity (9,000 units/l). Notable was that significantly higher producer (12,000 units/l) could be selected through further screening of the resistant mutants, this time, to even higher concentration of PFAC. Meanwhile, through the analysis of AVM Bla production histograms (i.e., number of strains according to their AVM $B_{1a}$ biosynthetic ability) for the earlier strains in comparison with the high producers having the characteristics of resistance to OMT and pFAC, it was found that production stability of the high-yielding producers were remarkably improved, as demonstrated by the fact that larger proportion of the mutated strains had greater capability of AVM $B_{1a}$ biosynthesis ($71\%$ in the range between 5,000 and 7,000 units/L; $47\%$ in the range between 6,000 and 7,000 units/l). Based on these consequences, it was concluded that the rational screening strategy based on the understanding of the biosynthetic pathway of AVM $B_{1a}$ was very effective in obtaining high-yielding mutants with the features of enhanced production stability.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.141-151
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• 2010

Harmful algal blooms (HABs), commonly known as red tides, are aquatic phenomena caused by the rapid growth and accumulation of certain microalgae, which can lead to marked discoloration of surface waters, and severe impacts on public health, commerce, and the environment. In South Korea, the red tides have been a serious and recurrent problem, especially along the south coast. Plenty of yellow loess was used to control an outbreak of the red tides for 15 years from 1996 until now. Yellow loess was almost sprayed in the vicinity of a large fish farming industry. In this research, the distribution characteristics and density distribution of zooplankton were investigated in autumn (Oct. 2008) and spring (Apr. 2009) using volume backscattering strength (SV) calculated by the zooplankton collected with north pacific standard (NORPAC) net and the echo intensity measured with ADCP at stations on the study area in the spraying ocean of yellow loess (SOYL), and the non-spraying ocean of yellow ocean (NOYL) by the red tide generating every year. The species number and the individuals per unit volume of the zooplankton collected in NOYL was high and it which was collected in SOYL was low. As a result of comparing the volume backscattering strength ($SV_c$) calculated by species and length of the zooplankton collected with NORPAC net with the volume backscattering strength ($SV_m$) calculated by the echo intensity measured with ADCP at stations on the study area, although $SV_c$ and $SV_m$ of NOYL were generally in agreement, $SV_m$ of SOYL was higher than $SV_c$ 4.3dB, i.e. ADCP is greatly influenced by suspended solid in SOYL. The horizontal distribution map of $SV_m$ at the study area in autumn (Oct. 2008) and spring (Apr. 2009) was drawn. $SV_m$ of SOYL is higher than NOYL and autumn is higher than spring. $SV_m$ can suppress the overestimate or underestimate of $SV_c$.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.222-234
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• 2019

Fish community characteristics and habitat aspects of endangered species, Pseudopungtungia tenuicorpa and Acheilognathus signifer were investigated in the Hwayangcheon Stream of Songnisan National Park, a tributary of the Hangang River, Korea from April to October 2018. During this period, there were 29 species of 8 families collected from 11 survey stations using kick nets, cast nets long bag set nets. The dominant and subdominant species were Zacco koreanus (38.81%) and Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (16.64%), respectively. The next most abundant species were Z. platypus (14.28%), Pungtungia herzi (6.92%), Hemibarbus longirostris (4.52%), Pseudogobio esocinus (3.51%), A. signifer (2.31%) and P. tenuicorpa (1.90%). Among the fish collected, 18 species (62.1%) were Korean endemic species. Endangered species were A. signifer, P. tenuicorpa and Gobiobotia brevibarba. From upstream to downstream, the dominance index has gradually decreased, but number of species and individuals, diversity and evenness has gradually increased. Also, river health (index of biological integrity) is assessed as good (St. 1~8) and very good (St. 9~11). Fish communities were divided into four sections by the similarity index based on species and their numbers, i.e., upper section (St. 1~2, 4~5), upper-middle section (St. 3, 6), middle section (St. 7~9) and lower section (St. 10~11). Endangered species, Pseudopungtungia tenuicorpa inhabited in mostly lower section (St. 10~11) with rock and boulder bottoms, and age groups in April estimated from total length indicated that the 44~61 mm group is 1 year old, the 66~81 mm group is 2 years old, the 88~99 mm group is 3 years old, and the 104~107 mm group is more than 4 years old. Also, endangered species, A. signifer inhabited in middle-lower section (St. 7~11) with boulder and cobble bottoms and slow velocity, which the place inhabited by water plants. Meanwhile, their age structure in April estimated from total length indicated that the 30~43 mm group is 1 year old, the 48~58 mm group is 2 years old, the 62~77 mm group is 3 years old, and the 84~100 mm group is more than 4 years old. The sex ratio of female (47) to male (42) was 1 : 0.89.