• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.334-342
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• 2009

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) have a wide range of domestic and industrial applications, but they are persistent in the environment. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) are among the metabolites of PFCs and occur at high concentration in the environment. Korea is the largest importer of PFC compounds in the world, therefore, the accumulation of these compounds is possible. In this study, the concentrations of PFOS and PFOA were determined in water samples taken from sewage treatment plants (STPs) and the Han River in Seoul, Korea. After extraction with a HLB cartridge, PFCs in the samples were analyzed by HPLC with an ion trap mass spectrometry in electrospray negative mode. Limits of detection was between 1 and 1.6 ng/l. The result showed that the concentrations of PFOS and PFOA in effluent and influent of the four STPs in Seoul were 60~570 ng/l, and not detected (nd)~254 ng/l, respectively. The levels of PFOS and PFOA were higher in the effluents which passed through the treatment process than in influent water samples which was against expectation. The concentration of PFOA and PFOS in the Han River was 60~570 ng/l and nd~254 ng/l, respectively. PFOA was detected in every sample, but PFOS was only detected in the downstreams of the Han River. This result indicates that there is comprehensive contamination of PFCs in the aquatic environment in Korea.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.11
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• pp.761-765
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• 2010

Salivary testosterone levels in Korean adults were quantitatively measured for the first time by liquid chromatography-electrospray-tandem mass spectrometry (LC ESI MS/MS). Salivary testosterone was separated on a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) chromatogram within 7 min. The LC ESI MS/MS assay was validated over the linearity range of 0.01-2.00 ng/ml (r=0.99987) using testosterone-$d_3$ as an internal standard. The lower limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.01 ng/ml. The intra- and inter-assay precisions were 1.54% to 4.09% and 0.96% to 4.29%, respectively. The mean recovery was 93.32% (range 88.43-98.05%). The validated assay was then applied to measure the salivary testosterone levels of Korean adults. In men, the salivary testosterone level collected between 9：00-11：00 am was approximately 2.8 times higher than that in women (P < 0.0001). Salivary testosterone levels in both sexes negatively correlated with age. The present assay would also be useful in measuring salivary testosterone levels in clinical laboratories.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.379-389
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• 2017

In this study, we set up an analytical method that can be used for rapid and accurate determination of representative isoquinoline alkaloids in medicinal plants using UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF MS (ultra pressure liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry). The compounds were eluted on a C18 column with 0.1 % formic acid and acetonitrile, and separated with good resolution within 13 min. Each of the separated components was characterized by precursor ions (generated by ESI-Q-TOF) and fragment ions (produced by collision-induced dissociation, CID), which were used as a reliable database. We also performed method validation: analytes showed excellent linearity ($R^2$, 0.9971-0.9996), LOD (5-25 ng/mL), LOQ (17-82 ng/mL), accuracy (91.6-97.4 %) as well as intra- and inter-day precisions (RSD, 1.8-3.2 %). In the analysis of Chelidonium majus L., magnoflorine, coptisine, sanguinarine, berberine and palmatine were detected by matching retention times and characteristic fragment ion patterns of reference standards. We also confirmed that, among the quantified components, coptisine was present in the highest quantity. Furthermore, alkaloid profiling was carried out by analyzing the fragment ion patterns corresponding to peaks of unknown components. In this manner, protopine, chelidonine, stylopine, dihydroberberine, canadine, and nitidine were tentatively identified. We also proposed the molecular structure of the fragment ions that appear in the mass spectrum. Therefore, we concluded that our suggested method for the determination of major isoquinoline alkaloids by UPLC-Q-TOF can be useful not only for quality control, but also for rapid and accurate investigation of phytochemical constituents of medicinal plants.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.196-204
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• 2010

With the completion of genome sequencing of several organisms, attention has been focused to determine the function and functional network of proteins by proteome analysis. The recent techniques of proteomics have been advanced quickly so that the high-throughput and systematic analyses of cellular proteins are enabled in combination with bioinformatics tools. Furthermore, the development of proteomic techniques helps to elucidate the functions of proteins under stress or diseased condition, resulting in the discovery of biomarkers responsible for the biological stimuli. Ultimate goal of proteomics orients toward the entire proteome of life, subcellular localization, biochemical activities, and their regulation. Comprehensive analysis strategies of proteomics can be classified as three categories: (i) protein separation by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) or liquid chromatography (LC), (ii) protein identification by either Edman sequencing or mass spectrometry (MS), and (iii) quanitation of proteome. Currently MS-based proteomics turns shiftly from qualitative proteome analysis by 2-DE or 2D-LC coupled with off-line matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) and on-line electrospray ionization (ESI) MS, respectively, to quantitative proteome analysis. Some new techniques which include top-down mass spectrometry and tandem affinity purification have emerged. The in vitro quantitative proteomic techniques include differential gel electrophoresis with fluorescence dyes, protein-labeling tagging with isotope-coded affinity tag, and peptide-labeling tagging with isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation. In addition, stable isotope labeled amino acid can be in vivo labeled into live culture cells through metabolic incorporation. MS-based proteomics extends to detect the phosphopeptide mapping of biologically crucial protein known as one of post-translational modification. These complementary proteomic techniques contribute to not only the understanding of basic biological function but also the application to the applied sciences for industry.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.76-83
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• 2018

A traditional herbal formula, Gyeji-tang has been used to treat the early colds, headache, chills, and fever in Asian countries. In this study, we were performed simultaneous determination of the 14 bioactive marker compounds, gallic acid, spinosin, paeoniflorin, albiflorin, liquiritin apioside, liquiritin, 6'''-feruloylspinosin, liquilitigenin, coumarin, cinnmamic acid, benzoylpaeoniflorin, cinnamaldehyde, glycyrrhizin, and 6-gingerol in Gyeji-tang using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS). Analytical column was used a Waters Acquity UPLC BEH $C_{18}$ analytical column ($2.1{\times}100mm$, $1.7{\mu}m$) and maintained at $45^{\circ}C$ with a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. The mobile phase consists of 0.1% (v/v) formic acid in water and acetonitrile with gradient elution. The MS analysis was conducted using multiple reaction monitoring in the positive and negative modes by a Waters ACQUITY TQD LC-MS/MS system. The calibration curves of 14 bioactive marker compounds showed linearity with correlation coefficients ${\geq}0.9798$. The limits of detection and quantification values were in the range of 0.11-6.66 ng/mL and 0.34-19.99 ng/mL, respectively. As a result of the analysis using the established LC-MS/MS method, the amounts of tested 14 compounds in the lyophilized Gyeji-tang sample were detected up to $85.7{\mu}g/g$. These results may be useful for quality assessment of a traditional herbal formulas.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.270-277
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• 2018

Pyungwi-san has been used to treat the digestive system diseases, physconia, nausea, anorexia, and dyspepsia in Korea. In this study, an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) method was optimized for simultaneous determination of the 14 marker components, spinosin, liquiritirn apioside, liquiritin, narirutin, 6'''-feruloylspinosin, hesperidin, liquiritigenin, glycyrrhizin, 6-gingerol, atractylenolide III, honokiol, atractylenolide II, magnolol, and atractylenolide I in Pyungwi-san extract. All analytes were separated on a Waters Acquity UPLC BEH $C_{18}$ analytical column ($2.1{\times}100mm$, $1.7{\mu}m$) with maintained at $45^{\circ}C$. The mobile phase consisted of 0.1% (v/v) aqueous formic acid and acetonitrile. The MS conditions were as follows: capillary voltage 3.3 kV, extractor voltage 3.0 V, RF lens voltage 0.3 V, source temperature $120^{\circ}C$, desolvation temperature $300^{\circ}C$, desolvation gas 600 L/h, cone gas 50 L/h and collision gas 0.14 mL/min. The coefficient of determination of 14 analytes was 0.9989-1.0000. The limits of detection and quantification values of the all analytes were 0.04-2.56 and 0.13-7.69 ng/mL, respectively. As a result of the analysis using the established LC-ESI-MS/MS method, the 5 components, spinosin, 6'''-feruloylspinosin, atractylenolide III, II, and I derived from Zizyphi Fructus and Atractylodis Rhizoma, were not detected in this extract. On the other hand, the 9 components except for the 5 components were 4.15-498.87 mg/kg in lyophilized Pyungwi-san extract. Among these components, glycyrrhizin, marker compound of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, was detected the most amount as a 498.87 mg/kg.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.381-388
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• 2006

Heat shock proteins (Hsp) 70 are a ubiquitous family of molecular chaperones involved in many cellular processes. A yeast strain, ssa1/2, with two functionally redundant cytosolic Hsp70s (SSA1 and SSA2) deleted shows thermotolerance comparable to mildly heatshocked wild type yeast, as well as increased protein synthesis and ubiquitin-proteasome protein degradation. Since mRNA abundance does not always correlate well with protein expression levels it is essential to study proteins directly. We used a gel-based approach to identify stress-responsive proteins in the ssa1/2 mutant and identified 43 differentially expressed spots. These were trypsin-digested and analyzed by nano electrospray ionization liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (nESI-LC-MS/MS). A total of 22 non-redundant proteins were identified, 11 of which were confirmed by N-terminal sequencing. Nine proteins, most of which were up-regulated (2-fold or more) in the ssa1/2 mutant, proved to be stress-inducible proteins such as molecular chaperones and anti-oxidant proteins, or proteins related to carbohydrate metabolism. Interestingly, a translational factor Hyp2p up-regulated in the mutant was also found to be highly phosphorylated. These results indicate that the cytosolic Hsp70s, Ssa1p and Ssa2p, regulate an abundance of proteins mainly involved in stress responses and protein synthesis.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.49-52
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• 2011

Competitive binding of $C_{60}$ and $C_{70}$ to meso-substituted porphyrins was studied by mass spectrometry (MS). Electrospray ionization MS was employed to acquire the mass spectra of 1 : 1 porphyrin-fullerene complexes formed in a mixture of mesosubstituted porphyrin and fullerite to determine the ratio of complexes between $C_{60}$ and $C_{70}$. Matrix-free laser desorption ionization MS was used to obtain the mass spectra of fullerite to measure the mole fraction of $C_{60}$ and $C_{70}$. The binding constant ratio ($K_{70}$/$K_{60}$) was determined from the mass spectral data. The difference in standard Gibbs free energy change, ${\Delta}({\Delta}G^o)_{70-60}$, for the competitive binding of $C_{60}$ and $C_{70}$ was calculated from $K_{70}$/$K_{60}$. Of the five porphyrins, tetraphenyl, tetra(4-pyridyl), tetra(4-carboxyphenyl), tetra(3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl), and tetra(pentafluorophenyl) porphyrins, the first three non-bulky porphyrins yield negative values of ${\Delta}({\Delta}G^o)_{70-60}$, whereas the other two bulky porphyrins result in positive values of ${\Delta}({\Delta}G^o)_{70-60}$. This result indicates that $C_{70}$ binding to porphyrin is thermodynamically favored over $C_{60}$ binding in non-bulky porphyrins, but disfavored in bulky ones. It also suggests that the binding mode of $C_{70}$is different between non-bulky and bulky porphyrins, which is in line with previous experimental findings of the "side-on" binding to non-bulky porphyrins and the $C_{60}$-like "end-on" binding to bulky porphyrins.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.547-552
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• 2013

Cortex Phellodendri (CP) is derived from the dried bark of Phellodendron amurense. It has been widely used as a drug in traditional Korea medicine for treating diarrhea, jaundice, swelling pains in the knees and feet, urinary tract infections and infections of the body surface. In this study, preparative centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) was successfully carried out to separate antibacterial compounds from a CP methanol extract. The optimum two-phase CPC solvent system was composed of n-butanol: acetic acid: water (4:1:5 v/v/v). The flow rate of the mobile phase was 3 $m{\ell}/min$ in ascending mode with rotation at 1,000 rpm. The CPC-separated fraction and purification procedures were carried out by preparatory HPLC. Palmatine weas identified by $^1H$, $^{13}C$-nuclear magnetic resonance and electrospray ionization-mass spectroscopy spectral data analysis.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.116-121
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• 1995

To seek for a stable supply source of taxol as an anticancer agent urgently needed for the treatment of ovarian cancer, the concentrations of taxol and cephalomannine in bark and needles of 37 yew (Taxus cuspidata S. et Z.) trees grown in 6 locations of Cheju Island were analyzed by using HPLC. A considerable variation in the content was observed in plant part and the location. The average taxol content in the needles ($220.3{\;}{\pm}{\;}56{\;}{\mu}g$ per g dry wt) was ca. 4 times hgher than that in the bark, whereas the content of cephalomannine in the needles $(353{\;}{\pm}{\;}141{\;}{\mu}g)$ was ca. 5 times higher than that in the bark. Particularly, even within Cheju Island, needles from trees grown near the coast including Sogwipo area contained much higher taxol contents than needles from trees grown at mountain locations, indicating that taxane level is affected by environmental effects. Taxol in the needles was confirmed by electrospray mass spectrometry. These results suggest that the needles of yew trees growing in Cheju Island may provide a renewable source for taxol.