• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.61 no.1
• /
• pp.83-91
• /
• 2018

Advances in bacterial and fungal genome mining uncover a plethora of cryptic secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters. Guided by the genome information, targeted transcriptional derepression could be employed to determine the product of a cryptic gene cluster and to explore its biological role. Monascus spp. are food grade filamentous fungi popular in eastern Asia and several genome data belong to them are now available. We achieved transcription activation of a cryptic fungal polyketide synthase-nonribosomal peptide synthase gene Mpfus1 in Monascus purpureus ${\Delta}MpPKS5$ by inserting Aspergillus gpdA promoter at the upstream of Mpfus1 through double crossover gene replacement. The gene cluster with Mpfus1 show a high similarity to those for the biosynthesis of conjugated polyene derivatives with 2-pyrrolidone ring and the mycotoxin fusarin is the representative member of this group. The ${\Delta}MpPKS5$ is incapable of producing azaphilone pigment, providing an excellent background to identify chromogenic and UV-absorbing compounds. Activation of Mpfus1 resulted in a yellow hue on mycelia and its methanol extract exhibit a maximum absorption at 365 nm. HPLC analysis of the organic extracts indicated the presence of a variety of yellow compounds in the extract. This implies that the product of MpFus1 is metabolically or chemically unstable. LC-MS analysis guided us to predict the MpFus1 product and to propose that the Mpfus1-containing gene cluster encode the biosynthesis of a desmethyl analogue of fusarin. This study showcases the genome mining in Monascus and the possibility to unveil new biological activities embedded in it.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.348-352
• /
• 2007

Inflammation is a complex process resulting from a variety of mechanisms. Combined inhibition of the activities of enzymes involved in the process may therefore be considered more important in anti-inflammatory property of plant extracts than any single contribution. In this study, the inhibitory effects of the ethanol extracts of thirty plant foods on the activities of secretory phospholipase $A_{2}$ ($sPLA_{2}$), cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and 12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX) were examined. Several legumes, mungbean sprout and some leaf vegetables inhibited the activity of $sPLA_2$, upstream enzyme of inflammation pathway. Only soybean sprout and mungbean sprout significantly inhibited 12-LOX activity. Although most of extracts inhibited the activities of both COX-1 and COX-2, water dropwort and amaranth showed selectivity for the inhibition of COX-2 over COX-1. Especially, mungbean showed anti-inflammatory property at both upstream and downstream of inflammation pathway with relatively low $IC_{50}$ values for $sPLA_{2}$ and COX-2 enzymes. Mungbean sprout exhibited inhibitory effects on all enzymes related to early and late inflammation and soybean sprout suppressed 12-LOX and COX-2 simultaneously, although the activities of these plants were showed at relatively high concentration. Therefore, mungbean, mungbean sprout, and soybean sprout appear to exhibit anti-inflammatory effects by combined inhibition of inflammatory enzymes.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.50 no.5
• /
• pp.535-542
• /
• 2018

The current study investigated the beneficial effects of 15 essential oils isolated from tree branches, leaves, and flowers. Among these oils, clove bud and Illicium anisatum oils showed the most potent anti-oxidant effects on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'azinbis-(3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging activities. Next, we evaluated the antibacterial effects of 15 essential oils on Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella typhimurium, and Streptococcus mutans. Clove bud significantly decreased growth of 5 bacterial strains. In addition, clove bud, Magnolia kobus, Picea abies and Chamaecyparis obtuse significantly reduced growth of the fungi, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus ochraceus, Candida albicans and Trichophyton rubrum. Additionally, clove bud also remarkably reduced the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible NO synthase in lipopolysaccharide-activated RAW264.7 cells. These results indicate that essential oils isolated from trees, which exhibit antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties, may be potentially useful in the development of cosmetic ingredients.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.8-17
• /
• 2002

Objective : Increasing in frequency and success of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and improved survival rates have led to growing concerns regarding the psychosocial aspects of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients. In this study, we have examined the stress coping strategies and related psychiatric symptom in the hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients. Methods : In this study, we examined the psychological stress symptoms of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients and differences of psychosocial variables between active coping group and passive coping group. Twenty nine recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation were recruited prospectively and assessed at 2 weeks pretranplant and at 1-2 days posttranplant. Thirty normal controls were recruited. Assessments included a psychiatric interview, a variety of standardized questionnaires (Ways of Coping Questionnaires, Perceived Stress Scale, Hospital Depression and Anxiety Scale, Short-Form 36 Health Survey). Results : Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients showed higher degree of depression (p<0.001) and anxiety (p=0.011) symptoms than normal control group. However, no differences of depression and anxiety symptoms between pretransplant and posttransplant status were showed. And, passive coping group showed higher degree of depression (p=0.046) and anxiety symptoms (p<0.001) than active coping group. Conclusions : Our results suggested that many hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients would exhibit severe to moderate symptoms of anxiety and depression. Also, it seemed likely that passive coping style might influence the development of negative affect such as anxiety and depression. The implications of these findings were discussed in terms of the need to monitor the coping strategies and apply the appropriate psychiatric intervention. And, further prospective studies about long-term survival and psychological adaptive functions of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients are recommended.

• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.33-42
• /
• 2012

This study is focused on traditional market's competitiveness in Korea. Ever since the Korean retail industry had been opened to the big conglomerates, the traditional markets have faced very serious competition from various types of distribution channels. In particular, this study has been conducted to find another way to help the Korean traditional market from the perspective of college students who are consumers of the future. This study examines the relationships among store choice attributions, consumption emotion, consumer's value, and relationship quality from the perspective of college students. In order to verify the relationship, and moderating and mediating effects, data were collected from 126 college students in Whasung, Gyeonggi Province to test the theoretical model and its hypotheses. The results of this study are as follows: First, service (= .263, p < .01) and advertising (= .188, p < .05) are significantly positively related to relationship quality. However, store atmosphere (= .176, p = .052) is not statistically significantly related to relationship quality. The result that students have stereotypes about the atmosphere of traditional markets and are therefore excluded from their store choice attributions can be expected. Second, college students selected service division (= .230, p < .05) as the most important factor among the traditional market's store choice attributions. This result reflected that enhancing service strategy would strengthen the traditional market against discount stores. The process of product selection by customers in discount stores is based on the concept of self-service. However, traditional market traders can make various contacts with their customers. If traditional market traders can enhance various service factors just like in the process of product selection, it will effect strong competitive advantages. Third, it is also revealed that consumer's value exhibit complete mediation effect in the relationships between service and advertising. These results showed that traditional markets must be considered for consumer value. Because previous studies showed that values refer to "enduring belief that … specific mode of conduct or end-stat of existence … personally or socially preferable to an opposite of converse mode of conduct or end-state of existence" (Rokeach, 1973; George and Jones, 1996). Furthermore, Schwartz (1994) defined values as desirable trans-situational goals, varying in importance, that serve as guiding principles in the life of a person or other social entity. As conceptions of desirable end-states of existence or modes of conduct, values help people choose, evaluate, and give meaning to their experiences (Rokeach, 1973). Efforts (e.g. promote the consumers value) of the traditional market traders will improve the preferences for the traditional market of consumers and college students. Implications and future research directions are also discussed.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.37-60
• /
• 1983

The uterus receives adrenergic terminals from the mesenteric ganglia and considerably large amount of catecholamines have been shown to be contained in this organ. On the other hand, the activities of epinephrine, norepinephrine or adrenergic nerve on uterine motility is so complicated that many controversial results have been reporter. Recently, a large number of reports concerning the changes of uterine catecholamines content have appeared, but little is known about the role of uterine catecholamines in their activities on uterine motility. The present experiments were undertaken to determine the significance of the intrinsic uterine catecholamines in the physiology of uterus. Female albino rabbits weighing approximately 2 kg were employed in this experiment. uterine strip3 were prepared and suspended in a constant temperature $bath(38^{\circ}C)$ containing 100 ml of Locke's solution aerated with 95% oxygen and 5% carbon dioxide. Spontaneous motility was recorded on a smoked drum with an isotonic lever. The catecholamines concentration of the uterus was determined according to the Procedure described of Shore and Olin (1958). Human uterus obtained from patients was also used to determine the catecholam ines content of myometrium. Followings are summarized results. 1) On the non-pregnant rabbit uterine strips, epinephrine and norepinephrine significantly elevated the tonus and stimulated the spontaneous motility. Pretreatment with dichloroisoproterenol(DCI), an adrenergic beta-receptor blocker, enhanced the stimulatory activity of epinephrine or norepinephrine. On the other hand, pretreatment with dibenamine, an adrenergic alpha-receptor blocker, rendered the uterine muscle to exhibit inhibition after the administration of epinephrine or norepinephrine. Following the treatment with both DCI and dibenamine, epinephrine or norepinephrine produced no appreciable effects on the spontaneous motility of the uterus. These results suggest there exist both alpha and beta-adrenergic receptors in the uterine muscle and the response to epinephrine of the former is predominant over that of latter in the non-pregnant uterus of rabbits. The total catecholamines concentration of the non-pregnant uterus was $351\;m{\mu}g/g$ and the fractional concentrations of epinephrine and norepinephrine were $125\;m{\mu}g/g(35.7%)$ and $226\;m{\mu}g/g$ respectively. It is interesting to note that the catecholamines content of uterus was characterized by a high fractional corcentration of epinephrine relative to norepinephrine. 2) On the pregnant rabbit uterine strips, the effects of epinephrine and norepinephrine varied according to the period of pregnancy. The response to epinephrine of adrenergic beta receptor of uterus increased during pregnancy, and the effect of catecholamine was inhibitory in the early pregnancy but became stimulatory as the pregnancy progressed. This stimulating action on the uterine motility was found to occur through the action of norepinephrine. The uterine catecholamines concentration was markedly reduced during pregnancy. The catecholamines concentration was started to decrease in the early pregnancy, reached the lowest level in the mid-pregnancy and then started to increaae again in the late pregnancy when the total catecholamines content became the highest level of all. This increase of catefholamines in late pregnancy was chiefly due to the increase of norepinephrine. These results suggest that the uterine motility may be related to the catecholamines content, especially norepinephrine content in the uterus. 3) Bilateral oophorectomy of rabbits results in a marked shrink of the uterus in size. The spontaneous motility of the uterine segment of these animals was very weak and irregular. Norepinephrine produced inhibitory effect, whereas epinephrine was stimulatory or inhibitory effect on the uterine segment. The total catecholamines tontent in whole uterus was markedly reduced. The injection of estrogen into the oophorectornized rabbit increased the weight of uterus to approximately three times of that of oophorectornized animal. The apontaneous motility and the response to epinephrine and norepinephrine of the uterine segment were greatly enhanced. Both epinephrine and norepinephrine produced a marked stimulatory effects of the uterine motility. The uterine content of catecholamines, particularly epinephrine, was markedly increased. The injection of progesterone into the oophorectornized rabbit increaeed the weight of uterus to approximately 2.5 times of that of eophorectornized animal. The spontaneous motility of the uterine segment was weak and irregular. Epinephrine produced stimulatory effect at high concentrations but norepinephrine always prcdnced inhibitory effect on the uterine segment. The uterine content of catecholamines, particularly of norepinephrine, was markedly reduced. These results suggested that ovarian hormones play an important role not only on the growth and spontaneous norepinephrine of uterus but also on the catecholamines content and responee to epinephrine and norepinephrine of the uterus. 4) The intraperitoneal injection of reserpine(3 mg/kg) into the non-pregnant, pregnant and oophorectornieed rabbits markedly decreased the uterine content of catecholamines, particularly of the norepinephrine. The stimulatory response to epinephrine and. norepinephrine of the uterine segment of these reserpinized ratbits was markedly reduced whereas the inhibitory response to these catecholamines was enhanced. This finding further support the close relationship between the uterine catecholamines content and uterine response to epineptrire and norepinephrine. 5) In the human uterus, the concentration of epinephrine was actrally greater than that of norepinephrine and it was significantly greater during the proliferative phase of the menstrtal cycle. In the human pregnant uterus, the concentrations of toth epinephrine and ncrefinephrine were markedly reduced and showed about 45 percent rednction after 6-8 weeks of ectopic Pregnancy. At full term ana during labor, the concentrations of epinephrine and norepinephrine at placental sites were less than those found in the non-pregnant group. Of interest was the finding that the norepinephrine concentration of uterus from toxemic patients was two and half times higher than that of lower uterine segment of the nontoxemic pregnant individuals. Also the epinephrine concentraticn was slightly increaeed.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.49 no.11
• /
• pp.1194-1201
• /
• 2006

Purpose : The comatose mentality can be catastrophic, especially if the condition is severe or the duration is prolonged. Therefore, delayed diagnosis can result in a poor outcome or death. The best radiologic modality to differentiate from cerebral lesions in patients suffering from cerebral diseases is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) rather than computed tomography (CT). Special apparatuses with metal materials such as ventilators, and cardiac pacemakers belonging to patients cannot be located in the magnetic field. We aimed to exhibit the possibility of examining MRI, maintaining ventilation at a relative long distance by means of modified $Ambu^{(R)}$. Methods : Self-inflating bags as a sort of a manual ventilator, connected with relatively long extension tubes instead of mechanical ventilators, were adopted to obtain MRI. PVC (polyvinyl chloride) extension tubes had different lengths and diameters. Lengths were 1, 2, and 3 cm and diameters were 15, and 25 mm. The work of breathing and expiratory changes of expiratory tidal volume (TVe), minute volume of expiration (MVe), peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) were measured by use of the mechanical ventilator, $Servoi^{(R)}$, as the alteration of TVi (inspiratory tidal volume), extension tube lengths and diameters with other values fixed. Results : Measured TVe and MVe by ventilator were the same values with control at every TVi, regardless of extension tube lengths and diameters, but PIP were increased with the rise of TVi, tube lengths, with decline of tube diameters, these were statistically significant. Conclusion : MRI examination can be carried out with a self-inflating bag connected with an extension tube at a long distance in patients who need artificial ventilation.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.103-109
• /
• 1988

Cyclobuxine D, extracted from Buxus microphylla var. koreana Nakai, is a steroidal alkaloid. Many pharmacological effects of cyclobuxine D were examined in our Lab. Cyclobuxine D showed a significant bradycardic effect in the rat heart and an inhibitory action on acetylcholine and $Ba^{++}-induced$ contraction of the longitudinal muscle isolated from the rabbit jejunum. In this study, we investigated the effect of cyclobuxine D on the contractile response-elicited by acetylcholine, oxytocin and $Ba^{++}$ in rat uterine. In order to analyse the inhibitory action of cyclobuxine D on the smooth muscle, we examined the inhibitory action of cyclobuxine D against the contractile response of the high potassium-depolarized rat ileum to calcium. Concentration-dependent decrease in the peak tension and duration of the acetylcholine, oxytocin and $Ba^{++}-induced$ contraction in the isolated rat uterus was observed when cyclobuxine D was added to the organ bath. The isolated longitudinal muscle from the rat ileum was immersed calcium-depleted potassium-depolarizing solution. Ten minutes after, 1.8 mM $CaCl_2$ was added to muscle bath and elicited a biphasic increase in muscle tension. Cyclobuxine D $(6.2{\times}10^{-5}\;M)$ produced an appreciable inhibition of both components of the mechanical response. In addition, $3.1{\times}10^{-4}\;M$ cyclobuxine D, introduced at a point when the tonic response had reached its maximum level, caused the muscle to exhibit a rapid lose of tension. Based on these experimental results, we propose the possibility that the inhibitory action of cyclobuxine D on the acetylcholine, oxytocin and $Ba^{++}-induced$ contraction in the isolated rat uterus may be due to blocking potassium-activated calcium channels, voltage-sensitive calcium channels.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.263-271
• /
• 2001

Objective : Glioblastomas, the most common type of primary brain tumors, are highly invasive and cause massive tissue destruction at both the tumor invading edges and in areas that are not in direct contact with glioma cells. As a result, patients with high-grade gliomas are faced with a poor prognosis. Such grim statistics emphasize the need to better understand the mechanisms that underlie glioma invasion, as these may lead to the identification of novel targets in the therapy of high grade gliomas. Protein kinase C(PKC) is a family of serine/threonine kinases and an important signal transduction enzyme that conveys signals generated by ligand-receptor interaction at the cell surface to the nucleus. PKC appears to be critical in regulating many aspects of glioma biology. The purpose of this study was to assess accurately the role of PKC in the invasion regulation of human gliomas based on hypothesis that protein kinase C(PKC) is functional in the process of glial tumor cell invasion. Method : To test this hypothesis, U-87 malignant glioma cell line intracellular PKC levels were up and down regulated and their invasiveness was tested. Intracellular PKC level was characterized using PKC activity assays. Invasion assays including barrier migration and spheroid confrontation were used to study the relationship between PKC concentration and invasiveness. Result : The cell line which were treated by PKC inhibitor tamoxifen and hypericin exhibited decreased PKC activity and decreased invasive abilities dose dependently both in matrigel invasion assay and tumor spheroid fetal rat brain aggregates(FRBA) confrontation assay. However, the cell line that was treated by PKC activator 12-O-tetradecanylphorbol-13acetate(TPA) did not exhibit increases in either PKC activity or invasive ability. Conclusion : These studies suggest that PKC may be a useful molecular target for the chemotherapy of glioblastoma and other malignancies and that a therapeutic approach based on the ability of PKC inhibitors may be helpful in preventing invasion.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.98-106
• /
• 2008

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether intracanal irrigation method could affect the adhesion between intracanal dentin and root canal filling materials (Gutta-percha/AH 26 sealer and Resilon/Epiphany sealer). Thirty extracted human incisor teeth were prepared. Canals were irrigated with three different irrigation methods as a final rinse and obturated with two different canal filling materials (G groups: Gutta-percha/AH 26 sealer, R groups: Resilon/Epiphany sealer) respectively. Group G1, R1-irrigated with 5.25% NaOCl Group G2, R2-irrigated with 5.25% NaOCl, sterile saline Group G3, R3-irrigated with 5.25% NaOCl, 17% EDTA, sterile saline Thirty obturated roots were horizontally sliced and push-out bond strength test was performed in the universal testing machine. After test, the failure patterns of the specimens were observed using Image-analyzing microscope. The results were as follows. 1. Gutta-percha/AH 26 sealer groups had significantly higher push-out bond strength compared with the Resilon/Epiphany sealer groups (p < 0.05). 2. Push-out bond strength was higher when using 17% EDTA followed by sterile saline than using NaOCl as a final irrigation solution in the Resilon/Epiphany sealer groups (p < 0.05). 3. In the failure pattern analysis, there was no cohesive failure in Group G1, G2, and R1. Gutta-percha/AH 26 sealer groups appeared to exhibit predominantly adhesive and mixed failure patterns, whereas Resilon/Epiphany sealer groups exhibited mixed failures with the cohesive failure occurred within the Resilon substrate.