• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.416-422
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• 2008

This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory potential of the crude alkaloidal fraction (CAF) of methanol extract of Solanum trilobatum Linn. (Solanacea) root in animal models of inflammation. Crude alkaloidal fraction at doses of 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg significantly (p < 0.01) reduced carrageenan induced rat paw volume at 3 h after carrageenan challenge as compared to control group of animals. CAF (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) significantly (p < 0.01) and dose dependently suppressed cotton pellet induced granuloma formation. Topical application of CAF (1, 5 and 10 mg/ear) markedly inhibited multiple application of TPA in mice. CAF elicited pronounced inhibitory effects on formaldehyde and adjuvant induced arthritis in rats. These results indicate that CAF of methanol extract of the Solanum trilobatum has anti-inflammatory activity in acute and chronic inflammation.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.43 no.9
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• pp.831-840
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• 2020

The β-class of carbonic anhydrases (β-CAs) are zinc metalloenzymes widely distributed in the fungal kingdom that play essential roles in growth, survival, differentiation, and virulence by catalyzing the reversible interconversion of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and bicarbonate (HCO₃^-). Herein, we report the biochemical and crystallographic characterization of the β-CA CafA from the fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus, the main causative agent of invasive aspergillosis. CafA exhibited apparent in vitro CO₂ hydration activity in neutral to weak alkaline conditions, but little activity at acidic pH. The high-resolution crystal structure of CafA revealed a tetramer comprising a dimer of dimers, in which the catalytic zinc ion is tetrahedrally coordinated by three conserved residues (C119, H175, C178) and an acetate anion presumably acquired from the crystallization solution, indicating a freely accessible "open" conformation. Furthermore, knowledge of the structure of CafA in complex with the potent inhibitor acetazolamide, together with its functional intolerance of nitrate (NO₃^-) ions, could be exploited to develop new antifungal agents for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.81-87
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• 2014

Objectives: We measured the concentrations of culturable airborne fungi (CAF) in enclosed environments at 16 underground subway stations of the Seoul Metro in 2013, and investigated the effect of environmental factors, including temperature, relative humidity, the number of passengers, and distance from the platform. Methods: The cultured fungi were identified by the lactophenol cotton blue (LPCB) staining method and were classified by observing the form, shape, and color of colony. A nonparametric analysis was used to determine if the differences in the concentrations of CAF were statistically significant. Results: The concentrations of CAF at the stations were the highest in station p ($367CFU/m^3$) with arange between 3 and $437CFU/m^3$. There was a significant correlation between CAF concentration and the distance from platform (r = 0.544, p < 0.01). Geotrichum spp. and Penicillium spp. were the predominant species. Conclusion: It is recommended that special attention be given during rush hour, which is in the morning (08:00-10:00) and in the early evening (18:00-19:00) to improve the indoor air quality of the subway stations.

• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.304-310
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• 2006

Transcription factor NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) regulates the induction of Phase II detoxifying enzymes and antioxidant enzymes in response to many cancer chemopreventive compounds. In this study, we investigated the role of receptor associated coactivator (RAC3) or steroid receptor coactivator-3 (SRC3) and other nuclear co-regulators including CBP/p300 (CREB-binding protein), CARM1 (Coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase), PRMT1 (Protein arginine methyl-transferase 1), and p/CAF (p300/CBP-associated factor) in the transcriptional activation of a chimeric Gal4-Nrf2-Luciferase system containing the transactivation domain (TAD) of Nrf2 in HepG2 cells. The results indicated that RAC3 up-regulated the transactivation activity of Gal4-Nrf2-(1-370) in a dose-dependent manner. The enhancement of transactivation domain activity of Gal4-Nrf2-(1-370) by RAC3 was dampened in the presence of dominant negative mutants of RAC3. Next we studied the effects of other nuclear co-regulators including CBP/p300, CARM1, PRMT1 and p/CAF, and the results showed that they had different level of positive effects on this transactivation domain activity of Gal4-Nrf2-(1-370). But importantly, synergistic effects of these co-regulators in the presence of RAC3/SRC3 on the transactivation activity of Gal4-Nrf2-(1-370) were observed. In summary, our present study showed for the first time that the 160 RAC3/SRC3 is involved in the functional transactivation of TAD of Nrf2 and that the other nuclear co-regulators such as CBP/p300, CARM1, PRMT1 and p/CAF can also transcriptionally activate this TAD of Nrf2 and that they could further enhance the transactivation activity mediated by RAC3/SRC3.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.409-416
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• 2007

This study investigated changes in the catechin and alkaloid contents of Bosung green tea during different manufacturing processes and storage periods, using HPLC and UV-VIS spectrophotometer analysis. For changes in the catechin and alkaloid contents by roasting technique, we found that EGCG, CG and GCG decreased just slightly by processes performed before roasting, rather than after roasting. In addition, theobromine, caffeine, and ECG changed minimally throughout all the processes. For changes in the catechin and purine alkaloid contents of the green tea leaves during storage, EGCG, ECG, and CAF decreased considerably in the green tea stored at temperatures of $5^{\circ}C$ and $25^{\circ}C$, and they decreased by $20{\sim}30%$ after storage for 1 year. However, a quantitative difference was hardly observed in the catechin and alkaloid contents regardless of storage temperature.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.126-134
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• 1998

In this paper, the field test by truck load and the structural analysis were performed on a prestressed concrete beam bridge to investigate the load carrying capacity of the prestressed concrete beam bridges. From the results of the field test and the structural analysis, CAF (composite action factor), TIF(transformed impact factor), and $P_n$(load carrying capacity) of the prestressed concrete beam bridges were studied, and the load carrying capacity assessment of the prestressed concrete beam bridges were carried out using these factors.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.269-279
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• 1990

A 98 d feeding trial carried out to study liveweight change and rumen metabolites in heifers weighing initially 275 kg and given either untreated or ammoniated rice straw supplemented with 0, 0.4, 0.8 or 1.2 kg protein meal consisting of cottonseed meal (60). All 32 animals received 0.6 kg rice polishings/hd/d and had continuous access to molasses/urea block-licks containing 15% urea. The effects on growth rates of treatment of the straw with ammonia and of supplementation with bypass protein were additive. The heifers fed ammoniated straw grew 267 g/hd/d (p<0.001) faster and consumed 11% (p<0.05) more straw than the heifers on untreated straw. The mean growth response to bypass protein was 0.37 kg gain/kg protein meal supplied. Supplementation with protein meal tended (p=0.06) to depress intake of straw, but straw intakes of the unsupplemented groups were high. Small changes in the composition of the block-licks that were fed throughout the feeding trial led to changes in block intake and in intake of untreated straw. Increasing quantities of protein meal fed were associated with linear increase in concentrations of ammonia (p<0.05) and in molar percentages of iso-butyrate (p<0.01), iso-valerate (p<0.01) and valerate (p<0.01) in the rumen fluid of the heifers on a basal diet of untreated straw. However, in the rumen fluid of the heifers given ammoniated straw, the levels of these metabolities were not affected by the quantity of protein meal given.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.9
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• pp.410-415
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• 2014

Purpose: Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant condition caused by an NF1 gene mutation. NF1 is also a multisystem disorder that primarily affects the skin and nervous system. The goal of this study was to delineate the phenotypic characterization and assess the NF1 mutational spectrum in patients with NF1. Methods: A total of 42 patients, 14 females and 28 males, were enrolled in this study. Clinical manifestations and results of the genetic study were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Age of the patients at the time of NF1 diagnosis was $15.8{\pm}14.6$ years (range, 1-62 years). Twelve patients (28.6%) had a family history of NF1. Among the 42 patients, $Caf\acute{e}$-au-lait spots were shown in 42 (100%), neurofibroma in 31 (73.8%), freckling in 22 (52.4%), and Lisch nodules in seven (16.7%). The most common abnormal finding in the brain was hamartoma (20%). Mental retardation was observed in five patients (11.9%), seizures in one patient (2.4%), and plexiform neurofibromas (PNFs) in four patients (9.5%). One patient with PNFs died due to a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor in the chest cavity. Genetic analysis of seven patients identified six single base substitutions (three missense and three nonsense) and one small deletion. Among these mutations, five (71.4%) were novel (two missense mutations: p.Leu1773Pro, p.His1170Leu; two nonsense mutations: $p.Arg2517^*$, $p.Cys2371^*$; one small deletion: $p.Leu1944Phefs^*6$). Conclusion: The clinical characteristics of 42 Korean patients with NF1 were extremely variable and the mutations of the NF1 gene were genetically heterogeneous with a high mutation-detection rate.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.3829-3833
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• 2016

Inhibition of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) may improve the efficacy of cancer therapy. Polysaccharide extracted from polygonatum can selectively inhibit the growth of prostate-CAFs (p<0.001) without inhibiting the growth of normal fibroblasts (NAFs). Polysaccharides from polygonatum stimulate autophagy of prostate-CAFs. 3-methyl-adenine(3-MA) is an autophagy inhibitor. 3-MA was added to prostate-CAFs with polysaccharide from polygonatum to determine whether autophagy plays an important role in the restrained effect. Finally, polysaccharide from polygonatum treatment significantly increased the activation of Beclin-1 and LC3, key autophagy proteins. Polysaccharide from polygonatum stimulates autophagy of prostate-CAFs and inhibits prostate-CAF growth, indicating that a novel anti-cancer strategy involves inhibiting the growth of prostate-CAFs.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.203-208
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• 2009

Lunasin is a unique 43-amino acid peptide which has shown a chemopreventive in mammalian cells and in a skin cancer mouse model. In search for new sources of lunasin and the role of cereals in cancer prevention, we report here the properties of lunasin purified from millet. Stability of millet lunasin was measured by in vitro digestibility assay using pepsin and pancreatin. Inhibition of HAT (histone acetyltransferase) and nuclear localization in mammalian cells were used to measure lunasin bioactivity as the cancer chemopreventive agent. Lunasin present in millet crude protein was stable to pepsin and pancreatin in in vitro digestion and inhibited the activities of HATs. When added exogenously, lunasin purified from millet internalized in the nuclei of mouse fibroblast cells. On the base of this result, we conclude that lunasin in millet is bioactive and consumption of millet may play an important role on cancer prevention in millet-consuming populations.