• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.29-42
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• 1998

$Mg^{2+}$ is one of the most abundant divalent cations in mammalian body(0.2~1.0mM) and the important physiological roles are : first, the cofactor of many enzyme activities, second, the regulator of glycolysis and DNA synthesis, third, the important role of bioenergetics by regulating of phosphorylation, fourth, the influence of cardiac metabolism and function. In this work we have investigated the regulation of the $Mg^{2+}$ induced by ${\alpha}_1-adrenoceptor$ stimulation in perfused guinea pig hearts and isolated myocytes. The $Mg^{2+}$ content of the perfusate or the supernatant was measured by atomic absorbance spectrophotometry. The elimination of $Mg^{2+}$ in the medium increased the force of contraction of right ventricular papillary muscles, and the left ventricular pressure. Phenylephrine also enhanced the force of contraction in the presence of $Mg^{2+}-free$ medium. ${\alpha}_1-Agonists$ such as phenylephrine and methoxamine were found to induce $Mg^{2+}$ efflux in both perfused hearts and myocytes. These effects were blocked by prazosin, an ${\alpha}_1-adrenoceptor$ antagonist. The $Mg^{2+}$ influx could also be induced by phenylephrine and R59022, a diacylglycerol kinase inhibitor. In the presence of protein kinase C(PKC) inhibitors, phenylephrine produced an increase in $Mg^{2+}$ efflux from perfused hearts. Furthermore, $Mg^{2+}$ efflux by phenylephrine was amplified by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate(PMA). This enhancement of $Mg^{2+}$ efflux by PMA was blocked by prazosin in perfused hearts. By contrast, the $Mg^{2+}$ influx could be induced by verapamil, nifedipine, ryanodine in perfused hearts, but not in myocytes. $W^7$, a $Ca^{2+}$/calmodulin antagonist, completely blocked the phenylephrine-induced $Mg^{2+}$ efflux in perfused hearts. In conclusion, $Mg^{2+}$ is responsible for the cardiac activity associated with ${\alpha}_1-adrenoceptor$ stimulation. The mobilization of $Mg^{2+}$ is decreased or increased by ${\alpha}_1-adrenoceptor$ stimulation in guinea pig hearts. These responses may be related specifically to the respective pathways of signal transduction. A decrease in $Mg^{2+}$ efflux by ${\alpha}_1-adrenoceptor$ stimulation in hearts can be through PKC dependent and intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ levels.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.638-645
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• 2015

This study analyzed the physiological quality of Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (ice plant) extract. M. crystallinum is a succulent plant found in Africa, southern Europe, North America, South America, and Australia. It has known antidiabetic, antioxidant, and activation of lipid metabolism effects. Extracts from M. crystallinum were prepared with methanol (MCM), ethanol (MCE), hot water (MCHW), and methanol after hot water (MCHM) extractions. The yields of MCM, MCE, MCHW, and MCHM were 0.37, 0.33, 0.50, and 0.07%, respectively. To determine the biological activities of the extracts, mushroom tyrosinase, pancreatic lipase, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, nitric oxide (NO) production, and α-glucosidase assays were conducted. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of the MCHW extract was 62.9% at a concentration of 400 μg/ml, which was the highest of all the extracts. The MCM extract showed the highest inhibition activity of α-glucosidase and NO production (56.6 and 57.2%, respectively). The pancreatic lipase inhibition of the MCE extract was similar to that of the MCM extract, with significant inhibition of 90%. The mushroom tyrosinase inhibition of all the extracts was very low (approximately 30%). These results suggest that extracts from M. crystallinum have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiobesity, and antidiabetic activities. Thus, it may have potential as a functional food product and therapeutic potential as an antidiabetic or antiobesity agent.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.482-499
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• 2017

Allergic diseases have increased over the past several decade worldwide including developing countries. Allergic inflammatory responses are caused by Th (T helper)2 immune responses, triggered by allergen ingestion by antigen presenting cells such as dendritic cells (DCs). Intestinal microorganisms control the metabolism and physiological functions of the host, contribute to early immune system maturation during the early life, and homeostasis and epithelial integrity during life. Bifidobacteria have strain-specific immunostimulatory properties in the Th1/Th2 balance, inhibit TSLP (thymic stromal lymphopoietin) and IgE expression, and promote Flg (Filaggrin) and FoxP3 (Treg) expression to alleviate allergies. In addition, unmethylated CpG motif ODN (oligodeoxynucleotides) is recognized by TLR (toll-like receptors)9 of B cells and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) to induce innate and adaptive immune responses, while the butyrate produced by Clostridium butyricum activates the GPR (G-protein coupled receptors)109a signaling pathway to induce the expression of anti-inflammatory gene of pDCs, and directly stimulates the proliferation of thymically derived regulatory T (tTreg) cells through the activation of GPR43 or inhibits the activity of HADC (histone deacetylase) to differentiate naive $CD4^+$ T cells into pTreg cells through the histone H3 acetylation of Foxp3 gene intronic enhancer.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.19-28
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• 1999

To investigate the physiological and biochemical differences between susceptible and tolerant species of Echinochloa species to the foliar applied cyhalofop-butyl and pyribenzoxim herbicides, herbicidal response, the rate of absorption, translocation and metabolism were studied. Among 148 individuals of Echinochloa species collected from 41 sampling sites in Korea which were classified into 7 geographical regions, based on morphological characteristics of plant and seed type, 46 lines were used for further studies. From them, E. crus-galli var. praticola collected from Hwanggan and E. crus-galli var. crus-galli collected from Namyangju were selected as the most susceptible species to cyhalofop-butyl and pyribenzoxim, respectively. Meanwhile, E. oryzicola(from Cheju) and E. crus-galli var. crus-galli(from Asan) were selected as tolerant species to cyhalofop-butyl and pyribenzoxim, respectively. Application of radio-labelled herbicides on the 1st leaf to both susceptible and tolerant Echinochloa species exhibited that the applied $^{14}C$-Cyhalofop-butyl and $^{14}C$-pyribenzoxim were more easily absorbed and translocated into stem tissues than root. Absorption of $^{14}C$-Cyhalofop-butyl increased rapidly at 1 h after application and reached the maximum at 12 h after application. However, the absorption rate of $^{14}C$-pyribenzoxim was not changed. Two metabolites from cyhalofop-butyl-treated plants and one metabolite from pyribenzoxim-treated plants were separated by TLC. The amount of metabolite 1 in cyhalofop-butyl-treated tolerant species was significantly higher than that in the susceptible one, suggesting differences in detoxification ability between susceptible and tolerant species.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.721-726
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• 1998

The changes of thyroid hormone levels in plasma, eggs and yolk-sac larvae in female rockfish (Sebastes schiegeli) were examined after maternal injection of 3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine ($T_3$) with a dose of 20 mg/kg fish wt. There were no differences of L-thyronine ($T_4$) level in maternal plasma and yolk-sac larvae between $T_3$ injection and vehicle-injected control. The significant decrease of $T_4$ level was found in eggs from the $T_3$ injected mother fish compared with that of control. $T_3$ levels in maternal plasma, eggs, and yolk-sac larvae were significantly elevated by $T_3$ injection. Therefore $T_4$ and $T_3$ in maternal circulation may be transferred into oocytes and subsequently into the yolk-sac larvae. These findings suggest that thyroid hormones may play some roles on physiological metabolism during early larval development of rockfish.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-22
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• 2011

Objectives : This study was undertaken to verify the effects of Wolbigachul-tang1(WBCEx1) on obesity using high fat diet-induced male mice and to investigate the molecular mechanisms involved. Methods : 8-week old C57BL/6 mice were divided into 5 groups; lean control, obese control, WBCEx1, 2, 3. After mice were treated with WBCEx1(water extract), 2(30% ethanol extract), 3(water extract; Ephedra sinica Stapf., Gypsum fibrosum) for 12 weeks, body weight gain, feeding efficiency ratio, plasma lipid and glucose metabolism, the messenger RNA(mRNA) expression of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor(PPAR)$\alpha$ target genes were measured. In addition, $PPAR{\alpha}$ target gene expression was examined in liver, white adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. Results : 1. WBCEx1-treated mice had significantly lower body weight gain and feeding efficiency ratio. 2. Consistent with the effects on body weight gain, WBCEx1 decreased the weights of epididymal and retroperitoneal white adipose tissue, inguinal subcutaneous adipose tissue, and brown adipose tissue. 3. WBCEx1 significantly decreased plasma triglyceride and total cholesterol levels. 4. The size of adipocytes were significantly decreased by WBCEx1, whereas the adipocyte number per unit area was increased. Hepatic lipid accumulation was decreased by WBCEx1. 5. WBCEx1 did not affect the mRNA expression of $PPAR{\alpha}$ target genes in liver, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle. 6. Plasma asparate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT), blood urea nitrogen(BUN) and creatine concentrations were in the physiological range. Liver and kidney weights were significantly lower following WBCEx treatment compared with obese controls, indicating that WBCEx does not show any toxic effects on liver and kidney. Conclusions : These results suggest that WBCEx1-induced body weight reduction is associated with appetite control and mediated by a mechanism other than the activation of $PPAR{\alpha}$.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.60-68
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• 2017

Background: Various Panax ginseng cultivars exhibit a range of diversity for morphological and physiological traits. However, there are few studies on diversity of metabolic profiles and genetic background to understand the complex metabolic pathway in ginseng. Methods: To understand the complex metabolic pathway and related genes in ginseng, we tried to conduct integrated analysis of primary metabolite profiles and related gene expression using five ginseng cultivars showing different morphology. We investigated primary metabolite profiles via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and analyzed transcriptomes by Illumina sequencing using adventitious roots grown under the same conditions to elucidate the differences in metabolism underlying such genetic diversity. Results: GC-MS analysis revealed that primary metabolite profiling allowed us to classify the five cultivars into three independent groups and the grouping was also explained by eight major primary metabolites as biomarkers. We selected three cultivars (Chunpoong, Cheongsun, and Sunhyang) to represent each group and analyzed their transcriptomes. We inspected 100 unigenes involved in seven primary metabolite biosynthesis pathways and found that 21 unigenes encoding 15 enzymes were differentially expressed among the three cultivars. Integrated analysis of transcriptomes and metabolomes revealed that the ginseng cultivars differ in primary metabolites as well as in the putative genes involved in the complex process of primary metabolic pathways. Conclusion: Our data derived from this integrated analysis provide insights into the underlying complexity of genes and metabolites that co-regulate flux through these pathways in ginseng.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1247-1260
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• 2009

This dissertation aims to study the five tastes in the Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine. Medicinals as well as Foods are classified by the five tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and pungent, which can be tasted by the tongue. With the development of the theory dealing with the medicinal properties, some flavors are summarized out of clinical actions of medicinals, therefore, there is a little difference between the flavors of medicinal herbs and the tastes got by tongue. Each taste acts on or has direct influence on a specific vital organ, and each of which has different physiologic actions. Taste also has a long-term or post digestive effect on the body and its metabolism. When each taste is consumed in moderation, it benefits the corresponding organ. Over-indulgence in any taste harms the organ and creates imbalance among the five vital organ systems. The Korean medicinal herbs with same flavor mostly possess similar actions while the medicinal herbs with different flavors show different actions in the treatment, which are shown as follows. Sour has absorbing, consolidating and astringent actions and acts on the liver. Bitter has the actions of drying or resolving dampness, purging and lowering and acts on the heart. Sweet has the nourishing, harmonizing and moistening actions and acts on the spleen. Pungent has an action of dispersing and promoting circulation of gi and blood and acts on the lungs. Salty has the effects of softening hard nodes or masses and promoting defecation, etc and acts on the kidneys. The five organ systems control and support each other. Proper coordination only exists when there is no one organ stronger or weaker than the rest. Since the five tastes have direct influences on the five organs, the diet we take should have a good combination of the five tastes in order to promote internal balance and harmony. They control our well-being and create dietary balance. Excessive consumption of any of these could result in adverse effects. In a word, when the properties of the five tastes respectively are distinguished, their natures and flavors cannot be separately considered. I think the harmonization of food and medicinals should be stressed on good nutritional diet to maintain good health. The traditional belief that food and medicine share the same origin is a part of Korean medicine tradition.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.69-76
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• 1982

The effect of parathyroid hormone on calcium and phosphate metabolism have been widely investigated, however less attention has been paid to the effect on urinary excretion. This study was performed for the purpose determining urinary excretion of Na, K, Ca, and $Po_4$, of 18 thyroparathyroidectomized (TPTX) rabbits, which were TPTX previously 7 to 10 days compared with the same normal ones. After TPTX 0.2 mg/day of synthyroid was donated to the rabbits. The concentration of electrolytes in the serum and urine was determined by the following method; Na and K were determined by means of flame photometry, Ca was by EDTA titration $method^{19)}$, and $Po_4$ by Fiske and Subba-Raw $method^{20)}$. The results as follows. The concentrations of electrolytes in the serum were 1) In the normal control rabbits (N = 25) (data, $Mean{\pm}S.E.$) $Na\;131.72{\pm}1.33\;mEq/L$, $K\;3.59{\pm}0.28\;mEq/L$, $Ca\;12.58{\pm}0.29\;mg%$, $Po_4\;4.50{\pm}\;0.45mg%$. 2) In the TPTX rabbits(N= 18) $Na\;140.6l{\pm}2.56\;mEq/L$, $K\;3.38{\pm}0.36\;mEq/L$, $Ca\;l2.18{\pm}0.45\;mg%$, $Po_4\;3.92{\pm}\;0.35\;mg%$. There was no significant change between the normal and TPTX rabbits. The concentration of elelctrolytes in the urine were variously changed. 3) In the normal rabbits. $Na\;8.40{\pm}1.09\;mEq/L$, $K\;81.59{\pm}10.19\;mEq/L$, $Ca\;16.02{\pm}3.12\;mg%$, $Po_4\;13.16{\pm}2.89mg%$. 4) In the TPTX rabbits, $Na\;14.57{\pm}3.39\;mEq/L$ slight ncreased, $K\;116.06{\pm}12.77\;mEq/L$ significant increased (P<0.05), $Ca\;18.90{\pm}5.44\;mg%$ no significant increased, $Po_4\;43.38{\pm}8.67\;mg%$ significant increased (p<0.01). The effect of TPTX was assumed that it affected upon increasing tubular secretion of $K^+$ and inhibition of the tubular reabsorption of $Po_4$.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.551-556
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• 2002

We have experimentally evaluated the content of thyroid hormones (THs), the growth and activity of larval rockfish (Sebastes schiegeli) born from parturient mother fish injected with 20 $\mu$g/g BW of 3,5,3-triiodo-L-thyronine ($T_{3}$). There was no difference of L-thyroxine ($T_{4}$) levels between controls (sham control and control) and $T_{3}$ groups in yolk-sac larvae just born from broodstock, while $T_{3}$level of $T_{3}$ group was significantly increased compared with controls. In addition, the both larval $T_{3}$ and $T_{4}$ levels in $T_{3}$ group were always higher than those of control during experimental period. Also, there were significant differences in the development of larvae from the two groups. The larval growth in total length and body weight according to the elapsed days after parturition showed the linear and curve equations, respectively, and the slopes of $T_{3}$ group were significantly higher than those of control. The survival rate of larvae in $T_{3}$ group was higher than that of control. Although the survival rate in $T_{3}$ group under the condition of starvation was significantly depressed compared with the control, larval swimming index in $T_{3}$ group was higher than control. Finally, these findings suggest that the exogenous $T_{3}$ could be transferred into hatched larvae in parturient rockfish by maternal injection, and subsequently the exogenous hormone could play some roles on physiological metabolism of larvae after parturition and may confer a distinct advantage to the fragile larvae during the early developmental stage.