• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.275-284
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• 2014

This study was orchestrated with the purpose of uncovering new nutraceutical resources possessing biological activities in the plant kingdom. To fulfill our objective, we analyzed several Chinese plants and selected three possessing powerful anti-oxidative activities. The anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects these three Chinese plants, Malus hupehensis, Ophiorrhiza cantonensis, and Psychotria rubra ethanol extracts were then evaluated. First of all, they possessed potent scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl, similar with that of ascorbic acid, used as a positive control. Moreover, they inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- and hydrogen peroxide-induced reactive oxygen species, in a dose-dependent manner, in RAW 264.7 cells. Also, they induced the expression of an anti-oxidative enzyme, heme oxygenase 1, and its upstream transcription factor, nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2. Furthermore, they suppressed LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) formation, without cytotoxicity. The inhibition of NO formation was the result of the down regulation of inducible NO synthase (iNOS). The suppression of NO and iNOS by the three extracts might be the result of modulation by the upstream transcription factors, nuclear factor ${\kappa}B$ and activator protein-1. Taken together, these results indicate that these three Chinese plants possess potent anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. Therefore, they might be utilized as promising materials in the field of nutraceuticals.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2002

Biological control of thrips with a predatory bug species, Orius sauteri Poppius, was evaluated in an eggplant greenhouse, To study the biological control strategy of thrips. three Plots were established: Orius sauteri released plot without pesticide treatment (NRT), pesticide treated plot (PAT), and natural enemy removed plot (RNT) The nymphs of O. sauteri were found on the upper side of leaves in NRT at 21 days after the first release of O. sauteri. The density of thrips were dropped and maintained at lower level in NRT than in RNT. Average damage index of NRT, PAT and RNT was 1.35, 1.21 and 2.90 and the percentage of damaged fruit ratio of those was 70.3, 68.6 and 99.0%, respectively. The damage index and percentage of damaged fruit in NRT were slightly higher than those of PAT, but much lower than in RNT. Taylor's band Iwao's $\beta$ were greater than 1 for both populations. indicating aggregated distribution. Spatial coincidence index of O. sauteri was high most of the time even at low densities of both populations. The refuge index for thrips decreased as O. sauteri density increased. Results of this study suggest that O. sauteri is a promising natural enemy for thrips control on eggplant.

• Clean Technology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.398-405
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• 2014

In the treatment of spent high energetic materials, the issues such as environmental pollution, safety as well as working capacity should be carefully considered and well examined. In this regard, incineration has been recommended as one of the most promising processes for the disposal of such explosives. Due to the fact that high energetic materials encompass various types and their different characteristics, the technology development dealing with various materials is not an easy task. In this study, rigorous modeling and dynamic simulation was carried out to predict dynamic physico-chemical phenomena for research department explosive (RDX). Plug flow reactor was employed to describe the incinerator with 263 elementary reactions and 43 chemical species. Simulation results showed that safe operations can be achieved mainly by controlling the reactor temperature. At 1,200 K, only thermal decomposition (combustion) occurred, whereas increasing temperature to 1,300 K, caused the reaction rates to increase drastically, which led to ignition. The temperature further increased to 3,000 K which was the maximum temperature recorded for the entire process. Case studies for different operating temperatures were also executed and it was concluded that the modeling approach and simulation results will serve as a basis for the effective design and operation of RDX incinerator.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.269-278
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• 2002

To establish the mass propagation methods of Weigela subsessilis,, a promising native plant species for horticultural use, several factors influencing rooting from stem cuttings were evaluated. Softwood cuttings showed best rooting rate, 70~77%, in all the cutting media tested, 2.8 times more than hardwood cuttings in which perlite was best medium. The rooting from hardwood cuttings was promoted by higher concentration of all growth regulators used,500 mg.L$^{-1}$ NAA being the best with 80%. More than 80% of softwood cuttings treated by growth regulators produced roots, especially 100, 500, and 1000mg.L$^{-1}$ NAA producing 97％. Roofings from semi-wood cuttings was enhanced by all the growth regulators, except 1000 mg.L$^{-1}$ concentration in which rooting was reduce. Higher rooting rate was obtained by higher concentration and longer soaking duration of NAA in case of hardwood cutting. Softwood cutting showed 100 ％ rooting by soaking treatment with 500 mg.L$^{-1}$ NAA for 3 min. Rooting rate of semi-hardwood cuttings was promoted by higher concentration and longer soaking with growth regulators, However, the degree of improvement was lower than soft and hardwood cutting.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.973-980
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• 2014

This study was conducted to explore new nutraceutical resources from the plant kingdom possessing biological activities. To fulfill this purpose, the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities of Decaisnea insignis ethanol extract (DIEE) were evaluated. First, DIEE possessed potent scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH), similar to ascorbic acid used as a positive control. Moreover, DIEE inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- and hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$)-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) in RAW 264.7 cells. Furthermore, DIEE induced the expression of an anti-oxidative enzyme, heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), and its upstream transcription factor, nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), in a dose-dependent manner. The modulation of the HO-1 and Nrf2 expressions might be regulated by mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and their upstream signaling pathways. On the other hand, DIEE suppressed LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) formation without cytotoxicity. The inhibition of the NO formation was the result of the downregulation of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) by DIEE. The suppression of NO and iNOS by DIEE might be modulated by their upstream transcription factors, nuclear factor ${\kappa}B$ ($NF-{\kappa}B$), and activator protein 1 (AP-1) pathways. Taken together, these results provide important new insights that D. insignis possesses anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. Therefore, it might be utilized as a promising material in the field of nutraceuticals.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.362-367
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• 2009

Among total 176 strains with antialgal effects isolated from So-ok stream in Korea, Pseudomonas aeruginosa AJ1 showed the highest removal efficiency for an algal species Microcystis aeruginosa (clear zone of diameter 50.0 mm on algal lawn after 20 days). The algal growth was suppressed even when the supernatant of AJ1 culture was applied, suggesting that extracellular substances are responsible for its antialgal activity. The removal activity of AJ1 was optimal under the following condition: pH 8, $30^{\circ}C$, and mannitol as a carbon source. The antialgal activity of AJ1 appeared to be dependent of the growth phase of M. aeruginosa, i.e., the highest at the early phase, but not its own phase. As expected, the algicidal effect was improved as the amount of the treated supernatant was increased; the highest removal efficiency (80.3%) was achieved when 40 ml/L of the supernatant was used. Interestingly, however, the removal rate was opposite. The highest removal rate ($8.2{\mu}g$ chl-a/ml supernatant/day) was achieved when low concentration (10 ml/L) was applied. These results suggest that P. aeruginosa AJ1 is a promising biological agent to control the problematic algal bloom.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.11
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• pp.1293-1299
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• 2017

Obesity contributes to the development of diseases, such as type II diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and cancer. In addition, oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) is recognized widely as a contributing factor in the development of chronic diseases. This study was examined the antioxidant and anti-adipogenic activities of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. 3T3-L1 cells were differentiated with or without EGCG for 6 days. The production of glutathione (GSH) and the activities of the antioxidant enzymes, such as glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured. EGCG inhibited significantly the lipid accumulation and the expression of adipogenic specific proteins including CCAAT/enhancer binding protein ${\alpha}$ and adipocyte fatty acid binding protein. The production of intracellular ROS was decreased significantly by EGCG in 3T3-L1 cells. EGCG increased the GSH production and the activities of GPx, GR, CAT, and SOD. Moreover, EGCG increased the protein expression of glutamate-cysteine ligase and heme oxygenase-1 in 3T3-L1 cells. These results suggest that EGCG increased the activity and expression of antioxidant enzymes and suppressed the lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells. Therefore, the use of phytochemicals that can maintain the GSH redox balance in adipose tissue could be promising for reducing obesity.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.311-319
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• 2018

Mitochondrial calcium overload is a crucial event in determining the fate of neuronal cell survival and death, implicated in pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. One of the driving forces of calcium influx into mitochondria is mitochondria membrane potential (${\Delta}{\psi}_m$). Therefore, pharmacological manipulation of ${\Delta}{\psi}_m$ can be a promising strategy to prevent neuronal cell death against brain insults. Based on these issues, we investigated here whether nobiletin, a Citrus polymethoxylated flavone, prevents neurotoxic neuronal calcium overload and cell death via regulating basal ${\Delta}{\psi}_m$ against neuronal insult in primary cortical neurons and pure brain mitochondria isolated from rat cortices. Results demonstrated that nobiletin treatment significantly increased cell viability against glutamate toxicity ($100{\mu}M$, 20 min) in primary cortical neurons. Real-time imaging-based fluorometry data reveal that nobiletin evokes partial mitochondrial depolarization in these neurons. Nobiletin markedly attenuated mitochondrial calcium overload and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in glutamate ($100{\mu}M$)-stimulated cortical neurons and isolated pure mitochondria exposed to high concentration of $Ca^{2+}$ ($5{\mu}M$). Nobiletin-induced partial mitochondrial depolarization in intact neurons was confirmed in isolated brain mitochondria using a fluorescence microplate reader. Nobiletin effects on basal ${\Delta}{\psi}_m$ were completely abolished in $K^+-free$ medium on pure isolated mitochondria. Taken together, results demonstrate that $K^+$ influx into mitochondria is critically involved in partial mitochondrial depolarization-related neuroprotective effect of nobiletin. Nobiletin-induced mitochondrial $K^+$ influx is probably mediated, at least in part, by activation of mitochondrial $K^+$ channels. However, further detailed studies should be conducted to determine exact molecular targets of nobiletin in mitochondria.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 1994.06a
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• pp.11-26
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• 1994

Crown gall of stonefruit and nut trees is one of the very few plant diseases subject to efficient biological control. The disease is caused by the soil-inhabiting bacteria Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Agrobacterium rhizogenes and the original control organism was a non-pathogenic isolate of A. rhizogenes strain K84. Control is achieved by dipping planting material in a cell suspension of strain K84 which specifically inhibits pathogenic strains containing a nopaline Ti plasmid. Because the agrocin 84-encoding plasmid (pAgK84) is conjugative, it can be transmitted from the control strain to pathogenic strains which, as a result, become immune to agrocin 84 and cannot be controlled. To prevent this happening, the transfer genes on pAgK84 were located and then largely eliminated by recombinant DNA technology. The resulting construct, strain K1026, is transfer deficient but controls crown gall just as effectively as does strain K84. Field data from Spain confirm that pAgK84 can transfer to pathogenic recipients from strain K84 but not from strain K1026. The latter has been registered in Australia as a pesticide and is the first genetically engineered organism in the world to be released fro commercial use. It is recommended as a replacement for strain K84 to prevent a breakdown in the effectiveness of biological control of crown gall. Several reports indicate that both strains K84 and K1026 sometimes control crown gall pathogens that are resistant to agrocin 84. A possible reason for this is that both strains produce a second antibiotic called 434 which inhibits growth of nearly all isolates of A. rhizogenes, both pathogens and non-pathogens. Crown gall of grapevine is caused by another species, Agrobacterium vitis. It is resistant to agrocin 84 and cannot be controlled by strains K84 or K1026. It is different from other crown gall pathogens in several characteristics, including the fact that, although a rhizosphere coloniser, its also lives systemically in the vascular tissue of grapevine. Pathogen free propagating material can be obtained from tissue culture or, less surely, by heat therapy of dormant cuttings. A number of laboratories are searching for a biocontrol strain that will prevent, or at least delay, reinfection. A non-pathogenic A. vitis strain F/25 from South Africa looks very promising in this regard.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.125-132
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• 2014

In this study, the chemical constituents of bulb from Lilium lancifolium and Lilium tsingtauense were investigated. The content of moisture, crude protein and fiber of bulb from L. tsingtauense was higher than that of L. lancifolium, whereas the content of crude ash and nitrogen free extract of bulb from L. lancifolium was higher than that of L. tsingtauense. HPLC analysis revealed that total free sugar and amino acid content of bulb from L. tsingtauense was higher than that of L. lancifolium. There was no remarkable difference in proximate composition between the two species. The content of p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid was 1.93 mg% and 0.25 mg% in ethyl acetate fraction of L. lancifolium, on the other hand, 2.94 mg% and 0.46 mg% in ether fraction of L. tsingtauense. These results suggest that the bulb of L. tsingtauense can be considered as promising oriental medicine resource likewise L. lancifolium.