• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.223-230
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• 2001

Melatonin, a pineal gland hormone, is believed to act as an antioxidant via the stimulation of radical detoxifying enzymes and scavenging of free radicals. In this study, effects of in vitro and in vivo treatments of melatonin on the cisplatin-induced lipid peroxidation, LDH release and plasma creatinine were determined in rabbit renal cortical cells. The level of malondialdehyde (MDA) was assayed as an index of lipid peroxidation and the level of LDH release as an indicator of cellular damage. In in vitro studies, cisplatin increased the levels of MDA and LDH release in a concentration-and time-dependent manner. Melatonin inhibited the cisplatin-induced lipid peroxidation and LDH release in a concentration-dependent manner. The minimal effective concentration of melatonin that significantly reduced the $300\;{\mu}M$ cisplatin-induced lipid peroxidation and LDH release was 1 mM. In in vivo studies, the levels of lipid peroxidation and LDH release in renal cortical cells increased significantly 24 or 48 hours after a single injection of cisplatin (6 mg/kg). When the cisplatin-injected rabbits were pretreated with 10 mg/kg of melatonin, a significant reduction in both lipid peroxidation and LDH release was observed. The plasma creatinine level increased from $0.87{\pm}0.07$ mg/dl in control to $6.33{\pm}0.54$ mg/dl in cisplatin-injected rabbits (P＜0.05). Melatonin partially prevented the increase in serum creatinine level $(1.98{\pm}0.11\;mg/dl)$ by cisplatin (P＜0.05). In the proximal tubules from cisplatin-treated group, tubular cells had microvilli of variable heights. Necrotic debris was seen in tubular lumens. In most of cells, the mitochondria and lysosomes were increased in frequency. The endocytic vacuoles were not prominent and distribution of the brush border was irregular and shortened. These cisplatin-induced morphological changes were moderate in the melatonin-pretreated group. These results suggest that the toxicity of cisplatin is associated with the generation of reactive oxygen free radicals and that melatonin is a powerful antioxidant, which prevents some of the adverse effects of cisplatin.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.234-234
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• 2017

Recent abnormal weather, especially continued rainfall during sowing season causes difficulty in proper sowing of wheat and delayed sowing after November 15 is concerned about freezing damage during winter, resulting in reduction of wheat yield. To correspond government policy of crop sufficiency improvement and produce and supply raw wheat and barley steadily, expansion of cultivation area is necessary and spring sowing of wheat is required. To obtain basic information on the improvement of spring sown wheat and barley production, comparison and path coefficients analysis was conducted for yield and yield related components from autumn and spring sown wheat and barley. Path analyses were known as very useful in clarifying the effects of yield components on grain yield formation, which were not accurately reflected in simple correlation anaylses. Most cultivated 5 wheat and 9 barley cultivars were sown on October and February at Cheon-ju province according to standard sowing method. For the spring sowing of wheat and barley, the varieties having vernalization degree I~III are seeded in the mid of February and seeding rate is 200~250kg/ha which is increased by 25% than autumn sowing. N-fertilizer of 95 kg/ha and the same amount of P, K dressed in autumn are applied at once as basal fertilizer. The magnitude of direct effect in each yield components on yield was in sequence as follows. In autumn wheat, grain number per $spike{\geq}$ the number of spike per $m^2$>1000-grain weight and in spring wheat, grain number per $ spike{\geq}the$ number of spike per $m^2$> 1000-grain weight. In autumn naked barley, 1000-grain weight> the number of spike per $m^2$, grain number per spike and in spring barely, the number of spike per $m^2$> grain number per spike > 1000-grain weight. In autumn covered barley, grain number per spike>the number of spike per $m^2$ and in spring coverd barley, the number of spike per $m^2$> grain number per spike, 1000-grain weight. In autumn malt barley, the number of spike per $m^2$>1000-grain weight and in spring malt barley, the direct effects of three yield components were similar. According to the path analysis of yield components for spring sown wheat and barley, it was suggested that adequate number of spike per $m^2$ was most important factor for yield increase.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.229-234
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• 2012

BACKGROUND: The fruit quality and flowering characteristics of Kiwifruit (A. deliciosa cv. Hayward) in the following year is known to be affected by the extent and timing of defoliation of the current year. In korea, the production of kiwi, which is a perennial, straggling deciduous warm-temperate fruit, is often restricted by wind damage due to typhoons resulting to defoliation at the middle season of its growing period. In this paper, we report the effect of the different timing of defoliation and severities at the current season to the kiwifruit quality. METHODS AND RESULTS: Twenty seven-year-old 'Hayward' trees grown under polyethylene film rain-shelter were defoliated in different days from August to September at seven day-intervals. In each day, 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of leaves were removed from the trees. Fruits from each treatment were classified into four floating types (L: lying in bottom, S: standing on bottom, F: floating and SF: floating at the surface of water) by submerging them into tap water. Defoliation of kiwifruit trees in August and September caused air holes in locules of inner pericarp. Increased number of air hole in locules of a fruit was observed in floating types F and SF, and most of the air holes were located in stem end. The defoliation of trees in August significantly reduced the ratio of L-floating type fruits, which have the least number of locule air holes. The extent of defoliation also affected the distribution of the four types, the more leaves removed, the less L-floating type fruits harvested. The weight of fruits from trees defoliated in August was lower than that of fruits from September. Soluble solids content decreased as the number of locule air holes increased. Negative correlations were observed between the extent of defoliation and the weight and soluble solids content of fruits. CONCLUSION: Early defoliation effect on kiwifruit locule air hole occurrence and fruit quality were more severe in August than in September. And also if the defoliation severity is over 25%, severe fruit quality reduction expected to happen due to increase of fruit locule air hole in the inner pericarp.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.54-65
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• 2010

Objective : The water extract of Chungsimyeonja-eum (CSYJE) has traditionally been used in treatments of heart diseases and brain diseases in Oriental medicine. However, little is known about the mechanism by which CSYJE protects neuronal cells from injury damages. Therefore, in this study we attempted to elucidate the mechanism of the cytoprotective effect of the CSYJE extract on glutamate-induced C6 glial cell death. Methods : Cultured cells were pretreated with CSYJE and exposed to glutamate, cell damage was assessed by using MTT assay and propidium iodide (PI), probe 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA) staining. Western blotting was performed using anti-procaspase-3 and anti-PARP, respectively. Result : We determined the elevated cell viability by CSYJE extract on glutamate-induced C6 glial cell death. Glutamate induced DNA fragmentation on C6 glial cells but pre-treatment with CSYJE inhibited DNA fragmentation. One of the main mediators of glutamate-induced cytotoxicity was known to generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Pre-treatment with CSYJE inhibited this ROS generation from glutamate-stimulated C6 glial cells. Also, we identified that the ROS-induced DCF-DA green fluorescence was reduced by CSYJE pre-treatment. The critical markers of apoptotic cell death are the cleavages of procaspase-3 protease and PARP proteins, so we checked the expression level and cleavages of procaspase-3 protease and PARP proteins. Glutamate-treated C6 glial cells showed the cleavages of procaspase-3 protease and PARP proteins and followed the reduction of expression of these proteins. Conclusion : These findings indicate that CSYJE may prevent cell death from glutamate-induced C6 glial cell death by inhibiting the ROS generation and procaspase-3 and PARP expression.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.152-171
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• 2022

Objectives : This study was designed to investigate the effects of Sunbanghwalmyung-eum gamibang on Monosodium iodoacetate-induced osteoarthritis rats. Methods : Forty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into 5 groups of 8 rats each. Osteoarthritis (OA) was induced by injecting MIA (2 mg/50 µl) into the joint cavity of the left knee of SD rats belonging to the experimental group, and normal saline was injected into the joint cavity of the left knee instead of MIA in the normal group. To the normal group and the controlled group (OA group), 2 ml of distilled water was orally administered. To the positive control group (Indomethacin group), indomethacin 2 ml at a concentration of 2 mg/kg, to the low concentration group of SHG (Low group), 2 ml of SHG at a concentration of 2 mg/kg, and to the high concentration group of SHG (High group), 2 ml of SHG at a concentration of 4 mg/kg ml was orally administered. The drug was administered for a total of 4 weeks, and histological changes were analyzed by Hematoxylin-Eosin staining and Safranin-O staining. In addition, inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, and MMP-13, TIMP-1, and GAGs were immunohistochemically analyzed. Finally, hematological examination, blood biochemical examination, and liver and kidney biopsy were performed. Results : SHG groups (Low and High) inhibited the matrix destruction and damage of the knee joint cartilage in SD rat model, and significantly prevented the reduction in cartilage thickness. In SHG groups, the expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and MMP-13 were significantly decreased, and the expressions of TIMP-1, GAGs were significantly increased compared with OA group. The safety indicators had no significant differences among five groups. Conclusions : These results show that SHG has cartilage protection capacity, anti-inflammatory effect.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.171-183
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• 2020

The main objective of this study is the assessment of the ability of limestone mortars to resist to different chemical attacks. The ability of polypropylene (PP) fibres waste used as reinforcement of these concrete materials to enhance their durability is also studied. Crushed sand 0/2 mm which is a fine limestone residue obtained by the crushing of natural rocks in aggregates industry is used for the fabrication of the mortar. The fibres used, which are obtained from the waste of domestic plastic sweeps' fabrication, have a length of 20 mm and a diameter ranging between 0.38 and 0.51 mm. Two weight fibres contents are used, 0.5 and 1%. The durability tests carried out in this investigation included the water absorption by capillarity, the mass variation, the flexural and the compressive strengths of the mortar specimens immersed for 366 days in 5% sodium chloride, 5% magnesium sulphate and 5% sulphuric acid solutions. A mineralogical analysis by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and a visual inspection are used for a better examination of the quality of tested mortars and for better interpretation of their behaviour in different solutions. The results indicate that the reinforcement of limestone mortar by PP fibres waste is an excellent solution to improve its chemical resistance and durability. Moreover, the presence of PP fibres waste does not affect significantly the water absorption by capillarity of mortar nether its mass variation, when exposed to chloride and sulphate solutions. While in sulphuric acid, the mass loss is higher with the presence of PP fibres waste, especially after an exposure of 180 days. The results reveal that these fibres have a considerable effect of the flexural and the compressive behaviour of mortar especially in acid solution, where a reduction of strength loss is observed. The mineralogical analysis confirms the good behaviour of mortar immersed in sulphate and chloride solutions; and shows that more gypsum is formed in mortar exposed to acid environment causing its rapid degradation. The visual observation reveals that only samples exposed to acid attack during 366 days have showed a surface damage extending over a depth of approximately 300 ㎛.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.397-403
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• 2018

The leaves of Spiraea prunifolia were extracted with 80% aqueous MeOH and the concentrates were partitioned into EtOAc, n-BuOH, and $H_2O$ fractions. The repeated $SiO_2$ or ODS column, and medium pressure liquid chromatographies for the n-BuOH fraction led to isolation of two phenolic glucosides. The chemical structures of these compounds were determined as isosalicin (1) and crenatin (2) based on spectroscopic analyses including Nuclear magnetic resonance and MS. Extracts were analyzed using UPLC-MS/MS providing a short analysis time within 5 min using MRM technique. The concentration of crenatin was higher as 9.53 mg/g and isosalicin was lower as 0.65 mg/g. Neuroprotective effects of these compounds against hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$)-induced neurotoxicity were evaluated. The results showed that exposure to $H_2O_2$ induced morphological changes, cell death and neurotoxicity in SK-N-MC cells. However, pretreatment with crenatin resulted in inhibition of morphological change, reduction of loss of cell viability and attenuation of neuronal damage. These results suggested that neuroprotective effect of crenatin isolated from S. prunifolia can be a good candidate for the development of health beneficial foods which can ameliorate the degenerative neuronal disease caused by oxidative stress.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.45-57
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• 2006

Objective : This study was undertaker to determine if Juglandis Semen herbal acupuncture (JSA) exerts protective effect against alterations in membrane transport function in rabbits with mercury-induced acute renal failure. Methods : Nephrotoxicity was induced by subcutaneous administration of Hg(a single dose of 10mg/kg) and JSA was performed at both sides of Shenshu($(BL_{23})$, Sinsu) for 7 days. Results: The administration of Hg at a subcutaneous single dose of 10 mg/kg caused a reduction in GFR to 12% of the basal value and an increase in fractional $Na^+$ excretion to 8.9-fold, indicating generation of acute renal failure. When JSA were given for 7 days prior to Hg administration, such changes were significantly attenuated. The fractional excretion of glucose and phosphate was increased to approximately 102- and 35-fold, respectively, in rabbits treated with Hg alone. The increase in rabbits treated with Hg following ISA are significantly lower than that in animals treated with Hg alone. Uptakes of glucose and phosphate in purified isolated brush-border membrane and $Na^+-K^+-ATPase$ activity in microsomal fraction were inhibited in rabbits treated with Hg alone, suggesting that impairment in proximal reabsorption of glucose and phosphate is resulted from a direct damage of membrane transport carriers and disruption of the normal $Na^+$ gradient. Such changes were prevented by JSA. Conclusion These results indicate that the administration of Hg causes impairment in reabsorption of solutes in the proximal tubule via the generation of reactive oxygen species. JSA provides the protection against the Hg-induced impairment in proximal reabsorption, and its effect may be resulted from its antioxidant action.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.425-438
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• 1997

To assess the testicular toxicity induced by DA-125, a new anthracycline anticancer agent, the test substance was intraveneously administered to male beagle dogs at dose levels of 0, 0.0023, 0.0375, 0.15, and 0.6 mg/kg/day, 6 days a week for 26 weeks. At 0.6 mg/kg/day, 1 out of 3 dogs had died on day 42 of treatment and the other dogs were sacrificed on days 46 and 122 of treatment due to the increasingly severe clinical condition. Clinical signs considered to be related to treatment were included anorexia, vomiting, salivation, decreased activity, mucous and/or dark faeces, diarrhea, and swelling, abscess and/or ulceration of injection sites. Suppression in body weight gain, reduction in food intake, decreases in testicular weight and size, and hemorrhage of epididymis were also observed in male dogs. Microscopically, severe degenerative changes such as atrophy of seminiferous tubules, loss of germ cells, degeneration of germ cells, vacuolization of Sertoli cells, and hyperplasia of Leydig cells were observed in all dogs. Azoospermia in epididymal tubules, atrophy of epithelia in the cauda epididymis, and prostate atrophy were also found. At 0.15 mg/kg/day, anorexia, vomiting, salivation, diarrhea, and swelling of injection sites were observed. In addition, suppression in body weight gain and decreases in testicular weight and size were found in male dogs. Atrophy of seminiferous tubules, decrease of germ cells, degeneration, exfoliation and retention of germ cells, vacuolization of Sertoli cells, and hyperplasia of Leydig cells were observed by histopathological examination. Azoospermia in epididymal tubules and prostate atrophy were also found. At 0.0375 mg/kg/day, there were no clinical signs considered to be indicative of a reaction to treatment, but testicular size was significantly reduced. Microscopically, decreases in the number of spermatogonia and epidydimal speramtozoa were found. There were no evidences of general or testicular toxicity at 0.0023 mg/kg/day. These results indicate that DA-125 produces significant and persistent damage to the spermatogenic compartments of the testes in male beagle dogs.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.198-205
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• 2005

Resveratrol (RES) and genistein (GEN) are the dietary natural products known to possess chemopreventive property and also the ability to repair DNA damage induced by mutagens/carcinogens. It is believed that the therapeutic activity of these compounds could be primarily due to their interaction with nucleic acids but detailed reports are not available. We here explore the interaction of these drugs with nucleic acids considering DNA and RNA as a potential therapeutic target. The interaction of RES and GEN has been analysed in buffered solution with DNA [saline sodium citrate (SSC)] and RNA [tris ethylene diammine tetra acetic acid (TE)] using UV-absorption and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The UV analysis revealed lesser binding affinity with nucleic acids at lower concentration of RES (P/D = 5.00 and 10.00), while at higher drug concentration (P/D = 0.75, 1.00 and 2.50) hyperchromic effect with shift in the ${\lambda}_{max}$ is noted for DNA and RNA. A major RES-nucleic acids complexes was observed through base pairs and phosphate backbone groups with K = $35.782\;M^{-1}$ and K = $34.25\;M^{-1}$ for DNA-RES and RNA-RES complexes respectively. At various concentrations of GEN (P/D = 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00 and 2.50) hyperchromicity with shift in the ${\lambda}_{max}$ from 260 $\rightarrow$ 263 om and 260 $\rightarrow$ 270 nm is observed for DNA-GEN and RNA-GEN complexes respectively. The binding constant (from UV analysis) for GEN-nucleic acids complexes could not be obtained due to GEN absorbance overlap with that of nucleic acids at 260 nm. Nevertheless a detailed analysis with regard to the interaction of these drugs (RES/GEN) with DNA and RNA could feasibly be understood by FTIR spectroscopy. The NH band of free DNA and RNA which appeared at $3550-3100\;cm^{-1}$ and $3650-2700\;cm^{-1}$ shifted to $3450-2950\;cm^{-1}$ and $3550-3000\;cm^{-1}$ in DNA-RES and RNA-RES complexes respectively. Similarly shifts corresponding to $3650-3100\;cm^{-1}$ and $3420-3000\;cm^{-1}$ have been observed in DNA-GEN and RNA-GEN complexes respectively. The observed reduction in NH band of free nucleic acids upon complexation of these drugs is an indication of the involvement of the hydroxyl (OH) and imino (NH) group during the interaction of the drugs and nucleic acids (DNA/RNA) through H-bonded formation. The interaction of RES and GEN with bases appears in the order of G $\geq$ T > C > A and A > C $\geq$ T > G. Further interaction of these natural compounds with DNA and RNA is also supported by changes in the vibrational frequency (shift/intensity) in symmetrical and asymmetrical stretching of aromatic rings of drugs in the complex spectra. No appreciable shift is observed in the DNA and RNA marker bands, indicating that the B-DNA form and A-family conformation of RNA are not altered during their interaction with RES and GEN.