• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.496-505
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• 2020

Background: Panax ginseng is a marvelous herbal remedy for all ailments of body. That may be why it is called Panax, which means "cure for all". Melanin is a pigment that gives color to our skin; however, increased melanin production can lead to tumor formation. Human exposure to ultraviolet B radiation has increased extensively owing to the increased sunlight due to global warming. Consequently, a phenomenon called photoaging has been observed for all skin colors and types. As a result of this phenomenon, a set of enzymes called matrix metalloproteinases, which serve as degradation enzymes for extracellular matrix proteins, mainly collagen, is increased, causing depletion of collagen and resulting in early wrinkle formation. Methods: Therefore, in our study, we used the murine melanoma cell line B16/F10 to study the inhibition of melanogenesis by Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) extract in vitro and HRM-2 hairless mice exposed to artificial ultraviolet B to examine the efficacy of KRG in vivo. We prepared a 3% red ginseng extract cream and evaluated its effects on human skin. Results: Our results demonstrated that KRG induced potent suppression of tyrosinase activity and melanin production in B16/F10 cells; moreover, it reduced the transcription and translation of components involved in the melanin production pathway. In the in vivo experiments, KRG potently suppressed the expression of matrix metalloproteinases, reduced wrinkle formation, and inhibited collagen degradation. On human skin, ginseng cream increased skin resilience and skin moisture and enhanced skin tone. Conclusion: Therefore, we conclude that KRG is an excellent skin whitening and antiaging product.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.90-97
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• 2021

Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation causes DNA base modifications. One of these changes leads to the generation of 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) due to oxidative stress. In human skin, this modification may induce sunburn, inflammation, and aging and may ultimately result in cancer. We investigated whether phloroglucinol (1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene), by enhancing the expression and activity of 8-oxoG DNA glycosylase 1 (Ogg1), had an effect on the capacity of UVB-exposed human HaCaT keratinocytes to repair oxidative DNA damage. Here, the effects of phloroglucinol were investigated using a luciferase activity assay, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reactions, western blot analysis, and a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Phloroglucinol restored Ogg1 activity and decreased the formation of 8-oxoG in UVB-exposed cells. Moreover, phloroglucinol increased Ogg1 transcription and protein expression, counteracting the UVB-induced reduction in Ogg1 levels. Phloroglucinol also enhanced the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) as well as Nrf2 binding to an antioxidant response element located in the Ogg1 gene promoter. UVB exposure inhibited the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (PKB or Akt) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk), two major enzymes involved in cell protection against oxidative stress, regulating the activity of Nrf2. Akt and Erk phosphorylation was restored by phloroglucinol in the UVB-exposed keratinocytes. These results indicated that phloroglucinol attenuated UVB-induced 8-oxoG formation in keratinocytes via an Akt/Erk-dependent, Nrf2/Ogg1-mediated signaling pathway.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.93-98
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• 2011

We induced the activation of melanocytes in the epidermis of C57BL/6 mice by ultraviolet-B (UV-B) irradiation, and observed the effect of an herbal preparation (HemoHIM, HH) on the formation, and decrease of UV-B-induced epidermal melanocytes. C57BL/6 mice were irradiated by UV-B $80\;mJ{\cdot}cm^{-2}$ ($0.5\;mW{\cdot}sec^{-1}$) daily for 7 days, and HH was intraperitoneally, orally or topically applied pre- or post-irradiation. For the estimation of change of epidermal melanocytes, light microscopic observation with dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) stain was performed. Split epidermal sheets prepared from the ear of untreated mice exhibited 13~15 melanocytes${\cdot}mm^{-2}$, and one week after UV irradiation, the applied areas showed an increased number of strongly DOPA-positive melanocytes with stout dendrites. But intraperitoneal, oral or topical treatment with HH before each irradiation interrupted UV-B-induced pigmentation and resulted in a marked reduction in the number of epidermal melanocytes as compared to the number found in UV-B-irradiated, untreated control skin. The number and size of DOPA-positive epidermal melanocytes were also significantly decreased in intraperitoneally injected or topically applicated group after irradiation with HH at 3rd and 6th weeks after irradiation. The present study suggests the HH as inhibitor of UV-B-induced pigmentation, and depigmenting agent.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.487-492
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• 1998

The experiment was conducted to determine the effects of enhanced UV-B on growth and differential responses among cultivars in soybean. The soybean cultivars subjected to enhanced UV-B irradiation at daily dose of 11.32 kJ $m^{-2}(UV-B_{BE})$ revealed that the growth was significantly depressed. Plant height, leaf number, leaf area and dry weight were inhibited by UV-B irradiation showing differential responses among cultivars used. Danyeubkong seems to be less sensitive to the enhanced W-B irradiation, while Keunolkong more sensitive. Reduction of chlorophyll content was also found significantly greater to Keunolkong. Specific leaf weight an index of leaf thickness, and flavonoid content known as UV-absorbing compounds were significantly Increased in Danyeubkong by UV-B, but those In the other cultivars were not significantly affected. The results indicated that there are cultivar diferences in tile growth and phisiological responses to the enhanced UV-B irradiation and specific leaf weight and UV-absorbing compounds in the leaves were highly related to the sensitivity of soybean by UV-B irradiation.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.439-445
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• 2008

The feasibility study for the application of the removal and mineralization of Rhodamine B (RhB) was performed in a batch electrochemical reactor. The electro/UV process was consisted of DSA (dimensionally stable anode) electrode and UV-C or ozone lamp. The experimental results showed that RhB removal by the ozone lamp was higher than that of the UV-C lamp. Optimum current of the electro/UV process was 1 A. The electrochemical, UV and electro/UV process could completely degrade RhB, while a prolonged treatment was necessary to reach a high level RhB mineralization. It was observed that RhB removal in electro/UV process is similar to the sum of the UV and electrolytic decolorization. However, it was found that the COD of RhB could be degraded more efficiently by the electro/UV process (90.2 %) than the sum of the two individual oxidation processes [UV (19.7%) and electrolytic process (50.8%)]. A synergetic effect was demonstrated between the UV and electrolysis.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.9-18
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• 2016

This study was performed to understand wood durability to climate deterioration of planted Indonesian wood specie such as Albizia, Gmelina, Mangium and Mindi. Wood samples were exposed to indoor and outdoor condition. $L^*a^*b^*$ and Color changes (${\Delta}E*ab$) were determined by a spectrophotometer. As a result, color of all samples was changed more markedly by ultraviolet radiation. In indoor test with UV, brightness of wood specimens from four species was not changed and all samples were changed into more reddish and yellowish. In accelerated weathering test, all samples were bleached and changed into more greenish and blueish. In outdoor test, brightness of wood specimens decreased in Albizia and Gmelina and increased in Mangium and Mindi. All wood specimens in outdoor test were changed into more greenish and blueish. Albizia and Gmleina woods showed greater color change than those of Mangium and Mindi. Especially, color change of wood samples might be influenced greatly by moisture. In conclusion, wood color changed into more clearly by UV radiation. Therefore, exposing woods to UV radiation could be one of reasonable methods to improve wood quality on visual characteristic.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.495-501
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• 2018

Ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure is a risk factor for skin damage resulting in oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell death. The purpose of this study was to investigate the physicochemical properties of Platycodon grandiflorum (PG) to improve its biological activities using a three-step steaming process. We investigated the protective effects of PG and steamed PG extracts on human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) against UVB radiation-induced oxidative stress and inflammation as well as the underlying mechanisms. The antioxidant potential of the PG extracts was evaluated by measuring the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) scavenging activity. ABTS and DPPH were shown by the 0, 30, and 70% ethanol extracts of 2S-PG and 3S-PG ($IC_{50}$, 28~45 and $27{\sim}30{\mu}g/mL$, respectively). Treatment of UVB-irradiated cells with steamed PG ($25{\sim}400{\mu}g/mL$) did not affect their viability. The streamed PG extract suppressed UVB-induced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In addition, streamed PG extract reduced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein expression in UVB-irradiated HDF, regulating nuclear factor $(NF)-{\kappa}B$ expression. These findings suggest that steamed PG extract may be potentially effective against inflammation associated with UVB-induced oxidation stress.

• International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics Korean Journal of Geophysical Research
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.31-46
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• 1993

A radiative transfer model with two-stream/delta-Eddington approximation has been developed to calculate the vertical distributions of atmospheric heating rates and radiative fluxes. The performance of the model has been evaluated by comparison with the results of ICRCCM (Intercomparison of radiative codes in climate models). It has been demonstrated that the presented model has a capability to calculate the solar radiation not only accurately but also economically. The characteristics of ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B; 280-320nm) are examined by comparison of relation between the flux at the top of atmosphere and that at the surface. The relation of UV-B is quadratic due to the strong ozone absorption in this band. Also, the dependence of the UV-B radiation on the stratospheric ozone depletion and stratospheric aerosol haze due to volcanic eruption on the stratospheric ozone depletion and stratospheric aerosol haze due to volcanic eruption has been tested with various solar zenith angles. The surface UV-B increases as the solar zenith angle increases. The existence of stratospheric aerosols causes an increase in the planetary albedo due to the aerosols' backscattering. The planetary albedo with aerosol's effect has been increases as the solar zenith angle is not sensitive. It may be caused by the fact that the aerosols' scattering effect becomes saturated with the relatively long path length in a large solar zenith angle. Finally, the regional impact of stratospheric aerosols due to volcanic eruption on the intensity of UV-B radiation at the surface has been estimated. A direct effect is that the flux is diminished at the low latitudes, while it is enhanced in the high latitudes by the aerosols' photon trap or twilight effect. In the high latitudes, both aerosols' scattering and ozone absorption have strong and opposite impacts to the surface UV-B radiation is located at the mid-latitudes during spring season in both hemispheres.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.162-165
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• 2002

Rice is widely cultivated in various regions throughout Asia. Over a five-year period, we investigated the effects of supplemental UVB radiation on the growth and yield of Japanese rice cultivars in the field. The findings of that study indicated that supplemental UVB radiation has inhibitory effects on the growth and grain development. Furthermore, we investigated the sensitivity to UVB radiation of rice cultivars of 5 Asian rice ecotypes, and found that rice cultivars vary widely in UVB sensitivity. The aim of our study is improving UVB resistance in plants by bioengineering or breeding programs. In order to make it, there is need to find the molecular origin of the sensitivity to UVB. Cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) is major UV-induced DNA lesions. Plants possess two mechanisms to cope with such DNA damage. The first is the accumulation of UV-absorbing compounds. Our previous data showed that the steady-state CPD levels in leaves of rice grown under chronic radiation in any culture were not so greatly influenced by the increased UV-absorbing compounds content, although there was a significant positive correlation between the CPD levels induced by challenge UVB exposure and the UV-absorbing compounds content. The other is the repair of DNA damage. Photorepair is the major pathway in plants for repairing CPD. We found that the sensitivity to UVB could seriously correlate with the low ability in CPD photorepair in rice plants. These results suggest that photo lyase might be an excellent candidate for restoration by way of selective breeding or engineering in rice.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.357-366
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• 2015

Isorhamnetin (3-methylquercetin) is a flavonoid derived from the fruits of certain medicinal plants. This study investigated the photoprotective properties of isorhamnetin against cell damage and apoptosis resulting from excessive ultraviolet (UV) B exposure in human HaCaT keratinocytes. Isorhamnetin eliminated UVB-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and attenuated the oxidative modification of DNA, lipids, and proteins in response to UVB radiation. Moreover, isorhamnetin repressed UVB-facilitated programmed cell death in the keratinocytes, as evidenced by a reduction in apoptotic body formation, and nuclear fragmentation. Additionally, isorhamnetin suppressed the ability of UVB light to trigger mitochondrial dysfunction. Taken together, these results indicate that isorhamnetin has the potential to protect human keratinocytes against UVB-induced cell damage and death.