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The Role of Ref-1 in the Differentiation Process of Monocytic THP-1 Cells (단핵구세포주 THP-1의 분화과정에서 Ref-1의 역할)

  • Da Sol Kim;Kang Mi Kim;Koanhoi Kim;Young Chul Park
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.34 no.4
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    • pp.271-278
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    • 2024
  • Redox factor (Ref)-1, a ubiquitously expressed protein, acts as a modulator of redox-sensitive tran- scription factors and as an endonuclease in the repair pathway of damaged DNA. However, the function of Ref-1 in the differentiation of monocytes into macrophages has not been defined. In this study, we investigated the effects of Ref-1 on the monocyte differentiation process using the human monocytic cell line THP-1. The differentiation agent PMA increased cell adhesion over time and showed a sig- nificant increase in phagocytic function but decreased the intracellular amount of Ref-1. Ref-1 inhibitor E3330 and Ref-1 knockdown using the siRNA technique reduced cell adhesion and the expression of differentiation markers, such as CD14, ICAM-1, and CD11b, by PMA stimulation. This means that the role of Ref-1 is absolutely necessary in the initial process of differentiating THP-1 cells stimulated by PMA. Next, the distribution of Ref-1 was examined in the cytoplasm and nucleus of THP-1 cells stimulated with PMA. Surprisingly, PMA stimulation resulted in the rapid translocation of Ref-1 to the nucleus. To prove that movement of Ref-1 to the nucleus is required for monocyte differentiation, a Ref-1 vector with the nuclear localization sequence (NLS) deleted was used. As a result, overexpression of ∆NLS Ref-1, which restricted movement to the nucleus, suppressed the expression of differentiation markers and notably reduced phagocytic function in PMA-stimulated THP-1 cells. In conclusion, these data suggest that the differentiation of monocytic THP-1 cells requires Ref-1 nuclear translocation during the initial process of biochemical events following stimulation from PMA.

Directions for Legislative Improvement for the Creation and Operation of Ecological Parks (생태공원의 조성과 운영 내실화를 위한 법제적 개선 방향)

  • Kim, Ah-Yeon
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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    • v.52 no.1
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    • pp.71-86
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    • 2024
  • Despite the increasing importance of urban parks' ecological functions in dealing with the climate crisis, ecological parks are not clearly defined in Korea's legal system. Numerous ecological parks created nationwide cannot be systematically designated and managed due to various legal bases and varying management authorities. It is important to clarify the legal status of ecological parks in order to lead the ecological paradigm shift of urban parks and to improve the natural park system for a comprehensive and integrated approach to protect the national ecosystem. To this end, related laws were analyzed to identify problems and to draw directions for legislative improvement. Through the literature review of relevant laws, acts, and ordinances, six major directions for improvement were suggested based on the analysis of problems. First, the legal status of ecological parks in the administrative dichotomy of the current park system is ambiguous, and ecological parks should be clarified through the revision of park-related laws. Second, an ecological park can be defined as a sustainable park created and managed in an ecological manner, promoting the protection and restoration of the ecosystem, conservation, and promotion of biodiversity, and balancing nature observation, ecological learning, and leisure activities. Third, the role of the state and local governments should be systematically revised to lead to a new park planning and management model through new governance. Fourth, since the characteristics of ecological parks are affected by individual laws, the possibility of overlapping ecological parks for other uses should be allowed. Fifth, detailed guidelines and standard ordinances need to be enacted to meet the goals, principles, and facilities of ecological parks. Lastly, along with the revision of the laws, ordinances by local governments also need to be more concrete. This study, which tracks various legal realities related to ecological parks, can contribute to policymaking that can systematize the foundation for the creation of ecological parks to preserve nationwide ecosystems and provide citizens with opportunities to experience and learn about nature.

A Study of the Materials on Officials Composing Response Poems to the King's during the Reign of King Yeongjo in the Collection of the National Museum of Korea (국립중앙박물관 소장 영조대 갱진(賡進) 자료 연구)

  • Heo Moonhaeng
    • Bangmulgwan gwa yeongu (The National Museum of Korea Journal)
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    • v.1
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    • pp.258-277
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    • 2024
  • Kings of the Joseon Dynasty composed poems exploring their thinking about the governance of the country or personal feelings. Kings Taejong (r. 1400-1418), Seongjong (r. 1469-1494), Yeongjo (r. 1724-1776), and other kings bestowed poems upon their officials and had them compose response poems using rhyming words. Such literary exchanges between sovereign and subject were called gaengjin. The vast body of surviving materials related to gaengjin includes chronological materials recording the words and acts of kings, Yeolseong oeje compiling writings by Joseon kings, the so-called gaengjin albums that kings specially produced to commemorate officials' composition of response poems, and literary collections by officials who took part in the composition of response poems. Gaengjin albums were produced immediately after the king's bestowal of a poem and the officials' composition of response poems. They provide diverse information about the background, content, and participants of literary exchanges. Many of these albums are held in the collection of the National Museum of Korea, Gyujanggak Archives at Seoul National University, and Jangseogak Archives of the Academy of Korean Studies. A majority of the extant gaengjin albums were produced during the reign of King Yeongjo. This paper analyzed chronological materials on the gaengjin literary exchanges that were officially conducted 200 times during the fifty-two-year reign of King Yeongjo. It also explored the drastic increase in gaengjin literary exchanges between 1769 (the forty-fifth year of the reign of King Yeongjo) and 1776 (the fifty-second year of the reign of King Yeongjo), the period corresponding to King Yeongjo's latter years. The paper introduced sixteen items (albums, books, hanging boards, and folding screens) related to the gaengjin literary exchanges held in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries from the collection of the National Museum of Korea. Among them, it shed light on the production backgrounds, contents, and characteristics of the eight gaengjin albums produced during the reign of King Yeongjo. The materials related to the gaengjin literary exchanges created during the reign of King Yeongjo are valuable in that they improve the understanding of various aspects of the respective period, including joyous events of the state (or royal court), the administration of state affairs, and literary activities among the sovereign and subjects.

A Study on the Critical Success Factors of Social Commerce through the Analysis of the Perception Gap between the Service Providers and the Users: Focused on Ticket Monster in Korea (서비스제공자와 사용자의 인식차이 분석을 통한 소셜커머스 핵심성공요인에 대한 연구: 한국의 티켓몬스터 중심으로)

  • Kim, Il Jung;Lee, Dae Chul;Lim, Gyoo Gun
    • Asia pacific journal of information systems
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    • v.24 no.2
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    • pp.211-232
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    • 2014
  • Recently, there is a growing interest toward social commerce using SNS(Social Networking Service), and the size of its market is also expanding due to popularization of smart phones, tablet PCs and other smart devices. Accordingly, various studies have been attempted but it is shown that most of the previous studies have been conducted from perspectives of the users. The purpose of this study is to derive user-centered CSF(Critical Success Factor) of social commerce from the previous studies and analyze the CSF perception gap between social commerce service providers and users. The CSF perception gap between two groups shows that there is a difference between ideal images the service providers hope for and the actual image the service users have on social commerce companies. This study provides effective improvement directions for social commerce companies by presenting current business problems and its solution plans. For this, This study selected Korea's representative social commerce business Ticket Monster, which is dominant in sales and staff size together with its excellent funding power through M&A by stock exchange with the US social commerce business Living Social with Amazon.com as a shareholder in August, 2011, as a target group of social commerce service provider. we have gathered questionnaires from both service providers and the users from October 22, 2012 until October 31, 2012 to conduct an empirical analysis. We surveyed 160 service providers of Ticket Monster We also surveyed 160 social commerce users who have experienced in using Ticket Monster service. Out of 320 surveys, 20 questionaries which were unfit or undependable were discarded. Consequently the remaining 300(service provider 150, user 150)were used for this empirical study. The statistics were analyzed using SPSS 12.0. Implications of the empirical analysis result of this study are as follows: First of all, There are order differences in the importance of social commerce CSF between two groups. While service providers regard Price Economic as the most important CSF influencing purchasing intention, the users regard 'Trust' as the most important CSF influencing purchasing intention. This means that the service providers have to utilize the unique strong point of social commerce which make the customers be trusted rathe than just focusing on selling product at a discounted price. It means that service Providers need to enhance effective communication skills by using SNS and play a vital role as a trusted adviser who provides curation services and explains the value of products through information filtering. Also, they need to pay attention to preventing consumer damages from deceptive and false advertising. service providers have to create the detailed reward system in case of a consumer damages caused by above problems. It can make strong ties with customers. Second, both service providers and users tend to consider that social commerce CSF influencing purchasing intention are Price Economic, Utility, Trust, and Word of Mouth Effect. Accordingly, it can be learned that users are expecting the benefit from the aspect of prices and economy when using social commerce, and service providers should be able to suggest the individualized discount benefit through diverse methods using social network service. Looking into it from the aspect of usefulness, service providers are required to get users to be cognizant of time-saving, efficiency, and convenience when they are using social commerce. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the usefulness of social commerce through the introduction of a new management strategy, such as intensification of search engine of the Website, facilitation in payment through shopping basket, and package distribution. Trust, as mentioned before, is the most important variable in consumers' mind, so it should definitely be managed for sustainable management. If the trust in social commerce should fall due to consumers' damage case due to false and puffery advertising forgeries, it could have a negative influence on the image of the social commerce industry in general. Instead of advertising with famous celebrities and using a bombastic amount of money on marketing expenses, the social commerce industry should be able to use the word of mouth effect between users by making use of the social network service, the major marketing method of initial social commerce. The word of mouth effect occurring from consumers' spontaneous self-marketer's duty performance can bring not only reduction effect in advertising cost to a service provider but it can also prepare the basis of discounted price suggestion to consumers; in this context, the word of mouth effect should be managed as the CSF of social commerce. Third, Trade safety was not derived as one of the CSF. Recently, with e-commerce like social commerce and Internet shopping increasing in a variety of methods, the importance of trade safety on the Internet also increases, but in this study result, trade safety wasn't evaluated as CSF of social commerce by both groups. This study judges that it's because both service provider groups and user group are perceiving that there is a reliable PG(Payment Gateway) which acts for e-payment of Internet transaction. Accordingly, it is understood that both two groups feel that social commerce can have a corporate identity by website and differentiation in products and services in sales, but don't feel a big difference by business in case of e-payment system. In other words, trade safety should be perceived as natural, basic universal service. Fourth, it's necessary that service providers should intensify the communication with users by making use of social network service which is the major marketing method of social commerce and should be able to use the word of mouth effect between users. The word of mouth effect occurring from consumers' spontaneous self- marketer's duty performance can bring not only reduction effect in advertising cost to a service provider but it can also prepare the basis of discounted price suggestion to consumers. in this context, it is judged that the word of mouth effect should be managed as CSF of social commerce. In this paper, the characteristics of social commerce are limited as five independent variables, however, if an additional study is proceeded with more various independent variables, more in-depth study results will be derived. In addition, this research targets social commerce service providers and the users, however, in the consideration of the fact that social commerce is a two-sided market, drawing CSF through an analysis of perception gap between social commerce service providers and its advertisement clients would be worth to be dealt with in a follow-up study.

Cardioprotective Effect of Calcium Preconditioning and Its Relation to Protein Kinase C in Isolated Perfused Rabbit Heart (적출관류 토끼 심장에서 칼슘 전처치에 의한 심근보호 효과와 Protein Kinase C와의 관계)

  • 김용한;손동섭;조대윤;양기민;김호덕
    • Journal of Chest Surgery
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    • v.32 no.7
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    • pp.603-612
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    • 1999
  • Background : It has been documented that brief repetitive periods of ischemia and reperfusion (ischemic preconditioning, IP) enhances the recovery of post-ischemic contractile function and reduces infarct size after a longer period of ischemia. Many mechanisms have been proposed to explain this process. Recent studies have suggested that transient increase in the intracellular calcium may have triggered the activation of protein kinase C(PKC); however, there are still many controversies. Accordingly, the author performed the present study to test the hypothesis that preconditioning with high concentration of calcium before sustained subsequent ischemia(calcium preconditioning) mimics IP by PKC activation. Material and Method : The isolated hearts from the New Zealand White rabbits(1.5∼2.0 kg body weight) Method: The isolated hearts from the New Zealand White rabbits(1.5∼2.0 kg body weight) were perfused with Tyrode solution by Langendorff technique. After stabilization of baseline hemodynamics, the hearts were subjected to 45-minute global ischemia followed by a 120-minute reperfusion with IP(IP group, n=13) or without IP(ischemic control, n=10). IP was induced by single episode of 5-minute global ischemia and 10-minute reperfusion. In the Ca2+ preconditioned group, perfusate containing 10(n=10) or 20 mM(n=11) CaCl2 was perfused for 10 minutes after 5-minute ischemia followed by a 45-minute global ischemia and a 120-minute reperfusion. Baseline PKC was measured after 50-minute perfusion without any treatment(n=5). Left ventricular function including developed pressure(LVDP), dP/dt, heart rate, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure(LVEDP) and coronary flow(CF) was measured. Myo car ial cytosolic and membrane PKC activities were measured by 32P-${\gamma}$-ATP incorporation into PKC-specific pepetide. The infarct size was determined using the TTC (tetrazolium salt) staining and planimetry. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance(ANOVA) variance(ANOVA) and Tukey's post-hoc test. Result: IP increased the functional recovery including LVDP, dP/dt and CF(p<0.05) and lowered the ascending range of LVEDP(p<0.05); it also reduced the infarct size from 38% to 20%(p<0.05). In both of the Ca2+ preconditioned group, functional recovery was not significantly different in comparison with the ischemic control, however, the infarct size was reduced to 19∼23%(p<0.05). In comparison with the baseline(7.31 0.31 nmol/g tissue), the activities of the cytosolic PKC tended to decrease in both the IP and Ca2+ preconditioned groups, particularly in the 10 mM Ca2+ preconditioned group(4.19 0.39 nmol/g tissue, p<0.01); the activity of membrane PKC was significantly increased in both IP and 10 mM Ca2+ preconditioned group (p<0.05; 1.84 0.21, 4.00 0.14, and 4.02 0.70 nmol/g tissue in the baseline, IP, and 10 mM Ca2+ preconditioned group, respectively). However, the activity of both PKC fractions were not significantly different between the baseline and the ischemic control. Conclusion: These results indicate that in isolated Langendorff-perfused rabbit heart model, calcium preconditioning with high concentration of calcium does not improve post-ischemic functional recovery. However, it does have an effect of limiting(reducing) the infart size by ischemic preconditioning, and this cardioprotective effect, at least in part, may have resulted from the activation of PKC by calcium which acts as a messenger(or trigger) to activate membrane PKC.

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Fly Ash Application Effects on CH4 and CO2 Emission in an Incubation Experiment with a Paddy Soil (항온 배양 논토양 조건에서 비산재 처리에 따른 CH4와 CO2 방출 특성)

  • Lim, Sang-Sun;Choi, Woo-Jung;Kim, Han-Yong;Jung, Jae-Woon;Yoon, Kwang-Sik
    • Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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    • v.45 no.5
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    • pp.853-860
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    • 2012
  • To estimate potential use of fly ash in reducing $CH_4$ and $CO_2$ emission from soil, $CH_4$ and $CO_2$ fluxes from a paddy soil mixed with fly ash at different rate (w/w; 0, 5, and 10%) in the presence and absence of fertilizer N ($(NH_4)_2SO_4$) addition were investigated in a laboratory incubation for 60 days under changing water regime from wetting to drying via transition. The mean $CH_4$ flux during the entire incubation period ranged from 0.59 to $1.68mg\;CH_4\;m^{-2}day^{-1}$ with a lower rate in the soil treated with N fertilizer due to suppression of $CH_4$ production by $SO_4^{2-}$ that acts as an electron acceptor, leading to decreases in electron availability for methanogen. Fly ash application reduced $CH_4$ flux by 37.5 and 33.0% in soils without and with N addition, respectively, probably due to retardation of $CH_4$ diffusion through soil pores by addition of fine-textured fly ash. In addition, as fly ash has a potential for $CO_2$ removal via carbonation (formation of carbonate precipitates) that decreases $CO_2$ availability that is a substrate for $CO_2$ reduction reaction (one of $CH_4$ generation pathways) is likely to be another mechanisms of $CH_4$ flux reduction by fly ash. Meanwhile, the mean $CO_2$ flux during the entire incubation period was between 0.64 and $0.90g\;CO_2\;m^{-2}day^{-1}$, and that of N treated soil was lower than that without N addition. Because N addition is likely to increase soil respiration, it is not straightforward to explain the results. However, it may be possible that our experiment did not account for the substantial amount of $CO_2$ produced by heterotrophs that were activated by N addition in earlier period than the measurement was initiated. Fly ash application also lowered $CO_2$ flux by up to 20% in the soil mixed with fly ash at 10% through $CO_2$ removal by the carbonation. At the whole picture, fly ash application at 10% decreased global warming potential of emitted $CH_4$ and $CO_2$ by about 20%. Therefore, our results suggest that fly ash application can be a soil management practice to reduce green house gas emission from paddy soils. Further studies under field conditions with rice cultivation are necessary to verify our findings.

Usefulness of Tuberculin Skin Test by Tuberculin PPD RT23 2 TU (Tuberculin PPD RT23 2 TU를 이용한 투베르쿨린 피부반응 검사의 의의)

  • Yang, Jong-Wuk;Jeon, Man-Jo;Kim, Sung-Jung;Lee, Hyang-Lim;Lee, Seung-Jun;Lee, Myoung-Goo;Kim, Dong-Gyu;Park, Myoung-Jae;Kang, Min-Jong;Hyoen, In-Gyu;Jung, Ki-Suck
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.53 no.4
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    • pp.401-408
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    • 2002
  • Background : Tuberculin skin test is a method to examine M. tuberculosis infection and has been used all over the world. But various factors make it difficult to understand testing results. In 2000, the American Thoracic Society recommended that skin test results should be decided by considering risk factors of the tested. In Korea, high tuberculosis infection rate and BCG vaccination rate make it difficult to differentiate current infection, past infection, and no infection by the skin test. This study was attempted to examine a negative predictive value of the skin test to understand how the skin test acts on deciding administration of anti-tuberculosis drug. Methods : From Mar. 1 to Jul. 31 in 2001, the test was performed for patients hospitalized in Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chunchon, Korea by administering Tuberculin PPD RT23 2 TU (0.1 ml)to them that has been currently used in Korea based on Mantoux method. They were decided to be infected with tuberculosis bacilli by following diagnostic standard: 1) tuberculosis bacilli was cultured in sputum by microbiological diagnostic standard or Acid-fast bacilli was proven on a microscopic examination or 2) tuberculosis bacilli was not proven in the aforesaid microbiological test by clinical diagnostic standard, while there was opinion or symptom suitable for tuberculosis by radiographic or histological standard so the doctor decided to apply the tuberculosis treatment. Results : In this study, total 210 patients except 20 patients (8.7%) among 230 hospitalized patients were evaluated. Their average age was 60±16.8 years, and male-female rate was 1.28 : 1 (male: 118, female: 92). Number of patient, who was diagnosed and decided as tuberculosis, was 53(25.2%). Pulmonary tuberculosis was found in 45 patients (84.9%); 22 patients were decided to be positive in the Acid-fast bacilli smear test by microbiological examination (culture positive: 13, culture negative: 9), and 23 patients were decided to be tuberculosis patients by clinical diagnosis standard. Tuberculosis pleuritis was found in 8 patients (15.1%); 4 patients were diagnosed and decided by histological standard, and 4 patients were decided and treated by clinical standard. In differentiating patients into 'Negative' and 'Positive' by the skin test standard of the American Thoracic Society, negative predictive value 92.3%, positive predictive value 47.3%, sensitivity and specificity were 83%, 68.8%, respectively. Conclusion : In hospitalized respiratory patients, there was high negative predictive vlaue 92.3% by tuberculin skin test, therefore skin test would be a important factor for deciding administration of anti-tuberculosis drug on negative skin test patient.

Effects of HapKok (LI-4) , SamUmGyo (SP-6) Acupuncture on Uterine Motility and Cyclooxygenase-2 Manifestation in Rats (합곡(合谷), 삼음교(三陰交) 자침(刺鍼)이 백서(白鼠) 자궁(子宮) 운동(運動) 및 Cyclooxygenase-2 발현(發現)에 미치는 영향(影響))

  • Lee, Byung-Chul;Lee, Ho-Sub;Kim, Kyung-Sik;Lee, Geon-Mok;Na, Chang-Soo;Kim, Jung-Sang;Hwang, Woo-Jun
    • Journal of Acupuncture Research
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.187-208
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    • 2000
  • By the activation of ovary hormone, many morphological changes occur in the epithelial cell lines and muscle cells in rat uterus. These two cells in uterus are important to the implantation of embryo, maintaining pregnancy and starting parturition. One important change associated with the morphological change of these two cells in uterus is the change on prostaglandin(PG) metabolism. Its presence and synthesis in endometriurn and myometrium in uterus affects estrous cycle and the start of embryo implantation in uterus. It also performs as an important modulator in parturition. So the abnormally weak expression of PG causes difficulty during labor and over-expression causes pre-term labor. PG biosynthesis starts from either free or liberated arachidonic acids from membrane phospholipid by phospholipase. Such arachidonic acids are converted into PG catalyzed by Cyclooxygenase. Under normal physiological condition, Cyclooxygenase-1(COX-1) having 602 units of amino acids controls the synthesis of PG. It acts as a local hormone regulating vasomodulation of blood flow, flexible muscle movement, increasing the blood permeability and contributing the protective role in preserving integrity of the stomach lining and Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is induced by the inflammation, pregnancy and increased its expression until parturition. Lipid metabolite like PG is located in uterine and expression of COX-2 increased with pregnancy. Increased expression of COX proteins in epithelial cells and myometrial cells are told to increase the muscle contractility in uterus but decreased right after the labor in rat. It is a good sign indicating that COX proteins are deeply related to the start of labor. Currently, Several studies report the use of PG and COX-2 inhibitor as medication for controlled abortion or to prevent pre-term labor but they entail various side-effects. Our study proposed to suggest use of acupuncture as an another mediator to control abortion or pre-term labor without causing unnecessary side-effects by those medicines. Two acupuncture sites, LI-4 & SP-6 were selected due to their known efficacy. From the immunohistochemical staining of COX-2, normal expression of COX-2 protein in nonpregnant SD rat's uterus revealed that COX-2 protein was primarily detected in the lumina epithelial lining and in the epithelial cell lining contacting the stromal cells. High resolution optical microscopic scanning revealed distinguishable staining in the myometrial mucosa. LI-4 acupuncture administered nonpregnant rat's uterus showed strong expression for COX-2 in endometrium contacted with lumina epithelial lining of rat uterus and in myometrial mucosa. Stromal cells showed more staining than untreated nonpregnant rat's uterus and stronger staining in stromal cells contacting myometrial layer compared to untreated nonpregnant rat's uterus. SP-6 acupuncture administered nonpregnant rat's uterus showed weak expression for COX-2 in myometrial layers and stromal cells but no staining was visible in lumina epitheliai and glandular epithelial cells. Few stromal cells and myometrial mucosa were positively stained for COX-2. Pregnant SD rat's uterus was also immunostained for COX-2 expression after 18 days of pregnancy. Unlike to untreated nonpregnant rat's uterus, luminal epithelial cells were not positively stained for COX-2 but stronger staining for COX-2 was revealed in stromal cells. LI-4 acupunctured SD rat's uterus had very strong expression of COX-2 in luminal epithelial lining. Few stromal cells showed stronger positive COX-2 staining and myometrial layers also showed more expression than untreated pregnant rat. SP-6 acupuncture administered pregnant SD rat's uterus showed positive expression of COX-2 in epithelial cells of luminal mucosa layer but weaker than that of LI-4 acupuncture treatment's case. However, strong positive staining was revealed in stromal mucosa and myometrial layers. Virgin SD rat's uterus motility index during LI-4 acupuncture was 66.52 % (Prob〉T = 0.0197) compared to its motility before the acupuncture treatment but the motility index was slighdy elevated up to 79.58 % (Prob〉T = 0.1175) after the acupuncture. During the SP-6 acupuncture treatment for 30 minutes, uterus motility index was 90.52 % (Prob〉T = 0.1832) showing lesser decrement but consequently reached similar motility index decreasal to 79.95 % (Prob〉T = 0.0215) after the acupuncture treatment as LI-4 showed. LI-4 acupuncture tend to be a quick treatment to reducing the uterus motility in a virgin rat but eventually both two acupuncture administration created very similar reduction of uterus motility seeing the index after the both acupunctures. The uterus movement monitored during the LI-4 acupuncture administered for 30 minutes, Pregnant SD rat showed decreased motility down to 77.90 % (Prob〉 T = 0.0076) compared to uterus motility before the acupuncture and it continuously decreased down to 71.81 %(Prob〉T = 0.0214) after the removal of needle. The statistical analysis using paired t-test showed significance difference for both two motility indexs at =0.05. SP-6 acupuncture administered to pregnant SD rat also had similar pattern of decreasing uterus motility index down to 74.70 % (Prob〉T = 0.1730) during the initial 30 minutes acupuncture administration and it was continuously lowered to 71.52 % (Prob〉T = 0.0155) after the acupuncture. The paired t-test resuit for SP-6 suggest prompt response of uterus motility index to the SP-6 acupuncture treatment but consequently reached same level of inducing the motility reduction as LI-4 at =0.05 level.

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Sesquiterpenoids Bioconversion Analysis by Wood Rot Fungi

  • Lee, Su-Yeon;Ryu, Sun-Hwa;Choi, In-Gyu;Kim, Myungkil
    • 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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    • 2016.05a
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    • pp.19-20
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    • 2016
  • Sesquiterpenoids are defined as $C_{15}$ compounds derived from farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP), and their complex structures are found in the tissue of many diverse plants (Degenhardt et al. 2009). FPP's long chain length and additional double bond enables its conversion to a huge range of mono-, di-, and tri-cyclic structures. A number of cyclic sesquiterpenes with alcohol, aldehyde, and ketone derivatives have key biological and medicinal properties (Fraga 1999). Fungi, such as the wood-rotting Polyporus brumalis, are excellent sources of pharmaceutically interesting natural products such as sesquiterpenoids. In this study, we investigated the biosynthesis of P. brumalis sesquiterpenoids on modified medium. Fungal suspensions of 11 white rot species were inoculated in modified medium containing $C_6H_{12}O_6$, $C_4H_{12}N_2O_6$, $KH_2PO_4$, $MgSO_4$, and $CaCl_2$ for 20 days. Cultivation was stopped by solvent extraction via separation of the mycelium. The metabolites were identified as follows: propionic acid (1), mevalonic acid lactone (2), ${\beta}$-eudesmane (3), and ${\beta}$-eudesmol (4), respectively (Figure 1). The main peaks of ${\beta}$-eudesmane and ${\beta}$-eudesmol, which were indicative of sesquiterpene structures, were consistently detected for 5, 7, 12, and 15 days These results demonstrated the existence of terpene metabolism in the mycelium of P. brumalis. Polyporus spp. are known to generate flavor components such as methyl 2,4-dihydroxy-3,6-dimethyl benzoate; 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-6-methyl benzoic acid; 3-hydroxy-5-methyl phenol; and 3-methoxy-2,5-dimethyl phenol in submerged cultures (Hoffmann and Esser 1978). Drimanes of sesquiterpenes were reported as metabolites from P. arcularius and shown to exhibit antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus (Fleck et al. 1996). The main metabolites of P. brumalis, ${\beta}$-Eudesmol and ${\beta}$-eudesmane, were categorized as eudesmane-type sesquiterpene structures. The eudesmane skeleton could be biosynthesized from FPP-derived IPP, and approximately 1,000 structures have been identified in plants as essential oils. The biosynthesis of eudesmol from P. brumalis may thus be an important tool for the production of useful natural compounds as presumed from its identified potent bioactivity in plants. Essential oils comprising eudesmane-type sesquiterpenoids have been previously and extensively researched (Wu et al. 2006). ${\beta}$-Eudesmol is a well-known and important eudesmane alcohol with an anticholinergic effect in the vascular endothelium (Tsuneki et al. 2005). Additionally, recent studies demonstrated that ${\beta}$-eudesmol acts as a channel blocker for nicotinic acetylcholine receptors at the neuromuscular junction, and it can inhibit angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo by blocking the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway (Seo et al. 2011). Variation of nutrients was conducted to determine an optimum condition for the biosynthesis of sesquiterpenes by P. brumalis. Genes encoding terpene synthases, which are crucial to the terpene synthesis pathway, generally respond to environmental factors such as pH, temperature, and available nutrients (Hoffmeister and Keller 2007, Yu and Keller 2005). Calvo et al. described the effect of major nutrients, carbon and nitrogen, on the synthesis of secondary metabolites (Calvo et al. 2002). P. brumalis did not prefer to synthesize sesquiterpenes under all growth conditions. Results of differences in metabolites observed in P. brumalis grown in PDB and modified medium highlighted the potential effect inorganic sources such as $C_4H_{12}N_2O_6$, $KH_2PO_4$, $MgSO_4$, and $CaCl_2$ on sesquiterpene synthesis. ${\beta}$-eudesmol was apparent during cultivation except for when P. brumalis was grown on $MgSO_4$-free medium. These results demonstrated that $MgSO_4$ can specifically control the biosynthesis of ${\beta}$-eudesmol. Magnesium has been reported as a cofactor that binds to sesquiterpene synthase (Agger et al. 2008). Specifically, the $Mg^{2+}$ ions bind to two conserved metal-binding motifs. These metal ions complex to the substrate pyrophosphate, thereby promoting the ionization of the leaving groups of FPP and resulting in the generation of a highly reactive allylic cation. Effect of magnesium source on the sesquiterpene biosynthesis was also identified via analysis of the concentration of total carbohydrates. Our current study offered further insight that fungal sesquiterpene biosynthesis can be controlled by nutrients. To profile the metabolites of P. brumalis, the cultures were extracted based on the growth curve. Despite metabolites produced during mycelia growth, there was difficulty in detecting significant changes in metabolite production, especially those at low concentrations. These compounds may be of interest in understanding their synthetic mechanisms in P. brumalis. The synthesis of terpene compounds began during the growth phase at day 9. Sesquiterpene synthesis occurred after growth was complete. At day 9, drimenol, farnesol, and mevalonic lactone (or mevalonic acid lactone) were identified. Mevalonic acid lactone is the precursor of the mevalonic pathway, and particularly, it is a precursor for a number of biologically important lipids, including cholesterol hormones (Buckley et al. 2002). Farnesol is the precursor of sesquiterpenoids. Drimenol compounds, bi-cyclic-sesquiterpene alcohols, can be synthesized from trans-trans farnesol via cyclization and rearrangement (Polovinka et al. 1994). They have also been identified in the basidiomycota Lentinus lepideus as secondary metabolites. After 12 days in the growth phase, ${\beta}$-elemene caryophyllene, ${\delta}$-cadiene, and eudesmane were detected with ${\beta}$-eudesmol. The data showed the synthesis of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons with bi-cyclic structures. These compounds can be synthesized from FPP by cyclization. Cyclic terpenoids are synthesized through the formation of a carbon skeleton from linear precursors by terpene cyclase, which is followed by chemical modification by oxidation, reduction, methylation, etc. Sesquiterpene cyclase is a key branch-point enzyme that catalyzes the complex intermolecular cyclization of the linear prenyl diphosphate into cyclic hydrocarbons (Toyomasu et al. 2007). After 20 days in stationary phase, the oxygenated structures eudesmol, elemol, and caryophyllene oxide were detected. Thus, after growth, sesquiterpenes were identified. Per these results, we showed that terpene metabolism in wood-rotting fungi occurs in the stationary phase. We also showed that such metabolism can be controlled by magnesium supplementation in the growth medium. In conclusion, we identified P. brumalis as a wood-rotting fungus that can produce sesquiterpenes. To mechanistically understand eudesmane-type sesquiterpene biosynthesis in P. brumalis, further research into the genes regulating the dynamics of such biosynthesis is warranted.

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The Royal and Sajik Tree of Joseon Dynasty, the Culturo-social Forestry, and Cultural Sustainability (근세조선의 왕목-사직수, 문화사회적 임업, 그리고 문화적 지속가능성)

  • Yi, Cheong-Ho;Chun, Young Woo
    • Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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    • v.98 no.1
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    • pp.66-81
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    • 2009
  • From a new perspective of "humans and the culture of forming and conserving the environment", the sustainable forest management can be reformulated under the concept of "cultural sustainability". Cultural sustainability is based on the emphasis of the high contribution to sustainability of the culture of forming and conserving the environment. This study extracts the implications to cultural sustainability for the modern world by investigating a historical case of the culturo-social pine forestry in the Joseon period of Korea. In the legendary and recorded acts by the first king Taejo, Seonggye Yi, Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora) was the "Royal tree" of Joseon and also the "Sajik tree" related intimately with the Great Sajik Ritual valued as the top rank within the national ritual regime that sustained the Royal Virtue Politics in Confucian political ideology. Into the Neo-Confucian faith and royal rituals of Joseon, elements of geomancy (Feng shui), folk religion, and Buddhism had been amalgamated. The deities worshipped or revered at the Sajik shrine were Earth-god (Sa) and crop-god (Jik). And it is the Earth god and the concrete entity, Sajik tree, that contains the legacy of sylvan religion descended from the ancient times and had been incorporated into the Confucian faith and ritual regime. Korean red pine as the Royal-Sajik tree played a critical role of sustaining the religio-political justification for the rule of the Joseon's Royalty. The religio-political symbolism of Korean red pine was represented in diverse ways. The same pine was used as the timber material of shrine buildings established for the national rituals under Neo-Confucian faith by the royal court of Joseon kingdom before the modern Korea. The symbolic role of pine had also been expressed in the forms of royal tomb forests, the Imposition Forest (Bongsan) for royal coffin timber (Whangjangmok), and the creation, protection, conservation and bureaucratic management of the pine forests in the Inner-four and Outer-four mountains for the capital fortress at Seoul, where the king and his family inhabit. The religio-political management system of pine forests parallels well with the kingdom's economic forest management system, called "Pine Policy", with an array of pine cultivation forests and Prohibition Forests (Geumsan) in the earlier period, and that of Imposition Forests in the later period. The royal pine culture with the economic forest management system had influenced on the public consciousness and the common people seem to have coined Malrimgat, a pure Korean word that is interchangeable with the Chinesecharacter words of prohibition-cultivation land or forest (禁養地, 禁養林) practiced in the royal tomb forests, and Prohibition and Imposition Forests, which contained prohibition landmarks (Geumpyo) made of stone and rock on the boundaries. A culturo-social forestry, in which Sajik altar, royal tomb forests, Whangjang pine Prohibition and Imposition forests and the capital Inner-four and Outer-four mountain forests consist, was being put into practice in Joseon. In Joseon dynastry, the Neo-Confucian faith and royal rituals with geomancy, folk religion, and Buddhism incorporated has also played a critical humanistic role for the culturo-social pine forestry, the one higher in values than that of the economic pine forestry. The implications have been extracted from the historical case study on the Royal-Sajik tree and culturo-social forestry of Joseon : Cultural sustainability, in which the interaction between humans and environment maintains a long-term culturo-natural equilibrium or balance for many generations, emphasizes the importance that the modern humans who form and conserve environment need to rediscover and transform their culturo-natural legacy into conservation for many generations and produce knowledge of sustainability science, the transdisciplinary knowledge for the interaction between environment and humans, which fulfills the cultural, social and spiritual needs.