• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.18-24
• /
• 1985

A pot experiment was conducted to study the influence of potassium and cesium carrier on the uptake of radionuclide $Cs^{137}$ which is an element released usually from nuclear facilities, by paddy rice upon prolonged cropping of contaminated soils. The results are summarized as follows: 1) Visual toxic symptoms on the growth of rice plant due to treatment of radioactive cesium were not observed up to $20 {\mu}Ci/10Kg$ soil in a pot. 2) The yield and potassium content in rice plant were increased with potassium application, while the reverse was true for the calcium and magnesium. The addition of potassium to the soil markedly reduced $Cs^{137}$ uptake by rice plant but the addition of Cs carrier increased $Cs^{137}$ uptake. 3) Potassium and $Cs^{137}$ showed uniform distribution in all parts of plant and the contents of these two elements were high in the stems and leaves, and low in the heads. The ratio of $Cs^{137}$ to K was, however, not uniform in all parts of a plant. It was shown that this ratio was higher in the seed part, that is, chaff and hulled grain than in the leaves and stems. 4) $Cs^{137}$ absorption rate in rice plant was remarkably reduced with increase of potassium application and it was ranged from $0.02{\sim}0.47%$ in potassium non-treated plot to 0.01∼0.04% in plot treated with a concentration of 16Kg/10a. 5) The amount of $Cs^{137}$ and potassium uptake of rice plant depended on soil type. Uptake of $Cs^{137}$ by rice plant was higher in the soil with low pH and potassium content. The $Cs^{137}$ uptake by rice plant decreased as the potassium content and pH of soil was increased, but $Cs^{137}$ uptake increased when CEC and clay content in soil was high.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.426-433
• /
• 1988

A pot experiment was conducted to find out the effects of application of slacked lime and fused super-phosphate on the lead uptake of upland crops in a lead added soil. Lead concentration of the soils were adjusted to 0, 150, 300mg/kg respectively. The slacked lime was applied at the equivalent amount of lime requirement with extra 150kg/10a, and 2 times for the fused superphosphate. The results obtained were as follows: 1. Lead contents in crops increased in the order: sesame > maize > potato > sweet potato > soybean > green perilla > peanut > red bean. 2. Lead contents in parts of crops were increased in the order; root > stem > leaf > grain. 3. Increasing lead concentration in soils, lead content in the plant was increased and crops yield were decreased. 4. Lead contents in soybean and green perlilla were decreased in slacked lime application treatment. 5. The lead contents in leaf and grain of soybean and green perllila decreased with decreasing in the ratio of Pb/Ca+Mg equivalent in soil. 6. Grain yield were increased in slacked lime, but were decreased in fused superphosphate application treatment. 7. With increasing the soil Pb contents, calcium and phosphate contents were increased in leaf and stem, but calcium was decreased in roots. 8. $1N-NH_4$ OAC soluble Pb contents in soil were 26-50 ppm and 42-70 ppm, respectively, for 150mg/kg and 300mg/kg lead treatments. 9. The soil pH was increased in the order of slacked lime, fused superphosphate and nontreatment.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.181-194
• /
• 1992

Two hundred and eighty nine strains of Yersinia enterocolitica isolated from healthy pigs were tested for the presence of 40~50 Megadalton virulence-associated plasmids and plasmidmediated in vitro virulence-associated properties, i.e., congo red uptake, calcium dependency, autoagglutination, CRMOX reaction, crystal violet binding and pyrazinamidase reaction. The correlationships between in vitro virulence-associated properties and the presence of 220 Kdalton outer membrane protein(OMP) were examined in strains with or without virulence-associated plasmids. The correlationships between the presence of plasmids on the production of the OMP and the expression of in vitro virulence-associated properties were studied with $CRMOX^+$ strains and acridine orangecured $CRMOX^-$ mutants. The results were as follows : 1. Of the in vitro virulence-associated tests with 289 strains of Y enterocolitica, 275 strains (95.2%) were positive for pyrazinamidase test, and followed by in order of crystal violet binding test, 226 (79.2% ) ; CRMOX test, 190 (65.7%) ; autoagglutination test, 1.85(64.0%) : calcium dependency test, 86 (29.8%) and congo red uptake test, 47(16.3%). 2. The correlationship between autoagglutination and CRMOX test(r=0.90) was highly significant (p<0.01). 3. In 190 strains(65.7%) bearing the virulence-associated plasmids(MW 40~50 Mdalton), the correlation between the presence of plasmids and their in vitro virulence-associated properties were highest with CRMOX test(r=0.93) and followed by in orders of AAG test(0.81), CV test(0.46), PYZ test(0.37) and CD test(0.18), but no correlationship between the presence of plasmids and CR test(-0.11). 4. The $CRMOX^+$ strains produced the 220 Kdalton OMP when they were cultured at $37^{\circ}C$, but not at $26^{\circ}C$. The presence of 220 Kdalton OMP was correlated significantly with in vitro virulence properties and the presence of virulence-associated plasmid, respectively. 5. In the isogenic $CRMOX^-$ mutant strains, of which plasmid were cured by treatment with acridine orange not only in vitro virulence-associated properties(CR 100%, CD 100%, AAG 82.6%, CV 58.3%) disappeared but also 220 Kdalton OMP(100%) was not produced. These results indicate that the positive CRMOX reaction is plasmid-mediated and the CRMOX test is potential as an in vitro virulence tests with Y enterocolitica.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
• /
• 1994.04a
• /
• pp.243-243
• /
• 1994

Although active systemic anaphylaxis and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis have been empolyed to study anaphylactic hypersensitivity, it is difficult and time-consuming to induce these reactions in experimental animals. In recent, Jun et al have found a simple method to induced anaphylactic hypersensitivity such as anaphylactic shock(AS) and cutaneous reaction(CR) using compound48/80. Cortex mori (Morus alba L.), the root bark of mulberry tree has been used as an antiphlogistic, diuretic, and expectorant in herbal medicine. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the methanol extract of Cortex mori could inhibit the compound 48/80-induced AS and CR. To induce AS, various doses of compound 48/80 (5, 7.5, 10, 15$\mu\textrm{g}$/gm B.W.) were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) into ICR mice. The animals were pretreated by three injection(i.p.) of Cortex mori before compound 48/80 administration. Peripheral blood was collected from the right ventricle to estimate the level of serum histamine at 15 minutes after the injctin(i.p.) of various concentration of compound48/80. Mortility rate, mean death time and mesenteric mast cell degranulation rate were evaluated over a 72 hour period. To estimate the effect of Cortex mori on compound 48/80-induced cutaneous reaction, various doses of compound 48/80 with or without Cortex mori were injected intradermally(i.d.) into the shaved flank of Sprague-Dawley rats, and the blue cutaneous patchs induced by Evans'blue injection at the compound 48/80 alone and Cortex mori plus compound 48/80 injection sites were observed. As a Parameter of these reactions, the levels of histamine in the supernatant, calcium uptake and intracellular CAMP of RPMC were measured. supernatant, 1)compound 48/80-induced mortility rate, mean death time, mesenteric mast cell degranulation rate, and serum histamine level in ICR mice were significantly inhibited by pretreatment of Cortex mori, 2) cutaneous reaction inducd by compound48/80 was well developed in Sprague-Dawley rat, but Cortex mori inhibited the compound 48/80-induced blue patch formation remarkably, 3) the compound 48/80-induced degranulation, histamine release and calcium uptake of RPMC pretreated with Cortex mori were significantly inhibited, compared to those of control without Cortex mori pretreatment, and 4)the level of cAMP of RPMC was reduced bythe increased concentration of compound 48/80, pretreatment of Cortex mori not only inhibited the compound 48/80-induced reduction of CAMP but also significantly increased the level of cAMP naturally, from the above results, it is suggested that Cortex mori has an some substances with an ability to inhibits the compound 48/80-induced AS,CR, and mast cell activation.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.195-202
• /
• 1993

Oxidative modification of cellular proteins and lipids may play a role in the development of diabetic complications. Diabetic cardiomyopathy has been suggested to be caused by the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ overload in the myocardium, which is partly due to the defect of calcium transport of the cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). In the present study, the possible mechanism of the functional defect of cardiac SR in diabetic rats was studied. Both of the maximal $Ca^{2+}$ uptake and the affinity for $Ca^{2+}$ were decreased in the diabetic rat SR in comparison with the control. To investigate whether the functional defect of the cardiac SR in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat is associated with the oxidative changes of cardiac SR proteins, the carbonyl group content and glycohemoglobin levels were determined. The increase in carbonyl group content of cardiac SR (2.30 nmols/mg protein, DM; 1.78, control) and in glycohemoglobin level $(13{\sim}17%,\;DM;\;3{\sim}5%,\;control)$ were observed in the diabetics. The extent of increase in calcium transport by phospholamban phosphorylation was greater in the diabetic cardiac SR membranes than that in the control. The phosphorylation levels of phospholamban, as determined by SDS-PAGE and autoradiography with $[{\gamma}^{32}P]ATP$, were increased in diabetic cardiac SR. These results suggest that the impaired cardiac SR function in diabetic rat could be a consequence of the less-phosphorylation of phospholamban in the basal state, which is partly due to the depleted norepinephrine stores in the heart. Furthermore, the oxidative damages in cardiac SR membranes might be one of the additional factors leading to the diabetic cardiomyopathy.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.222-228
• /
• 1990

The development of histomorphometric and histodynamic investigations has permitted the description of a specific and complex osteopathy in hyperthyroidism. The increased bone turnover rate in hyperthyroid patients may be accompanied by a considerable bone loss. These features are associated with both inclosed osteoclastic bone resorption and increased osteoblastric bone formation, with an accelerated calcification rate. Conventional biochemical markers of bone metabolism, i.e. serum calcium and alkaline phosphatase and urinary hydroxyproline and calcium are normal in most patients with hyperthyroidism. However, the correlation between serum BGP and serum concentration of thyroid hormon suggests that serum BGP may be a sensitive marker of increased bone formation due to the hypersecretion of thyroid hormones. Any increase in bone turnover, whether focal or diffuse, will result in an increase in $^{99m}Tc-methylenediphosphonate$ uptake (MDP). The measurement of this uptake in hyperthyroid patients by bone provides a sensitive and objective means of quantifying skeletal metabolism. Using a standard shadow-shield whole-body monitor and radioimmunoassay kit, we have measured whole-body retention of $^{99m}Tc-MDP$ up to 24hr and concentration of serum Osteocalcin in 20 patients with hyperthyroidism and in 42 normals. The results were as follows; 1) The average of serum Osteocalcin level in 42 patients with normals was $9.90{\pm}4.87(ng/ml)$ and in 20 patients with hyperthyroidism was $19.54{\pm}5.7(ng/ml)$. Both the averages of serum Osteocalcin and 24hr $^{99m}Tc-MDP$ uptakes in hyperthyroid patients were higher than those in normals. 2) $^{99m}Tc-MDP$ uptakes in skeletal system increased in proportion to normal ageing after 40 yrs old in 42 patients with normals. The average of $^{99m}Tc-MDP$ uptakes in hyperthyroid patients were higher than those in normals without related ageing. 3) A significant relationships between the $^{99m}Tc-MDP$ uptakes and serum Osteocalcin level were peformed (r=0.55, $y=17.58+6.7\times$). From the above results we concluded that the measurement of serum Osteocalcin and 24hr $^{99m}Tc-MDP$ uptakes can be used for evaluation of bone turnover as a specific marker in hyperthyroid patients.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
• /
• 1984.09a
• /
• pp.191-197
• /
• 1984

A further purified fraction (D-O-ANa) was obtained from DPG 3-2 fraction of Ginseng Radix by complete removal of saponins, nucleosides, nucleic acid bases, amino acids, and sugars. D-O-ANa - induced insulin release was investigated to compare with that of DPG 3-2 and other isolated components. Among the sub fractions of DPG 3-2, D-O-ANa exhibited the most potent release of insulin with or without high concentrations of glucose, and it particularly enhanced the second phase of glucose-induced insulin release. DGP 3-2 potentiated significantly the glucose-induced insulin release from the isolated islets of diabetic mice at increasing concentrations of extracellular calcium ions (0.16 - 2.5 mM). A definite relationship was found between calcium $(^{45}Ca)$ uptake and insulin release. Ginsenoside $(G)-Rb_1\;and\;G-Rg_1$ did not enhance the glucose-induced insulin release. The effect of ginseng saponins was blocked by glucose (16.7 mM), being distinctly different from the glucose-potentiated effect of DPG 3-2. The insulin release effect of $G-Rg_1$ was unaffected by the presence or absence of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ and theophylline. Adenosine also increased insulin release from isolated islets, but had no effect on perfused rat pancreas. Arginine stimulated insulin release less evidently than D-O-ANa, though arginineand adenosine-induced glucagon releases were more remarkable. In conclusion, D-O-ANa appears to be a major fraction in insulin release activity of ginseng and its mode of action may be related to $Ca^{2+}$ ion uptake. This physiological mechanism was distinct from that of the abnormal release induced by ginseng saponins.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.46 no.4
• /
• pp.550-560
• /
• 2022

Background: The effect of ginsenoside Rh2 (G-Rh2) on mast cell-mediated anaphylaxis remains unclear. Herein, we investigated the effects of G-Rh2 on OVA-induced asthmatic mice and on mast cell-mediated anaphylaxis. Methods: Asthma model was established for evaluating airway changes and ear allergy. RPMCs and RBL-2H3 were used for in vitro experiments. Calcium uptake, histamine release and degranulation were detected. ELISA and Western blot measured cytokine and protein levels, respectively. Results: G-Rh2 inhibited OVA-induced airway remodeling, the production of TNF-α, IL-4, IL-8, IL-1β and the degranulation of mast cells of asthmatic mice. G-Rh2 inhibited the activation of Syk and Lyn in lung tissue of OVA-induced asthmatic mice. G-Rh2 inhibited serum IgE production in OVA induced asthmatic mice. Furthermore, G-Rh2 reduced the ear allergy in IgE-sensitized mice. G-Rh2 decreased the ear thickness. In vitro experiments G-Rh2 significantly reduced calcium uptake and inhibited histamine release and degranulation in RPMCs. In addition, G-Rh2 reduced the production of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-8, and IL-4 in IgE-sensitized RBL-2H3 cells. Interestingly, G-Rh2 was involved in the FcεRI pathway activation of mast cells and the transduction of the Lyn/Syk signaling pathway. G-Rh2 inhibited PI3K activity in a dose-dependent manner. By blocking the antigen-induced phosphorylation of Lyn, Syk, LAT, PLCγ2, PI3K ERK1/2 and Raf-1 expression, G-Rh2 inhibited the NF-κB, AKT-Nrf2, and p38MAPK-Nrf2 pathways. However, G-Rh2 up-regulated Keap-1 expression. Meanwhile, G-Rh2 reduced the levels of p-AKT, p38MAPK and Nrf2 in RBL-2H3 sensitized IgE cells and inhibited NF-κB signaling pathway activation by activating the AKT-Nrf2 and p38MAPK-Nrf2 pathways. Conclusion: G-Rh2 inhibits mast cell-induced allergic inflammation, which might be mediated by the AKT-Nrf2/NF-kB and p38MAPK-Nrf2/NF-κB signaling pathways.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.188-197
• /
• 2002

Purpose : Nowadays, drinks, foods and snacks have frequently been intensified with calcium and the insights into the importance of calcium-intake in general has developed in Korea. In this decade, we found the numbers of children who was visited to our hospital for evaluation of hematuria defined with hypercalciuria were increased. So we tried to compare the mean levels of serum calcium, alkaline phosphate, sodium, potassium, chloride, BUN, creatinine, bicarbonate and urinary pH who visited our hospital in 1991, 1992 with in 2000, 2001. Materials and methods : Between January 1991 to December 1992, and between January 2000 to December 2001, each 366 children and 488 children, aged 1 month to 15 years, who presented in our hospital for tonsilectomy and adenoidectomy or for inguinal herniorrhaphy were enrolled in the study, The children in the study were checked the level of serum calcium, alkaline phosphate, sodium, potassium, chloride, BUN, creatinine, bicarbonate and urinary pH with the machine which was corrected the similar levels of practical chemical levels in serum. We compared each mean levels in 1991s' group with in 2001s' group totally and separately through the age and sex. We used t-test to analysis data. Results : The levels of serum calcium, alkaline phosphate, creatinine, sodium, potassium, and urinary pH of 2001s' group were significantly higher than the levels of 1991s' group(P<0.05). The each level was $9.91{\pm}0.50\;mg/dL,\;248.58{\pm}94.98\;U/L,\;0.61{\pm}0.14\;mg/dL,\;138.64{\pm}2.22\;mM/L,\;4.35{\pm}0.40\;mM/L,\;6.18{\pm}0.86$ in 2001s' and $9.13{\pm}0.68;mg/dL,\;198.26{\pm}79.34\;U/L,\;0.433{\pm}0.18\;mg/dL,\;137.86{\pm}2.67\;mM/L,\;4.22{\pm}0.36\;mM/L,\;5.83{\pm}0.95$ in 1991s'. And the levels of serum bicarbonate, $23.64{\pm}2.57\;mM/L$ in 2001s' was significantly lower than the 1991s', $24.60{\pm}2.23\;mM/L$(P<0.05). The similar results were detected each age and sex group. Conclusion : The levels of serum calcium increase in this decade. The results will be used as a basic data for the national health plan in the years to come.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.11-16
• /
• 2007

N,N-dimethyl-D-erythro-sphingosine (DMS) is an N-methyl derivative of sphingosine and an inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC) and sphingosine kinase (SK). In the present study, we examined the effects of DMS on intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration, pH, and glutamate uptake in human 1321N1 astrocytes. DMS increased intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration and cytosolic pH in a concentration-dependent manner. Pretreatment of the cells with the $G_{i/o}$ protein inhibitor PTX and the PLC inhibitor U73122 had no obvious effect. However, removal of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ with the $Ca^{2+}$ chelator EGTA or depletion of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ stores with thapsigargin impeded the DMS-induced increase of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration. Pretreatment of cells with $NH_4Cl$ or monensin reduced the DMS-induced $Ca^{2+}$ increase. However, inhibition of the DMS-induced $Ca^{2+}$ increase with BAPTA did not influence the DMS-induced pH increase. DMS also inhibited glutamate uptake by the 1321N1 astrocytes in a concentration-dependent manner. It also increased intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ and pH in PC12 neuronal cells. Our observations on the effects of DMS on 1321N1 astrocytes and PC12 neuronal cells point to a physiological role of DMS in the brain.