• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.117-124
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• 2019

Objective : Broccoli is edible green plant that has a wide variety of health benefits including cancer prevention and cholesterol reduction. However, leaves of broccoli are not eaten and are mostly left as waste. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the broccoli leaf extract (BLE) on prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) production related to nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages. Methods : BLE was prepared by extracting dried leaf with ethanol. Cell viability was determined by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. PGE₂ and inflammatory cytokines were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Expression level of each protein was monitored by Western blot analysis. Results : In LPS-activated Raw264.7 cells, PGE₂ release into culture medium was dramatically enhanced compared to control cells. However, increased PGE₂ was attenuated dose-dependently by treatment with BLE. Inhibition of PGE₂ production by BLE was due to the suppression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression determined by Western blot analysis. BLE also inhibited the production of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Inhibition at PGE₂ and cytokine was mediated from inhibition of nuclear translocation of NF-κB due to the repression of inhibitory kappa B alpha (IκBα) phosphorylation and degradation. Conclusion : This study showed that BLE exerted inhibitory activities against PGE₂, which is critical for the initiation and resolution of inflammatory responses, and that inhibition of PGE₂ was mediated by suppression of NF-κB signaling. These results suggest that the waste broccoli leaves could be used for controlling inflammation.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.389-396
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to investigate the safety of Houttuynia cordata Thunb extract (HCE) in Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice, to determine the effects of the extract on the growth performance and colony count, and to establish the optimal concentration of HCE. In total, 60 five-week-old male ICR mice with an average initial body weight (BW) of 27.24 ± 0.44 g were used in a four-week experiment. Mice were randomly allotted to four treatment groups (five replications per group, three mice per cage): 1) a control (CON) group fed with normal distilled water; 2) treatment group 1 (T1) fed with normal distilled water containing 0.05% HCE; 3) treatment group 3 (T3) fed with normal distilled water containing 0.1% HCE; and 4) treatment group 3 (T3) fed with normal distilled water containing 0.2% HCE. BW, feed intake (FI), and water intake were measured on the first, fourteenth, and eighteenth days. T2 showed a significant improvement (p < 0.05) in the feed conversion ratio (FCR) over the experimental period. However, water intake levels did not show significant differences among the groups. In the large intestine and feces, E. coli and Lactobacillus levels were significantly improved (p < 0.05) in the HCE treated group compared to the CON group. Supplying HCE via the drinking water improved the growth performance and colony count in ICR mice. Based on results of this study, utilizing HCE in livestock species is expected to be safe and feasible.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2023

Background: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the immunosuppressive and antioxidant effects of a novel radioprotective agent using the vitamin E derivative 2-(alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)methyl-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-6-ol (TMG) and its effect on tumors, and to study its usefulness. Materials and Methods: In this study, C57BL/6NCrSlc mice were divided into four groups (control, TMG, radiation therapy [RT], and RT+TMG), using 10 mice in each group. In the TMG and 2 Gy+TMG groups, 500 mg/kg TMG was administered. Two groups (2 Gy and 2 Gy+TMG) among RT and RT+TMG groups were irradiated with 2 Gy in a single fraction, while the other two groups (6 Gy and 6 Gy+TMG) were irradiated locally with 6 Gy in three fractions. Results and Discussion: TMG positively affected CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes. Tumor volumes and growth inhibition rates were compared. In order to evaluate how TMG administration affected tumor growth, Ehrlich cancer cells were injected into the thigh of mice, and the tumor volume and growth suppression rate were compared. Not only RT but also TMG alone inhibited tumor growth. If RT conducted to the mice with TMG, TMG could increase the number of leukocytes, primarily that of lymphocytes. TMG also inhibited tumor growth in addition to RT. Tumor growth was significantly inhibited in the 6 Gy+TMG group. Conclusion: In conclusion, TMG exerted an immunopotentiating effect mainly by increasing the white blood cell numbers including that of lymphocytes. In addition to RT, TMG also inhibited tumor growth. Therefore, TMG is considered to be a useful radioprotective agent in radiotherapy without tumor growth induction.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.35-43
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• 2022

This paper studies how to improve the identification rate of laryngeal disability speech data by convolutional neural network (CNN) and machine learning ensemble learning methods. In general, the number of laryngeal dysfunction speech data is small, so even if identifiers are constructed by statistical methods, the phenomenon caused by overfitting depending on the training method can lead to a decrease the identification rate when exposed to external data. In this work, we try to combine results derived from CNN models and machine learning models with various accuracy in a multi-voting manner to ensure improved classification efficiency compared to the original trained models. The Pusan National University Hospital (PNUH) dataset was used to train and validate algorithms. The dataset contains normal voice and voice data of benign and malignant tumors. In the experiment, an attempt was made to distinguish between normal and benign tumors and malignant tumors. As a result of the experiment, the random forest method was found to be the best ensemble method and showed an identification rate of 85%.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.207-218
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• 2023

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a poor prognosis and high metastasis and recurrence rates. Although extracts of Alnus hirsuta (Turcz. ex Spach) Rupr. (AH) have been demonstrated to possess potential anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities, the underlying mechanism of AH in HCC treatment remains to be elucidated. We investigated the effects and potential mechanisms of AH on migration and invasion of Hep3B cells. Within the non-cytotoxic concentration range, AH significantly inhibited motility and invasiveness of Hep3B cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Inhibitory effects of AH on cell invasiveness are associated with tightening of tight junctions (TJs), as demonstrated by an increase in transepithelial electrical resistance. Immunoblotting indicated that AH decreased levels of claudins, which form major components of TJs and play key roles in the control and selectivity of paracellular transport. Furthermore, AH inhibited the expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 and simultaneously increased the levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 and TIMP-2. These effects were related to inactivation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway in Hep3B cells. Therefore, AH inhibits migration and invasion of Hep3B cells by inhibiting the activity of MMPs and tightening TJs through suppression of claudin expression, possibly by suppressing the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.543-551
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• 2023

In this study, five endophytic fungi belonging to the Aspergillus and Alternaria genera were isolated from Lagopsis supina. The antimicrobial activity of all fungal fermented extracts against Staphylococcus and Fusarium graminearum was tested using the cup-plate method. Among them, Aspergillus ochraceus XZC-1 showed the best activity and was subsequently selected for large-scale fermentation and bioactivity-directed separation of the secondary metabolites. Four compounds, including 2-methoxy-6-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone (1), 3,5-dihydroxytoluene (2), oleic acid (3), and penicillic acid (4) were discovered. Here, compounds 1 and 4 displayed anti-fungal activity against F. graminearum, F. oxysporum, F. moniliforme, F. stratum, Botrytis cinerea, Magnaporthe oryzae, and Verticillium dahlia with diverse MIC values (128-512 ㎍/ml), which were close to that of the positive control antifungal, actidione (64-128 ㎍/ml). Additionally, compounds 1 and 4 also exhibited moderate antibacterial activity against S. aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella enterica, with low MIC values (8-64 ㎍/ml). Moreover, compounds 1 and 4 displayed selective cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines as compared with the normal fibroblast cells. Therefore, this study proposes that the endophytic fungi from L. supina can potentially produce bioactive molecules to be used as lead compounds in drugs or agricultural antibiotics.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.22.1-22.12
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• 2021

Objectives: This study evaluated and compared the effects of radiation therapy on the dislocation resistance of AH Plus and BioRoot RCS applied to dentin and the sealer-dentin interface. Materials and Methods: Thirty single-rooted teeth were randomly assigned to 2 groups (n = 15 each): AH Plus (Dentsply DeTrey) and BioRoot RCS (Septodont). Each group was subdivided into control and experimental groups. The experimental group was subjected to a total radiation dose of 60 Gy. The root canals of all samples were cleaned, shaped, and obturated using the single-cone technique. Dentin slices (1 mm) were sectioned from each root third for the push-out test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was done to examine the sealer-dentin interface. The failure mode was determined using stereomicroscopy. Bond strength data were analyzed by the independent t-test, 1-way analysis of variance, and the Tukey post hoc test (α = 0.05). Results: Significantly lower bond strength was observed in irradiated teeth than non-irradiated teeth in the AH Plus group (p < 0.05). The BioRoot RCS group showed no significant reduction in bond strength after irradiation (p > 0.05) and showed a higher post-irradiation bond strength (209.92 ± 172.26 MPa) than the AH Plus group. SEM revealed slightly larger gap-containing regions in irradiated specimens from both groups. Conclusions: The dislocation resistance of BioRoot RCS was not significantly changed by irradiation and was higher than that of AH Plus. BioRoot RCS may be the sealer of choice for root canal treatment in patients undergoing radiation therapy.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Dental Administration
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.28-35
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• 2018

Halitosis is primarily caused by bacterial decay. The bacteria, which originate from biofilms such as dental plaque, show abnormal proliferation due to dental caries, periodontal diseases, soft tissue infections, and tongue diseases. Most studies on halitosis have exclusively focused on gram-negative bacteria in the oral cavity rather than on general oral microorganisms including oral fungi. This study analyzed oral fungal hyphae, as well as distribution and motility of oral microorganisms, and provided basic data on the control of halitosis. Our results revealed that the greater is the number of cocci bacteria, the higher is the halitosis value, or bad breath value (BBV), suggesting that cocci have a strongly positive correlation with halitosis (r=0.379, p=0.030). Moreover, there was no significant difference in the morphology or distribution of motile bacteria and motility score, with respect to BBV. Lastly, we investigated the relationship between halitosis and oral fungal hyphae. We found that a higher BBV corresponded with a greater number of fungal hyphae and that patients with fungal hyphae scored a higher BBV. However, this result was not statistically significant. In conclusion, this study provided the preliminary data on oral microorganisms and halitosis, but further studies are needed to analyze the relationship between oral microorganisms and halitosis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.219-223
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• 2009

We investigated the effect of Takju lees extract on blood glucose levels in the db/db mice (a murine model of type 2 diabetes mellitus). We fed 40 male db/db mice a control diet (G0, AIN93G) and experimental diets containing 1% (G1), 2% (G2), or 4% (G4) Takju lees extract for 4 weeks. We found no difference in food intake and body weight gain among the animal groups. In the G1 and G2 groups, plasma glucose levels decreased significantly between Days 10 and 21 compared with the G0 group. However, we found no difference in plasma glucose levels between groups G4 and G0. The change in insulin concentrations was not significant among these animal groups, and we found no significant difference in glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) expression in the soleus muscle. These results suggest that the Takju lees extract has a beneficial effect in animals with type 2 diabetes.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2021.04a
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• pp.67-67
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• 2021

The genus Glycyrrhiza (Licorice) has been used as an oriental herbal medicine for a long time in Asian countries. Wongam (WG), which is Glycyrrhiza new variety, have been developed to improve limitation of licorice including low productivity, environmental restriction and insufficient components by Korea Rural Development Administration. To using WG as a herbal medicine, it is important to reveal the adverse effects in health. In this study, we evaluated the genotoxicity test of WG extract through in vitro bacterial reverse mutation (AMES) assay, in vitro chromosomal aberration assay and in vivo mouse bone marrow micronucleus assay. When compared with the control, WG extract with or without the S9 mix showed no genotoxicity in the AMES assay up to 5000 ㎍/plate and in the chromosomal aberration assay up to 1100 ㎍/ml. In micronucleus assay, no significant increase in the number of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes or in the mean ratio of polychromatic to total erythrocytes up to 5000 mg/kg/day for 2 days. The present study demonstrated that WG extract is safe and reliable herbal medicine since no detectable genotoxic effects at least under the conditions of this study.