• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.825-832
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• 2005

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of extract of Fomes fomentarius (FF) on blood glucose, lipid profile, antioxidant enzymes and immune cells in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control, STZ-induced diabetic group (DM), STZ plus FF water extract treated group (DM-FW 200) and STZ plus FF methanol extract treated group (DM-FM 200). FW (200 mg/kg BW) and FM (200 mg/kg BW) were orally administered once a day for 14 days. Admdinistering FW and FM to STZ-induced diabetic rats lowered the blood glucose level. The supplementation of FW and FM suppressed the increase in the total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the serum and liver of the diabetic rats. The high density lipoprotein-cholesterol level and glutathione peroxidase activity were higher in the FF-sup-plemented group compared to the diabetic group. Administering FW and FM increased the suppress in the serum complement component C3, whole blood B-cell, T-cell, helper T cell and suppressor T cell of the diabetic rats. Therefore, it could be suggested that FW and FM are alleviated the diabetic complication through enhancing the hyperglycemia and preventing diabetic complications.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.355-360
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• 1996

In vitro-tested ribozyme against synthesized cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) RNA (Agric. Chem. & Biotech. 37:56-63(1994)) was expressed in tobacco plant to develop virus resistant plants. The ribozyme sequence was linked to cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter and nopaline synthase(nos) terminator and this chimeric 35S-ribozyme-nos gene was sequenced. The sequenced chimeric gene was transferred to Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404 using tri-parental mating system. The E. coli HB101 containing chimeric gene was incubated with E. coli HB101(pRK2073) as a helper and Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404. Then Agrobacterium cells containing the ribozyme construct was cocultivated with tobacco leaf pieces. Ten different plants were regenerated from kanamycin containing MS medium. The presence of the ribozyme construct in the transgenic tobacco plants was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Seven different transgenic plants in ten different kanamycin resistant plants showed the expected size (570 base pairs) of 35S-ribozyme-nos gene fragment. Total RNAs were isolated from four different transgenic plants and separated on a 1% agarose gel containing formamide. Northern hybridization with 35S-ribozyme-nos gene fragment as a probe indicated that ribozyme transcripts may be degraded tv nuclease. Therefore, nuclease-resistant ribozymes are needed for the development of virus-resistant transgenic plants using ribozymes.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.205-212
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• 2002

This study was conducted to develop a method for direct determination of phagocytic activities in human circulatic systems and to measure the phagocytic activities in human leukocytes from the alcoholics, since phagocytic activity was considered to be very important in human immune mechanism at early stage for the health care of the alcoholics. The subjects for this study were 130 among which 95 males and 3 females were diagnosed as alcoholism and 32 was healthy blood donors. A thin layer of heat-killed Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I was placed on a plastic dish and reacted with whole blood to measure the phagocytic plaque formation by human leukocytes. In order to determine the health conditions of the subjects, some clinical laboratory tests, such as white blood cell counts, hemoglobin contents (Hgb), mean corpuscular volume of red blood cells(MCV), serum electrophoresis, B and T-lymphocytes, T-lymphocyte subtypes and phytohemagglutination test were also implemented. Compared to the non-alcoholism, new and old alcoholic inpatients showed statistically significant differences on levels of Hgb and MCV (p<0.05), but showed that T and B-lymphocyte numbers decreased and Helper T cell/Suppressor T cell ratio ($1.6{\pm}0.8$%) increased. Compared to non-alcoholism, phagocytic plaque activities of leukocytes from alcoholic patients decreased significantly and an unusual pattern in phagocytic plaque was observed, showing a strange body and chain shaped phagocytosis. Based upon these results, it is concluded that a phagocytic-plaques of Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I by leukocytes was very simple and useful method for the early immunological determination of phagocytic activities in alcoholic patients without requiring any special equipments.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.3 s.83
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• pp.427-434
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• 2007

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a pivotal roles in the initiation of T cell-mediated immune responses, making them an attractive in immuno vaccines. Angelica gigas and Cnidium officinale were a medicinal herb widely used in Asian countries. In this study, we examined the effects of A. gigas and C. officinale extracts on the DCs functional maturation and phono-type. Immature DCs were cultured in the presence of GM-CSF and IL-4, and the generated immature DCs were stimulated with OVA in the presence or absence A. gigas and C. officinale extracts, respectively, for 24 hours. The antigen-presenting capacity of A. gigas and C. officinale extracts-treated DCs as analyzed by $CD4^+$ helper T cell clone (OVA-specific) proliferation and cytokines (IL-2 and $IFN-{\gamma}$) production were significantly increased. But A. gigas and C. officinale extracts were not directly effected $CD4^+$ helper T cell clone function. Also, the expression of surface co-stimulatory molecules, including major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II, CD86 and CD11c, is increased on DCs that were stimulated with A. gigas and C. officinale extracts. These results indicate the immunomodulatory properties of A. gigas and C. officinale extracts, which might be medical supplies or health foods.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.175-184
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• 1987

The use of alkylating agent cyclophosphamide(CY), a widely used antitumor drug is well known as a potent immunosuppressant and has been used as a probe for investigating the functional capabilities of lymphocyte subsets of both T and B cells that play an important role in the regulation of the immune response. The present study was undertaken in an effort to assess the effects of CY on immunological memory in murine model. CY, given as a single dose of CY(250mg/kg) before sensitization with sheep red blood cells(SRBC) enhanced the primary response of Arthus and delayed-type hypersensitivity(DTH), as measured by footpad swelling reaction, but suppressed their tertiary DTH response. The similar CY pretreatment enhanced both the primary and tertiary hemagglutinin(HA) responses to SRBC, and the tertiary antibody response against polyvinylpyrroridone(PVP), a thymus-independent antigen but not the primary response against PVP. CY, given as a single dose of 250mg/kg 2 days before the primary immunization and two doses of 100mg/kg 2 days before the secondary and tertiary immunization, markedly suppressed the tertiary DTH and HA responses to SRBC. However, CY, given as small multiple daily doses(10mg/kg) over 4 days before sensitization but not after sensitization, enhanced the secondary HA response to SRBC. Contact sensitivity to dinitrofluorobenzene(DNFB) was suppressed by the drug, given either as a single large dose(300mg/kg) or as multiple dose(10mg/kg) administered 2 days before, together with or after DNFB sensitization. This suppression was more pronounced and more significant when CY was given as multiple dose. However, the enhancement of the secondary contact sensitivity to DNFB by CY was not clear-cut. The splenectomy appears to increase the enhancing effect of CY on contact sensitivity. These results suggest that CY selectively influences the immune response depending on the time of the drug administration relative to immunization and that the secondary or tertiary immune response involve memory cells with different susceptibilities to CY. Moreover, these results suggest that multiple low doses may sesectivley inhibit suppressor T cell proliferation involving DTH, HA or contact sensitivity without effecting helper T cells, but high doses presumably inhibit helper T cells and suppressor T cells with effecting B cells.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.241-248
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• 2022

Objective : The purpose of this trial is to observe the preliminary effects of Salvia plebeia (SP) extract on quality of life in patients with solid cancer. Methods : This is a prospective, open-label, single-arm, and single-dose clinical trial. Twenty participants who have been diagnosed with solid cancer between the ages of 20 and 65 will be included. All participants will be administered SP granules for 12 weeks. Data will be collected at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after enrollment. The primary outcome is quality of life, using the Korean version of the Functional Assessment Cancer Therapy-General questionnaire. Secondary outcomes include tumor markers in blood tests for each cancer type, soluble programmed death-ligand 1, the percentage of natural killer cells among lymphocytes, ratio of T-helper and T-suppressor cells, ratio of total T, T-helper, T-suppressor, and B cells in lymphocytes, level of C-reactive protein, and tumor size via radiology examination. Safety will be assessed by clinical laboratory tests and monitoring of adverse events. Discussion : This study aims to observe the effects of an oral administration of SP preparations in patients with solid cancer on changes in quality of life and an improvement in immune function. It is expected to provide objective evidence of the effect and safety of SP for patients with solid cancer. Trial registration: KCT0007315 (Clinical Research Information Service)

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.68-72
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• 2022

Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) is a lymphoproliferative disorder of mature T follicular helper cells. Atypical lymphoid cells were observed in the bone marrow of an 80-year-old woman, and the flow cytometric determined immunophenotypes of B-cells were unusual, that is, CD19+, CD20-, and CD22- with lambda light chain restriction. Initially, we suspected BM involvement of B-cell lymphoma based on the presence of abnormal B-cells. However, the patient was diagnosed with AITL involving BM. A re-analysis of flow cytometric immunophenotyping revealed a minor, aberrant T-cell population, and the lambda light chain restriction observed by surface staining was considered non-specific binding. This case demonstrates B-cells in patients with EBV-positive T-cell lymphoma may exhibit immunophenotypes resembling those of plasma cells, and that proliferation of abnormal B-cells or plasma cells could also potentially mask underlying T-cell lymphoma. A more integrated approach is required for accurate diagnosis.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.359-369
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• 2004

The objectives of this study were: a) to classify the rural women's roles according to degree of participation in farming and decision making, b) to find out the needs for support policy considering the role types, and c) to put forward the programs for supporting rural women according to their role types. This study was based on a literature review, empirical analysis, and opinions from a panel of experts and professionals including rural women in Korea. Based on the findings from this study, the following suggestions should be considered for supporting the rural women according to the types of their roles: 1) Government should enhance the support system for rural women in terms of policy and social system. Careful considerations on the status of woman farmers according to their role types should be reflected in the policy and social system. 2) Family cultural reform, farming helper system, reducing the housework burden, supporting educational expenses, and providing more opportunities for closer contact to the community actions and educational programs should be included in the support system. 3) Rural women's participation in various community action and educational programs should be encouraged by providing diverse incentives, appropriate information and educational supports designed to support woman farmers.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.530-536
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• 2006

Bacteriophage P4, a satellite phage of coliphage P2, is a very useful experimental tool for the study of viral capsid assembly and cos-cleavage. For an in vitro cos-cleavage reaction study of the P2-P4 system, new shortened and selectable markers containing P4 derivative plasm ids were designed as a substrate molecules. They were constructed by swapping the non-essential segment of P4 DNA for either the kanamycin resistance (kmr) gene or the ampicillin resistance (apr) gene. The size of the genomes of the resulting markers were 82% (P4 ash8 delRI:: kmr) and 79% (P4 ash8 delRI:: apr) of the wild type P4 genome. To determine the lower limit of genome size that could be packaged into the small P4-size bead, these shortened P4 plasmids were converted to phage particles with infection of the helper phage P2. The conversion of plasmid P4 derivatives to bacteriophage particles was verified by the heat stability test and the burst size determination experiment. CsCl buoyant equilibrium density gradient experiments confirmed not only the genome size of the viable phage form of shortened P4 derivatives, but also their packaging into the small P4-size head. P4 ash8 delRI:: apr turned out to be the smallest P4 genome that can be packaged into P4-sized head.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.183-188
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• 2009

TSAd/Lad is a T cell adaptor molecule involved in $p56^{lck}$-mediated T cell activation. To investigate the functions of TSAd in T cells, we generated transgenic (TG) mice expressing the SH2 domain of TSAd (TSAd-SH2) under the control of the $p56^{lck}$ proximal promoter. In T cells from TSAd-SH2 TG mice, T cell receptor (TCR)-mediated early signaling events, such as $Ca^{2+}$ flux and ERK activation, were normal; however, late activation events, such as IL-2 production and proliferation, were significantly reduced. Moreover, TCR-induced cell adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and migration through ECM proteins were defective in T cells from TSAd-SH2 TG mice. Furthermore, the contact hypersensitivity (CHS) reaction, an inflammatory response mainly mediated by T helper 1 (Th1) cells, was inhibited in TSAd-SH2 TG mice. Taken together, these results show that TSAd, particularly the SH2 domain of TSAd, is essential for the effector functions of T cells.