• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.1519-1526
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• 2010

The behavior of peptide or protein solutes in saline aqueous solution is a fundamental topic in physical chemistry. Addition of ions can strongly alter the thermodynamic and physical properties of peptide molecules in solution. In order to study the effects of added ionic salts on protein conformation and dynamics, we have used the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the behavior of Staphylococcus aureus Hfq protein under two different ionic concentrations: 0.1 M NaCl and 1.0 M NaCl in presence and absence of RNA (a hepta-oligoribonucleotide AU5G). Hfq, a global regulator of gene expression is highly conserved and abundant RNA-binding protein. It is already reported that in vivo the increase of ionic strength results in a drastic reduction of Hfq affinity for $Q{\beta}$ RNA and reduces the tendency of aggregation of Escherichia coli host factor hexamers. Our results revealed the crucial role of 0.1 M NaCl Hfq system on the bases with strong hydrogen bonding interactions and by stabilizing the aromatic stacking of Tyr42 residue of the adjacent subunits/monomers with the adenine and uridine nucleobases. An increase in RNA pore diameter and weakened compactness of the Hfq-RNA complex was clearly observed in 1.0 M NaCl Hfq system with bound RNA. Aggregation of monomers in Hfq and the interaction of Hfq with RNA are greatly affected due to the presence of high ionic strength. Higher the ionic concentration, weaker is the aggregation and interaction. Our results were compatible with the experimental data and this is the first theoretical report for the experimental study done in 1980 by Uhlenbeck group for the present system.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.619-626
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• 2007

It is of special interest in our membrane separation technology due to its low energy consumption and cost, relatively simple equipment, low investment and operation cost, et al. Full scale utilization of such processes can be widely utilized to the various fields. Using the difference of permeability of gas molecules between the filter layers, it is able to separate effectually pure gases from the mixed gases. In this paper, the membranes of PDMS, ${\gamma}-radiated$ PDMS, PTFE, PTFE-X are chosen to develop the predictive model for the separation of pure gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and other gases from mixed gases. By utilizing the thermodynamic gas properties($\sigma$, $\varepsilon/k$) and experimental data of gas transport characteristics for different polymer membranes, it is able to develop the predictive model equation under the influence of temperature, pressure and polymer characteristics. Predictive model developed in this research showed good agreement with experimental data of gas permeability characteristics for develop four different polymer membranes. The proposed model can also be extended to the general equation for predicting the separation of gases based on the properties of polymeric membranes.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.319-323
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• 2011

Curcumin, of which a critical characteristic is the capacity of crossing the blood-brain barrier, has been reported to induce the expression of neuroprotective heme oxygenase (HO)-1. The aim of this study is to compare HO-1-inducing capacity and neuroprotective activity of curcumin, its demethoxy (demethoxycurcumin, DMC; bis-demethoxycurcumin, BDMC) and hydrogenated derivatives (tetrahydrocurcumin, THC) in mouse hippocampal HT22 cells. Curcumin attenuated glutamate-induced cell death through HO-1 expression. DMC lacking a methoxy group on one of the aromatic rings possessed slightly lower activity in HO-1 expression and neuroprotection than curcumin. Similarly, BDMC, which lacks two methoxy groups on both of the aromatic rings, showed less activity than curcumin. These findings suggest that the presence of methoxy groups on the aromatic ring is required to enhance neuroprotective HO-1 expression. The reduction of the diarylheptadienone chain of curcumin by hydrogen, as in THC, was accompanied by a complete loss of ability to induce HO-1 expression and neuroprotection, suggesting that the conjugated double bonds of the central seven-carbon chain of curcumin may be essential for its ability to induce neuroprotective HO-1 expression. Our findings may provide useful information for further development of neuroprotective HO-1 inducers.

• Clean Technology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.61-68
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• 2008

There have been great attentions on polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) due to their advantageous characteristics such as zero emission of hazardous pollutant and high energy density. In this work, we evaluated degradation phenomena and stability of single cell performance via one dimensional single cell modeling. Here, CO poisoning on anode on anode was considered for cell performance degradation. Modeling results showed that the performance and stability were highly degraded with CO concentration in fuel gas. In addition, cell performance was reduced by slow oxygen reduction on cathode in long term operation. In order to overcome, it is required to increase ratio o#hydrogen in the fuel gas of anode and high Pt loading contained in the cathodic catalyst layer.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.751-757
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• 2015

The objective of this study was to investigate the protective effects of mulberry (Morus alba) sugar extracts (MSE) against $H_2O_2$-induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells. The MSEs was mixed with matured mulberry and sugar at the same ratio (1:1, w/w) and stored at $18{\pm}3^{\circ}C$ for 40 days. In 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging test, MSE stored for 40 days showed high activity with a ratio above 66%. Therefore, we selected 40 days as the optimum storage period. After cell viability analysis using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, we determined that the optimum concentration of MSE was 0.5%. Our results showed that MSE increased the cell viability and antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase in $H_2O_2$-treated HepG2 cells. Moreover, the treatment with MSE inhibited malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in $H_2O_2$-treated HepG2 cells. We also observed a reduction in apoptotic bodies in the Hoechst staining. These data show that MSE treatment significantly suppressed caspase-3 activity in HepG2 cells expored to $H_2O_2$-induced oxidative stress, thereby indicationg the protective effects of MSE in $H_2O_2$-induced oxidative stress.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.736-744
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• 2010

The root of Playtcodon grandiflorum, called Platycodi radix, has been a favorite edible plant in Asia and contains a large amount of saponins. Melanoma cells (B16F10) were used to investigate the inhibitory effect of aged black Platycodi radix extract (ABPRE) on oxidative stress and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Platycodon radix has been known to have a variety of medicinal effects such as prevention of gastric ulcers, antiallergenic activities, histamine release inhibition, and antioxidant effects. However, the mechanism of its action remains unclear in humans. ABPRE was prepared using ethanol extraction of aged black Platycodi radix. In an antioxidant effect study of ABPRE, it was observed that ABPRE specifically exhibited the scavenging activity of DPPH radical, but did not inhibit the production of malondialdehyde from lipid peroxidation. DNA oxidation was also blocked in the presence of ABPRE. In addition, ABPRE decreased the expression and activation of MMP-2 stimulated by phenazine methosulfate. Furthermore, ABPRE revealed the inhibitory effect on melanin production induced by L-dopa via antioxidant effect and the reduction of tyrosinase expression. Especially, the expression of antioxidant enzymes such as SOD-1 and SOD-2 regulated by Nrf2 was increased in the presence of ABPRE. Therefore, it appears that ABPRE may be a possible chemopreventive agent for the prevention of metastasis related to oxidative stress.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1452-1461
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• 2017

Melanin production by melanocytes in human hair follicles decreases with time and leads to the graying process, which is a phenotype of human aging and an index of aging. The reduction in melanin production is the result of decreased tyrosinase activity in hair follicles and an accumulation of active oxygen species, such as hydrogen peroxide. This study investigated antioxidant effects and melanin-promoting effects in B16F1 cells treated with black sesame ethanolic nonpolar-soluble extract (SBEEO) and black sesame ethanolic polar-soluble extract (SBEEP). In antioxidation experiments, both SBEEP and SBEEO did not eliminate 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, but SBEEO at $64{\mu}g/ml$ showed low reducing power. SBEEP exerted cytotoxic effects at concentrations greater than $8{\mu}g/ml$, whereas SBEEO showed cytotoxic effects at concentrations greater than $4{\mu}g/ml$. SBEEP and SBEEO induced melanin synthesis, tyrosinase activity, and DOPA oxidase activity in vitro. In live cells, melanin synthesis was greater in the SBEEP treatment group as compared with that in the SBEEO treatment group. SBEEP stimulated melanin synthesis by modulating the expression of tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP-2), which is an important enzyme in melanin synthesis. These results imply that SBEEP obtained from black sesame ethanolic extract may have the potential to improve melanin synthesis.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.207-211
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• 1995

In order to determine the mechanism of cold tolerance in crops, changes in biochemical factors related with the biological reduction of molecular oxygen upon cold shock treatment were analyzed at an early stage of Brassica germination. As the cold shocked seedlings were recovered under the normal growth condition for 24 hours, the peroxidase activities in cold sensitive rape(B. napus) and cold tolerant 'Sandongchae'(B. campestris) were considerably increased by 33% and 87% in root fraction and, 84% and 206% in hypocotyl, respectively. The content of superoxide($H_2O_2$) in hypocotyl fraction was dramatically accumulated until 8 hours after recovery and then gradually decreased. The extent of superoxide accumulation was severer in B. napus than B. campestris. At 24 hours after cold shock, $H_2O_2$ content was decreased to the nearly control level in B. campestris but still remained by 38%, in E. napus. Even though $H_2O_2$ content in hypocotyl fraction was decreased only 2% in B. napus during cold shock, while in B. campestris it was severely decreased about 15%. On the other hand, the cold shock at 3 days after Uniconazole treatment was more effective in increase of peroxidase activity than each separate treatment.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.397-403
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• 2018

The leaves of Spiraea prunifolia were extracted with 80% aqueous MeOH and the concentrates were partitioned into EtOAc, n-BuOH, and $H_2O$ fractions. The repeated $SiO_2$ or ODS column, and medium pressure liquid chromatographies for the n-BuOH fraction led to isolation of two phenolic glucosides. The chemical structures of these compounds were determined as isosalicin (1) and crenatin (2) based on spectroscopic analyses including Nuclear magnetic resonance and MS. Extracts were analyzed using UPLC-MS/MS providing a short analysis time within 5 min using MRM technique. The concentration of crenatin was higher as 9.53 mg/g and isosalicin was lower as 0.65 mg/g. Neuroprotective effects of these compounds against hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$)-induced neurotoxicity were evaluated. The results showed that exposure to $H_2O_2$ induced morphological changes, cell death and neurotoxicity in SK-N-MC cells. However, pretreatment with crenatin resulted in inhibition of morphological change, reduction of loss of cell viability and attenuation of neuronal damage. These results suggested that neuroprotective effect of crenatin isolated from S. prunifolia can be a good candidate for the development of health beneficial foods which can ameliorate the degenerative neuronal disease caused by oxidative stress.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.338-345
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• 2021

Zizania latifolia has long been used as a tea for both edible and medicinal purposes. However, research into the use of Z. latifolia as a high value-added edible material is lacking. In a previous study, we confirmed that tricin is the major component in Z. latifolia. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of a Z. latifolia extract (ZLE). Toxicity tests of ZLE or tricin on HepG2 cells revealed no toxicity due to ZLE or tricin at all concentrations used. The reduction in cell viability by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) was suppressed by treatment with ZLE or tricin. In addition, ZLE or tricin effectively inhibited the production of reactive oxygen species (generation of hydrogen peroxide, alkoxy free radicals, and peroxyl free radicals by t-BHP) and oxidative damage. ZLE or tricin treatments also increased the protein expression of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), catalase, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and nuclear factor erythroid-related factor 2 (Nrf2), which are known as antioxidant enzymes, suggesting that the protective effect of ZLE is related to activation of tricin. Taken together, the results indicate that Z. latifolia can be developed as a functional food material for improving liver function.