• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.591-599
• /
• 2009

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) play important roles in nervous system functions and are involved in a variety of diseases. We previously demonstrated that ginsenosides, the active ingredients of Panax ginseng, inhibit subsets of nAChR channel currents, but not ${\alpha}7$, expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Mutation of the highly conserved Leu247 to Thr247 in the transmembrane domain 2 (TM2) channel pore region of ${\alpha}7$ nAChR induces alterations in channel gating properties and converts ${\alpha}7$ nAChR antagonists into agonists. In the present study, we assessed how point mutations in the Leu247 residue leading to various amino acids affect 20(S)-ginsenoside $Rg_3$ ($Rg_3$) activity against the ${\alpha}7$ nAChR. Mutation of L247 to L247A, L247D, L247E, L247I, L247S, and L247T, but not L247K, rendered mutant receptors sensitive to $Rg_3$. We further characterized $Rg_3$ regulation of L247T receptors. We found that $Rg_3$ inhibition of mutant ${\alpha}7$ nAChR channel currents was reversible and concentration-dependent. $Rg_3$ inhibition was strongly voltage-dependent and noncompetitive manner. These results indicate that the interaction between $Rg_3$ and mutant receptors might differ from its interaction with the wild-type receptor. To identify differences in $Rg_3$ interactions between wild-type and L247T receptors, we utilized docked modeling. This modeling revealed that $Rg_3$ forms hydrogen bonds with amino acids, such as Ser240 of subunit I and Thr244 of subunit II and V at the channel pore, whereas $Rg_3$ localizes at the interface of the two wild-type receptor subunits. These results indicate that mutation of Leu247 to Thr247 induces conformational changes in the wild-type receptor and provides a binding pocket for $Rg_3$ at the channel pore.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.52-62
• /
• 2006

In previous reports we demonstrated that ginsenosides, active ingredients of Panax ginseng, affect some subsets of voltage-dependent $Ca^{2+}$ channels in neuronal cells expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. However, the major component(s) of ginseng that affect cloned $Ca^{2+}$ channel subtypes such as ${\alpha}_{1C}$(L)-, ${\alpha}_{1B}$(N)-, ${\alpha}_{1A}$(P/Q)-, ${\alpha}_{1E}$(R)- and ${\alpha}_{1G}$(T) have not been identified. Here, we used the two-microelectrode voltage clamp technique to characterize the effects of ginsenosides and ginsenoside metabolites on $Ba^{2+}$ currents ($I_{Ba}$) in Xenopus oocytes expressing five different $Ca^{2+}$ channel subtypes. Exposure to ginseng total saponins (GTS) induced voltage-dependent, dose-dependent and reversible inhibition of the five channel subtypes, with particularly strong inhibition of the ${\alpha}_{1G}$-type. Of the various ginsenosides, $Rb_1$, Rc, Re, Rf, $Rg_1$, $Rg_3$, and $Rh_2$, ginsenoside $Rg_3$ also inhibited all five channel subtypes and ginsenoside $Rh_2$ had most effect on the ${\alpha}_{1C}$- and ${\alpha}_{1E}$-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels. Compound K (CK), a protopanaxadiol ginsenoside metabolite, strongly inhibited only the ${\alpha}_{1G}$-type of $Ca^{2+}$ channel, whereas M4, a protopanaxatriol ginsenoside metabolite, had almost no effect on any of the channels. $Rg_3$, $Rh_2$, and CK shifted the steady-state activation curves but not the inactivation curves in the depolarizing direction in the ${\alpha}_{1B}$- and ${\alpha}_{1A}$-types. These results reveal that $Rg_3$, $Rh_2$ and CK are the major inhibitors of $Ca^{2+}$ channels in Panax ginseng, and that they show some $Ca^{2+}$ channel selectivity.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.57 no.4
• /
• pp.329-335
• /
• 2004

Background : The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score can help to assess organ failure over time and is useful to evaluate morbidity. The aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of SOFA score as a descriptor of multiple organ failure in critically ill patients in a local unit hospital, and to compare with APACHE III scoring system. Methods : This study was carried out prospectively. A total of ninety one patients were included who admitted to the medical intensive care unit (ICU) in Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital from May 1 through June 30, 2000. We excluded patients with a length of stay in the ICU less than 2 days following scheduled procedure, admissions for ECG monitoring, other department and patients transferred to other hospital. The SOFA score and APACHE III score were calculated on admission and then consecutively every 24 hours until ICU discharge. Results : The ICU mortality rate was 20%. The non-survivors had a higher SOFA score within 24 hours after admission. The number of organ failure was associated with increased mortality. The evaluation of a subgroup of 74 patients who stayed in the ICU for at least 48 hours showed that survivors and non-survivors followed a different course. In this subgroup, the total SOFA score increased in 81% of the non-survivors but in only 21% of the survivors. Conversely, the total SOFA score decreased in 48% of the survivors compared with 6% of the non-survivors. The non-survivors also had a higher APACHE III score within 24 hours and there was a correlation between SOFA score and APACHE III score. Conclusion : The SOFA score is a simple, but effective method to assess organ failure and to predict mortality in critically ill patients. Regular and repeated scoring enables patient's condition and clinical course to be monitored and better understood. The SOFA score well correlates with APACHE III score.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.31 no.6
• /
• pp.439-444
• /
• 2016

In the present study, the performance of culture methods using two selective agars and real-time PCR were compared for selective isolation of Cronobacter in powdered infant formula and dried pumpkin. Two food samples were spiked with the pathogen and then preenriched in distilled water. A small portion of preenrichment (10 mL) was incubated in Enterobacteriaceae enrichment both, followed by inoculation onto Druggan-Forsythe-Iversen agar (DFI agar) and Cronobacter sakazakii chromogenic plating agar (R&F agar). The preenrichment and enrichment (1 mL each) was used in real-time PCR assay. In powdered infant formula (PIF), no statistical difference was observed between both culture methods and real-time PCR with preenrichemt (p > 0.05). However, the number of positives obtained by R&F agar and real-time PCR was much higher than that of culture method using DFI agar in dried pumpkin (p < 0.05). In particular, R&F agar yielded a significantly greater selectivity than DFI agar in dried pumpkin (p < 0.05). Real-time PCR and R&F agar, which are currently recommended by US FDA, could be used as an alternative detection tools for the isolation of Cronobacter in PIF and ingredient of child foods such as dried pumpkin that has high number of competing natural microflora.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.53 no.6
• /
• pp.619-634
• /
• 2002

Background : Many inflammatory mediators and collagenases are involved in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The increase of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9, gelatinase-B) produced mainly by inflammatory cells was reported in many ALI models and connective tissue cells. In this study, the expression of MMP-9 in ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) model and the effects of matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor (MMPI) on VILI were investigated. Methods : Eighteen Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: low tidal Volume (LVT, 7mL/Kg tidal volume, 3 $cmH_2O$ PEEP, 40/min), high tidal volume (HVT, 30mL/Kg tidal volume, no PEEP, 40/min) and high tidal volume with MMPI (HVT+MMPI) groups. Mechanical ventilation was performed in room air for 2 hours. The 20 mg/Kg of CMT-3 (chemically modified tetracycline-3, 6-demethyl 6-deoxy 4-dedimethylamino tetracycline) was gavaged as MMPI from three days before mechanical ventilation. The degree of lung injury was measured with wet-to-dry weight ratio and acute lung injury score. Expression of MMP-9 was studied by immunohistochemical stain with a mouse monoclonal anti-rat MMP-9 $IgG_1$. Results : In the LVT, HVT and HVT+MMPI groups, the wet-to-dry weight ratio was $4.70{\pm}0.14$, $6.82{\pm}1.28$ and $4.92{\pm}0.98$, respectively. In the HVT group, the ratio was significantly higher than other groups (p<0.05). Acute lung injury score measured by five-point scale was $3.25{\pm}1.17$, $12.83{\pm}1.17$ and $4.67{\pm}0.52$, respectively. The HVT group was significantly damaged by VILI and MMPI protects injuries by mechanical ventilation (p<0.05). Expression of MMP-9 measured by four-point scale was $3.33{\pm}2.07$, $12.17{\pm}2.79$ and $3.60{\pm}1.95$, respectively, which were significantly higher in the HVT group (p<0.05). Conclusion : VILI increases significantly the expression of MMP-9 and MMPI prevents lung injury induced by mechanical ventilation through the inhibition of MMP-9.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 1983

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the ecophysiological habitat of natural Sorbus commixta forest at Mt. Seorak. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The Sorbus commixta trees mainly distributed from 900m to 1,500m altitude. In there, the warm index(WI) was about 42$3.2{\times}10^3$ to $9.2{\times}10^3$, cation exchange capacity(CEC) was 13.7 to 19.5mg/100g, N content 0.21 to 0.39%, $P_2O_5$ content was 22.6 to 38.7ppm, and pH value was 5.6 to 5.8 respectively. 4. The upper crown trees in Sorbus commixta communities were Abies nephrolepis, Taxus cuspidata, Betula platyphylla var. japonica, Quercus${\times}$grosseserrata, Acer mono, Prunus sargentii, Carpinus cordata, Tilia amurensis, and the under crown trees were Rhododendron brachycarpum, Acer pseudo-sieboldianum, Thuja olientalis, Corylus heterohpylla, Philadelphus schrenckii, Rhododendron schlippenbachii, Rhododendron mucronulatum, and Magnolia sieboldii. 5. The stand densities were 1,156 trees/ha at 1,160m and 3,600 trees/ha at 1,300m respectively. The coverages by the DBH basal area were 0.37 at 1,160m and 0.31 at 1,300m respectively, and the vegetation coverages by the crown projection area were 2.04 at 1,160m and 1.61 at 1,300m respectively. 6. The light extinction coefficient(k) in Beer-Lambert's law, showed the distance, F(z), from top canopy to aboveground, was 0.17. 7. The water relations parameters of Sorbus commixta shoot were obtained by the pressure chamber technique. The osmotic pressure, ${\pi}_o$, at maximum turgor was -16.2 bar, and VAT pressure was 14.5bar. The osmotic pressure, ${\pi}_p$, at incipient plasmolysis was -19.4bar. The relative water contents at incipient plasmolysis were 83.1% ($v_p/v_o$) and 87.1%($v_p/w_s$;$w_s$, total water at maximum turgor). 8. The bulk modulus of elasticity(E) of shoot was about 69.6. The total symplasmic water to total water in shoot was 67.7%, and the apoplastic water to total water was 32.3%.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.59 no.1
• /
• pp.38-46
• /
• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of sowing time on the bio-active content of major soybean cultivars in a southern region of South Korea. Experiments were carried out in Naju, Jeonnam Province (latitude $35^{\circ}$ 04'N, longitude $126^{\circ}$ 54'E) from 2008 to 2010. The cultivars grown in summer included Saeol-kong and Tawon-kong and those grown in autumn included Taekwang-kong, Pungsannamul-kong, and Cheongja3, respectively. Sowing dates were May 15 and 30, June 15 and 30, and July 15 of each year. Daidzein content was increased in all the test cultivars grown from later sowing, and the contents of genistein and total isoflavone were increased in all the test cultivars except for Cheongja3. On the other hand, glycitein content showed no significant change in any of the test cultivars across the 5 sowing dates except for Tawon-kong. Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) content was significantly increased in Tawon-kong and Cheongja3, and delphinidin-3-glucoside (D3G) and total anthocyanin contents were significantly increased in Tawon-kong. However, pelargonidin-3-glucoside (Pg3G) and petunidin-3-glucoside (Pt3G) contents showed no significant difference in plants sown across the 5 dates. Lutein content in Cheongja3 was between 2.7 and $3.0{\mu}g/g$ based on sowing date and did not vary significantly, while chlorophyll content increased with later sowing and was significantly higher in the cultivars sown on June 30 and July 15. Crude fat content was higher in Taekwang-kong and Cheongja3 when the cultivars were sown earlier; crude fat did not vary in the other test cultivars based on sowing date. Palmitic acid composition was not affected by sowing date in most of the test cultivars. Stearic acid was increased in Saeol-kong, Tawon-kong, and Cheongja3 with later sowing. Oleic acid and linoleic acid were significantly higher in Saeol-kong at an earlier sowing date. The composition of linolenic acid showed significantly increased dates in most of the test cultivars with later sowing. There were no significant differences in carbohydrate and crude protein content across 5 different sowing dates in most of the test cultivars. However, crude protein content was higher in Saeol-kong when sowing occurred earlier, and was higher in Tawon-kong at later sowing dates.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.22-29
• /
• 2007

The water-soluble materials extracted from fruit bodies and mycelium of H. erinaceum were prepared. In-vitro anticancer activities on cancer cells and In-vivo proliferation effect on mouse peritoneal exudate cell and spleen cell of samples were investigated. Also, nitric oxide (NO) generation of peritoneal exudate cell, IL-2 production capacity of spleen cells and phagocytic activity of peritoneal macrophages were examined. The water extracts of H. erinaceum suppressed the proliferation of cancer cell (HeLa, Raw264.7, Jurkat, KATO3, EL4, LyD9) with concentration-dependent. The water extract from fruit body showed better suppression effect than that from mycelium in most of cancer cells used. The anticancer effect of water extract of fruits body in the range of 0.01 and 10 mg/ml for Raw 264.7 and EL4 cell lines were the same as the Taxol with one thousandth equivalent of fruit body concentration. Water extracts of fruit body and liquid-cultured products of H. erinaceum induced nitric oxide (NO) generation of peritoneal exudate cell and increased NO generation by stimulus of lipopolysaccharide. Water extracts alone did not induce the proliferation and IL-2 production capacity of spleen cells. However, spleen's proliferation and IL-2 production were induced significantly by the addition of lipopolysaccharide and Con A (concanavalin A) or Con A alone, and the effectiveness of mycelium extract with water were more active than those from fruit body.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.44-50
• /
• 2013

The persons in charge of management request diagnosis and prescription to tree hospitals in order to get consultation about the problems like blight that occur in landscape tree management. This study aims to analyze what the main problems and questions raised by landscape gardeners are and those concerned in landscape tree management. This is done by investigating landscape tree-related questions and answers uploaded on the online consultation boards of the plant diagnostic centers approved in Korea including the Seoul National University Plant Clinic, the Chungbuk National University Plant Hospital, and the Kangwon Diagnostic Center. As a result, those concerned in landscape occupied the most as 81.4% among the questioners. However, only 11.5% did explain the plant management history or surrounding environment, which is essential for landscape tree diagnosis when asking questions. This shows that those concerned in landscape lack basic knowledge or interest about plant diagnosis. Among 263 questions about landscape trees, questions about physiological damage included 94 cases that were the most taking up 35.8%. Moreover, the next were damage by insects and damage by disease in order. It is thought that due to the characteristics of physiological problems that occur by various sorts of stress and with no signs, they tend to request diagnosis or prescription the most. The most frequent reasons for physiological damage are water stress and temperature stress. About damage by disease, there exist many types of diseases, and there are many complex damages accompanied by physiological causes. About damage by insects, the most common include damage by moths. In consideration of this result, universities or technician training centers should provide education for landscape tree management so that landscape technicians and students can acquire essential knowledge and information about landscape tree management and increase their interest in it. In particular, it is necessary to provide profound learning opportunities for plant physiology, and the technicians should make efforts themselves. In addition, it is needed to build organizations to which they can ask technical questions about landscape planting and management in order to understand landscape industry in general and the actual status of landscape planting technique and the actual field. Moreover, to elevate systemicity and expertise in the area of landscape tree management not yet equipped with the foundation, it is needed to cultivate the technicians intensively and conduct research by those concerned both in academic and industrial circles.

• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.108-113
• /
• 2013

Wilt damage on tomato plants caused by Ralstonia solanacearum has been increased as the areas of tomato cultivation increased during the warm seasons. Also, the tomato rootstocks used to prevent the disease occurrence are not effective in the highly prevailing regions. Therefore, bacterial wilt resistant eggplant rootstock EG203, collected from AVRDC, was tested for its effect to deter the Ralstonia solanacearum wilt disease in the greenhouses at Buyeo Tomato Experiment Station from 2003 to 2005, and at Gumi, Kyungpook province from 2009-2011. Planting of eggplant rootstock EG203 should be done three weeks before the planting of tomato scions so that they can have similar stem diameter (2.5-3.0 mm) and can be easily grafted. Both insertion and inarching grafting showed 93-96% success rates. In the greenhouse tests at Buyeo Tomato Experiment Station from 2003 to 2005, eggplant rootstock EG203-grafted tomatoes showed the disease occurrence of 4.3%. On the other hand, non-grafted or other commercial rootstock-grafted tomatoes showed disease occurrence of 58.0% and 25.0-36.7%, respectively. In the greenhouse tests at Gumi, Kyungpook province in 2009, the disease occurrence on the EG203-grafted and non-grafted tomatoes was 2-5% and 20-80%, respectively. In 2010, at Gumi, Kyungpook province, when the wilt disease occurred slightly, the tomatoes grafted with tomato rootstocks B-blocking and Chung-gang, and eggplant rootstock EG203 showed similar disease severities, but EG203-grafted tomatoes formed lately cluster, resulting in the reduction of yield compared to tomato-grafted tomatoes. In 2011, at Gumi, Kyungpook province, when the wilt disease occurred severely, the tomato rootstocks 'B-blocking' and Chung-gang and eggplant rootstock EG203-grafted tomatoes showed disease occurrences of 60-85% and 0-1%, respectively. Therefore, it was concluded that tomato rootstocks 'B-blocking' and 'Chung-gang' are more useful in the areas contaminated with low levels of pathogen and eggplant rootstock EG203 is more useful in the areas contaminated with high levels of pathogen.