• BMB Reports
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.201-205
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• 2001

Thionins are a family of low molecular weight cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptides. We isolated a cDNA encoding thionin gene from a flower bud cDNA library of Chinese cabbage (CFT). The gene contains 611 by nucleotides with 60 bp, and 150 by untranslated regions at its N- and C-terminal, respectively. The deduced amino acid sequence encoded 133 amino acids containing precursor polypeptide. The protein reveals that the precursor has a tripartite structure: a putative signal sequence at the N-terminus, followed by a mature thionin peptide, and a C-terminal acidic domain, which facilitates transport of the mature thionin through membrane. Genomic Southern blot analysis suggests that the CFT gene may be present as a single or two copy gene in the Chinese cabbage genome. Northern blot analysis shows that the gene is specifically expressed in flowers, but not in leaves, stems, or roots. When we analyzed the antifungal activity of the recombinant CFT protein, which was expressed in E. coli using the truncated cDNA region corresponding to the mature protein part, it was not active on fungal growth inhibition.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.57-64
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• 1997

$Amino-{\beta}-lactam$ antibiotics are absorbed by the dipeptide transporter in the small intestine. These uptakes are coupled to a proton influx. The inward proton gradient is partly induced by the $Na^+/H^+$ exchanger and calcium ion is involved in control of this antiport. Interaction between ampicillin which is one of the $Amino-{\beta}-lactam$ antibiotics and nifedipine which is one of calcium channel blocking agents was studied in rats in vivo and with rabbit jejunum mounted on the Sweetana/Grass diffusion cells in vitro. Bioavailability of ampicillin was increased significantly when nifedipine was co-administered orally in rats. There were no differences in the distribution phase and the elimination phase when ampicillin was given either alone or with nifedipine intravenously. Conditions for in vitro experiments were determined. The lift rate of $O_2/CO_2$ gas was controlled to 3 bubbles/sec and ampicillin was stable in the Kreb's buffer at pH 6.0. Absorption of ampicillin was the greatest when the completely-stripped serosal membrane was used. Transport of ampicillin from mucosal to serosal side in the rabbit jejunum was enhanced by 32% in the presence of nifedipine (p=0.059). Above results suggest that nifedipine might increase the plasma level of ampicillin via the improved absorption in the intestine rather than the reduction in the elimination or/and alteration in the distribution.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.271-275
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• 2008

Choline is important an organic compound for normal membrane function, acetylcholine synthesis, lipid transport, and methyl metabolism. In biological tissues and foods, there are multiple choline compounds that contribute to choline content. There are so many analytical methods for choline determination, such as radioisotopic, high-performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. However, these existing methods are expensive, unmanageable, and time-consuming. In this study, we modified enzymatic method, which is applicable for the determination of choline in milk and infant formulas, and applied to bovine serum and muscle. The calibration curves were linear with higher correlation coefficients than 0.994. Recoveries obtained by calibration curves from the spiked bovine serum and muscle samples varied between 70.6 and 85.2%. The method may be suitable for use as a routine method in the determination of choline for biological tissue and food samples.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.183-189
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• 2008

The present study compared the feasibility of Caco-2 and MDCK cells as an efficient in-vitro model for the drug classification based on Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) as well as an in-vitro model for drug interactions mediated by P-gp inhibition or P-gp induction. Thirteen model drugs were selected to cover BCS Class I{\sim}IV$ and their membrane permeability values were evaluated in both Caco-2 and MDCK cells. P-gp inhibition studies were conducted by using vinblastine and verapamil in MDCK cells. P-gp induction studies were also performed in MDCK cells using rifampin and the P-gp expression level was determined by western blot analysis. Compared to Caco-2 cells, MDCK cells required shorter period of time to culture cells before running the transport study. Both Caco-2 and MDCK cells exhibited the same rank order relationship between in-vitro permeability values and human permeability values of all tested model compounds, implying that those in-vitro models may be useful in the prediction of human permeability (rank order) of new chemical entities at the early drug discovery stage. However, in the case of BCS drug classification, Caco-2 cells appeared to be more suitable than MDCK cells. P-gp induction by rifampin was negligible in MDCK-cells while MDCK cells appeared to be feasible for P-gp inhibition studies. Taken all together, the present study suggests that Caco-2 cells might be more applicable to the BCS drug classification than MDCK-cells, although MDCK cells may provide some advantage in terms of capacity and speed in early ADME screening process.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.697-703
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• 2018

Myoblast fusion depends on mitochondrial integrity and intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ signaling regulated by various ion channels. In this study, we investigated the ionic currents associated with $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ regulation in normal and mitochondrial DNA-depleted(${\rho}0$) L6 myoblasts. The ${\rho}0$ myoblasts showed impaired myotube formation. The inwardly rectifying $K^+$ current ($I_{Kir}$) was largely decreased with reduced expression of KIR2.1, whereas the voltage-operated $Ca^{2+}$ channel and $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^+$ channel currents were intact. Sustained inhibition of mitochondrial electron transport by antimycin A treatment (24 h) also decreased the $I_{Kir}$. The ${\rho}0$ myoblasts showed depolarized resting membrane potential and higher basal $[Ca^{2+}]_i$. Our results demonstrated the specific downregulation of $I_{Kir}$ by dysfunctional mitochondria. The resultant depolarization and altered $Ca^{2+}$ signaling might be associated with impaired myoblast fusion in ${\rho}0$ myoblasts.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.184-187
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• 2007

Hydrogen could be produced from any substance containing hydrogen atoms, such as water, hydrocarbon (HC) fuels, acids or bases. Hydrocarbon fuels couold be converted to hydrogen-rich gas through reforming process for hydrogen production. Even though fuel cell have high efficiency with pure hydrogen from gas tank, it is more beneficial to generate hydrogen from city gas (mainly methane) in residential application such as domestic or office environments. Thus hydrogen is generated by reforming process using hydrocarbon. Unfortunately, the reforming process for hydrogen production is accompanied with unavoidable impurities. Impurities such as CO, $CO_2$, $H_2S$, $NH_3$, and $CH_4$ in hydrogen could cause negative effects on fuel cell performance. Those effects are kinetic losses due to poisoning of electrode catalysts, ohmic losses due to proton conductivity reduction including membrane and catalyst ionomer layers, and mass transport losses due to degrading catalyst layer structure and hydrophobic property. Hydrogen produced from reformer eventually contains around 73% of $H_2$, 20% or less of $CO_2$, 5.8% of less of $N_2$, or 2% less of $CH_4$, and 10ppm or less of CO. Most impurities are removed using pressure swing adsorption (PSA) process to get high purity hydrogen. However, high purity hydrogen production requires high operation cost of reforming process. The effect of carbon dioxide on fuel cell performance was investigated in this experiment. The performance of PEM fuel cell was investigated using current vs. potential experiment, long run (10 hr) test, and electrochemical impedance measurement when the concentrations of carbon dioxide were 10%, 20% and 30%. Also, the concentration of impurity supplied to the fuel cell was verified by gas chromatography (GC).

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.593-598
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• 2017

The $Na^+/H^+$ exchanger-1 (NHE-1) is a ubiquitously expressed pH-regulatory membrane protein that functions in the brain, heart, and other organs. It is increased by intracellular acidosis through the interaction of intracellular $H^+$ with an allosteric modifier site in the transport domain. In the previous study, we reported that glutamate-induced NHE-1 phosphorylation mediated by activation of protein kinase C-${\beta}$ (PKC-${\beta}$) in cultured neuron cells via extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK)/p90 ribosomal s6 kinases (p90RSK) pathway results in NHE-1 activation. However, whether glutamate stimulates NHE-1 activity solely by the allosteric mechanism remains elusive. Cultured primary cortical neuronal cells were subjected to intracellular acidosis by exposure to $100{\mu}M$ glutamate or 20 mM $NH_4Cl$. After the desired duration of intracellular acidosis, the phosphorylation and activation of PKC-${\beta}$, ERK1/2 and p90RSK were determined by Western blotting. We investigated whether the duration of intracellular acidosis is controlled by glutamate exposure time. The NHE-1 activation increased while intracellular acidosis sustained for >3 min. To determine if sustained intracellular acidosis induced NHE-1 phosphorylation, we examined phosphorylation of NHE-1 induced by intracellular acidosis by transient exposure to $NH_4Cl$. Sustained intracellular acidosis led to activation and phosphorylation of NHE-1. In addition, sustained intracellular acidosis also activated the PKC-${\beta}$, ERK1/2, and p90RSK in neuronal cells. We conclude that glutamate stimulates NHE-1 activity through sustained intracellular acidosis, which mediates NHE-1 phosphorylation regulated by PKC-${\beta}$/ERK1/2/p90RSK pathway in neuronal cells.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 1989

This paper reviews the most important steps that have generated consistent progress in principles and developmental progress of embryo cryopreservation, and also study on freezing procedure and its application by conventional method and current improved method for freezing procedure and its appilcation of embryo cryopreservation in farm animals. Four were of particular interest: 1.The transport of water across the ccli membrane (zona pellucida) during freezing and thawing accordinglyplays a role in determing whether the celi survives. This movement of water is controlied mainly by extracellular phase changes and by the nature and concentration of any cryoprotective agent present. Therates of cooling, freezing and warming, and the intervals over which they are applied are further decisi've factors in determining whether a cryopreservation procedure allows survival after thawing. 2.The first successful deep freezing experiments with sheep morula and blastocysts during the seventies were based on the early procedures used for mouse embryos.Current research during the eighties is developed with the aim of simplifying and improving current procedures such as one-step dilution and rapid or ultra-rapid cooling by using the model of laboratory animals. 3.The conventional method for the embryo cryopreservation is described. An alternative to this method which may result in high survival and also in reducing of the freezing and thawing time is done by combing a permeable cryoprotectant such as glycerol, DMSO or propanediol and a non-permeable compound such as sucrose, trehalose, raffinose or lactose. 4.Finally a different approach to the preservation of embryos, named vitrification, is introduced. This procedure depends upon the ability of concentrated solutions of cryoprotective agents such as glycerol and propanediol to supercool to very low temperature (-196$^{\circ}C$) during rapid cooling before solidifying without formation of ice. However, more complete data are necessary for successful vitrification of blastocysts.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.338-342
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• 2008

Choline is important an organic compound for normal membrane function, acetylcholine synthesis, lipid transport, and methyl metabolism. In biological tissues and foods, there are multiple choline compounds that contribute to choline content. Many researches suggest that memory and intelligence are improved by the supplement of choline. Recently, according to the effects of choline for memory, choline has been added to milk. In this study, the content of choline was analyzed the commercial whole milks and flavored milks by enzymatic method. The standard curve was linear with 0.00316 slope and 0.994 correlation coefficient. Recoveries varied between 89.8 and 97.6%. Contents of choline in whole milks and flavored milks were 14.56-15.19 and 4.11-11.50 mg/100g, respectively. The results of this study may be usable for the establishment of choline adequate intake for Korean.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.112-123
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• 1994

${\gamma}$-Glutamyltransferase (GGT: E.C. 2.3.2.2.) is a glycoprotein enzyme which is involved in glutathione metabolism and amino acid transport through the plasma membrane. It is distributed widely in several organs including liver and kidney. Several isozymes of GGT have been reported and some of the isozymes may be associated with hepatocarcinogenesis. We have produced six monoclnal antibodies (mAbs) against GGT purified from the liver of 2-acetamidofluorene (AAF) treated rats. All of the six mAbs were obtained by immunizing mice with liver GGT Six hybridomas which produced anti-GGT Abs were extensively subcloned and injected into the peritoneal cavity of BALB/c mice to obtain large quantities of Abs. These mAbs were purified from ascites by ammonium sulfate precipitation and protein A sepharose CL-4B column chromatography. Using these mAbs we preformed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), radioimmunoassay (RIA), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and autoradiography (ARG) to study the distribution of GGT isozyme in tissue. The results indicate that GGT-mAb 1 is specific for the AAF treated liver GGT, GGT-mAb 5 for the normal liver GGT, and GGT-mAb 6 for the normal kindey GGT. These mAbs may be used to evaluate the distribution of GGT isozymes in different tissues.