• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.75-80
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• 2018

Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential protective effects of six ginsenosides (Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Rg1, and Rg3) isolated from Panax ginseng against tacrolimus (FK506)-induced apoptosis in renal proximal tubular LLC-PK1 cells. Methods: LLC-PK1 cells were treated with FK506 and ginsenosides, and cell viability was measured. Protein expressions of mitogen-activated protein kinases, caspase-3, and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) were evaluated by Western blotting analyses. The number of apoptotic cells was measured using an image-based cytometric assay. Results: Reduction in cell viability by $60{\mu}M$ FK506 was ameliorated significantly by cotreatment with ginsenosides Rg1 and Rb1. The phosphorylation of p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinases, and KIM-1, and cleavage of caspase-3, increased markedly in LLC-PK1 cells treated with FK506 and significantly decreased after cotreatment with ginsenoside Rb1. The number of apoptotic cells decreased by 6.0% after cotreatment with ginsenoside Rb1 ($10{\mu}M$ and $50{\mu}M$). Conclusion: The antiapoptotic effects of ginsenoside Rb1 on FK506-induced apoptosis were mediated by the inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinases and caspase activation.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.234-240
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• 2017

Use of ketamine and propofol combination (so-called Ketofol) anesthesiain a fixed ratio (1:1 mg/ml) was reported in dogs. The use of ketofol reduced cardiovascular suppression, but respiratory-related side effects was not significantly different from propofol alone. In this study, we evaluated the quality of ketofol anesthesia and changes in cardiopulmonary function according to the ratio of ketamine to propofol. The experimental groups were divided into three groups: propofol alone (P group), 3:7 ketofol group (PK1 group) and 1:1 ketofol group (PK2). For each group, the dose of 0.8 ml/kgwas administered intravenously at a constant rate until the tracheal intubation was possible and anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane for 120 minutes after induction of anesthesia. There was no significant difference in the anesthetic quality among three groups. Also, there was no difference in respiratory rate, tidal volume, end-tidal carbondioxide, and oxygen saturation. In group P, heart rate was not changed significantly during anesthesia, but arterial blood pressure decreased, while heart rate and arterial blood pressure increased significantly in group PK2. In the PK1 group, heart rate and arterial blood pressure during anesthesia remained similar to pre-anesthetic values. In conclusion, ketofol might be used as induction agent, and 3:7 ratioof ketofol showed more safe and effective anesthetic effect in dogs. Additionally, 1:1 ketofol may be used in patients with severe bradycardia orhypotension with close monitoring during anesthesia.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.668-674
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• 2014

The objective of the present study was to investigate the protective and free radical scavenging effects of conventionally and organically cultivated kale juices against oxidative damage in $LLC-PK_1$ cells. The DPPH, NO, $O_2{^-}$, and ${\cdot}OH$ radical scavenging activities of organically cultivated kale were higher than those of conventionally cultivated kale juice. Oxidative damage induced by AAPH (2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride), SNP (sodium nitroprusside), pyrogallol, and SIN-1 (3-morpholinosydnonimine) led to loss of cell viability and increased lipid peroxidation in LLC-PK1 cells, whereas treatment with vegetable juices, especially organically cultivated kale juices, significantly increased cell viability and inhibited lipid peroxidation in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). These results suggest that organically cultivated kale juices have protective roles against oxidative stress induced by free radicals.

• CELLMED
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.27.1-27.5
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• 2014

Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth. (Scrophulariaceae) is a traditional Ayurvedic herb known as Kutki. It is used as a remedy for diabetes by tribes of North Eastern Himalayan region of India. Present study was conducted to explore the mechanism of antidiabetic activity of standardized aqueous extract of Picrorhiza kurroa (PkE). PkE (100 and 200 mg/kg/day) was orally administered to streptozotocin induced diabetic rats, for 14 consecutive days. Plasma insulin levels were measured and pancreas of rat was subjected to histopathological investigations. Glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT-4) protein content in the total membrane fractions of soleus muscle was estimated by Western blot analysis. Plasma insulin level was significantly increased along with concomitant increase in GLUT-4 content of total membrane fractions of soleus muscle of diabetic rats treated with extract. There was evidence of regeneration of ${\beta}$-cells of pancreatic islets of PkE treated group in histopathological examinations. PkE increased the insulin-mediated translocation of GLUT-4 from cytosol to plasma membrane or increased GLUT-4 expression, which in turn facilitated glucose uptake by skeletal muscles in diabetic rats.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.311-318
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• 2005

Oxidative stress has been reported to elevate ceramide level during cell death. The purpose of the present study was to modulate cell death in relation to cellular glutathione (GSH) level and GST (glutathione S-transferase) expression by regulating the sphingolipid metabolism. LLC­PK1 cells were treated with H$_2$O$_2$ in the absence of serum to induce cell death. Subsequent to exposure to H$_2$O$_2$, LLC-PK1 cells were treated with desipramine, sphingomyelinase inhibitor, and N-acetylcysteine (NAC), GSH substrate. Based on comparative visual observation with H202-treated control cells, it was observed that 0.5 $\mu$M of desipramine and 25 $\mu$M of NAC exhibited about 90 and $95\%$ of cytoprotection, respectively, against H$_2$O$_2$-induced cell death. Desipramine and NAC lowered the release of LDH activity by 36 and $3\%$ respectively, when compared to $71\%$ in H$_2$O$_2$-exposed cells. Cellular glutathione level in 500 $\mu$M H202-treated cells was reduced to 890 pmol as compared to control level of 1198 pmol per mg protein. GST P1-1 expression was decreased in H$_2$O$_2$-treated cells compared to healthy normal cells. In conclusion, it has been inferred that H$_2$O$_2$-induced cell death is closely related to cellular GSH level and GST P1-1 expression in LLC-PK1 cells and occurs via ceramide elevation by sphingomyelinase activation.

• Mycobiology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.331-338
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• 2014

To examine the effects of water stress and Cenangium ferruginosum (CF) on the fungal endophytic community of needles of Pinus koraiensis (PK), fungal endophytes isolated from the needles of 5-year-old PK seedlings were compared before and after exposure to water stress conditions and artificial inoculation with CF ascospores. Artificial CF inoculation was successfully confirmed using PCR with CF-specific primers (CfF and CfR). For comparison of the degree of water deficit in water-stressed and control groups of PK seedlings infected with CF, the water saturation deficit and water potential were measured. Lower water potential estimates were found in the water-stressed seedlings than in the control group. The fungal endophytes isolated from the second-year needles of non-water-stressed seedlings before and after CF inoculation revealed that primary saprobes were approximately 30% and 71.7%, respectively, and the remaining endophytes were rot fungi or pathogens. Sixty days after CF inoculation, diverse fungal endophytes in the first-year needles were isolated from the water-stressed seedlings. However, some fungal endophytes isolated from the non-water-stressed seedlings were also identified. Fungal endophytes in the second-year needles of the water-stressed and non-water-stressed seedlings were approximately 8% and 71.7% of saprobes, respectively, and the remaining endophytes were rot fungi or pathogens. On the basis of the results, we conclude that water deficit and CF can have an effect on fungal endophytic communities in the needles of PK seedlings.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.407-412
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• 2014

Objectives: The internal dose of ethyl parabens is important in order to evaluate the risk of this chemical. However, there are little PK model data for parabens to apply this. This experiment attempted PK modeling to ascertain PK values. Methods: Twenty mg/kg ethyl paraben was administered orally to Sprague-Dawley rats at the same point in time. The rats were sacrificed at times 0, 15, 30 and minutes, and 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 hours after oral gavage. Blood and urine were collected and pretreated for analysis. Accuracy, precision and LOD (limit of detection) were calculated for this analysis. Ethyl paraben, detected by HPLC-MS, was applied to PK modeling using Berkeley Madonna. Results: This study showed 100.1-103.7% accuracy, 1.4-3.7% precision and a 1.0 ng/mL limit of detection. Orally administered ethyl paraben reached maximum concentration after 30 minutes of dosing in serum and urine of rats. The concentrations were 2,354 ng/mL in serum and 386,000 ng/mL in urine samples. These peak concentrations were excreted after one hour of intubation over 12 hours. For the pharmacokinetic parameters of ethyl paraben revealed using Berkeley Madonna, the absorption rate was 5.539/hour, the excretion rate was 0.048/hour, the half-life was 14.441 hours and AUC was 481,186 ng hour/mL. Conclusion: Orally administered ethyl paraben was absorbed rapidly in rats and excreted in urine. This chemical, ethyl paraben, accumulated in the body but was excreted over 12 hours after dosing.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.111-118
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• 2018

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of long-term (21-year) fertilizer and compost treatments on the yield of red pepper and chemical properties in top-dong, Suwon. Six treatments were chosen for this work: No fertilization (No fert.), NPK fertilizers (NPK), NPK and compost (NPK+Compost), NP and compost (NP+Compost), NK and compost (NK+Compost), PK and compost (PK+Compost). The yield of red pepper for 21 years indicated the significant differences among the No fertilization, the PK+Compost, and other treatments. The relative yield index was 13% and 59% respectively, for the No fertilization and the PK+Compost if the average yield of red pepper for the NPK regards $20,048kg\;ha^{-1}$ as the yield index with 100%. Soil organic matter at the compost applied treatments significantly increased compared with the No fert. and the NPK. The average increase rates of soil organic matter by applying the compost ranged from 0.69 to $0.73g\;kg^{-1}\;yr^{-1}$. Available phosphate content in soil appeared the significant increase all treatments excluding the No fert. It is estimated that the available phosphate in soil was increased by $7.0mg\;kg^{-1}\;yr^{-1}$ by applying compost and $14.2mg\;kg^{-1}\;yr^{-1}$ by applying P fertilizer. Application of K fertilizer or the compost alone, the NPK, the NP+Compost, continuously caused soil K depletion whereas K fertilization plus the compost maintained at a constant level of exchangeable K. The results indicated that the addition of compost to NPK fertilizer is recommended for the maximum stable yield for red pepper and enhancement of organic matter though it is also needed for adjusting of P and K fertilization.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.227-233
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• 2013

This study investigated the protective effect of the butanol (BuOH) fraction from fermented Laminaria japonica extract (BFLJ) on AAPH-induced oxidative stress in porcine kidney epithelial cells (LLC-PK1 cells). L. japonica was fermented by Aspergillus oryzae at $35{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ for 72 h. Freeze-dried fermented L. japonica was extracted with distilled water, and the extracted solution was mixed with ethanol and then centrifuged. The supernatant was subjected to sequential fractionation with various solvents. The BuOH fraction was used in this study because it possessed the strongest antioxidant activity among the various solvent fractions. The BuOH fraction of fermented L. japonica had a protective effect against the AAPH-induced LLC-PK1 cells damage and increased cell viability while reducing lipid peroxidation formation and increased activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. The inhibitory effect of BFLJ on lipid peroxidation formation had a higher value of $0.11{\pm}0.01nmol$ MDA at $100{\mu}g/mL$ concentration in comparison with intact BuOH fraction showing $0.22{\pm}0.08nmol$ MDA at the same concentration. Furthermore, BFLJ treatment increased glutathione concentration. GSH concentration in the cell treated with BFLJ of $100{\mu}g/mL$ was $1.80pmol/L{\times}10^5cells$. These results indicate that BFLJ protects the LLC-PK1 cells against AAPH-induced cell damage by inhibiting lipid peroxidation formation and increasing antioxidant enzyme activities and glutathione concentration.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.107-111
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• 1997

To remove dissolved $NH_{4}$$^{+}$ in the aquaculture system, one ammonia oxidizing bacterium, Nitrsomonas sp. PK1, was isolated from samples collected in many aquacultural place and sludges of waste water. The stationary phase of this atrain was reached after 9 days, and the maximum $NO_{2}$ production was shown from 3 days to 9 days. In the selective medium, 0.1% of glucose was the good carbon source for growth. However, the $NO_{2}$productivity was repressed by the addition of glucose to the medium. When $Zn^{++}$ ion was supplemented to the medium, growth and the $NO_{2}$ productivity was increased, 10mM of $ZnCl_{2}$ was the optimal concentration for growth and 1 mM of $ZnCl_{2}$ was the optimal concentration for the production of $NO_{2}$, respectively.