• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2015

The cold shock of spermatozoa is associated with oxidative stress induced by reactive oxygen species. This study was conducted to evaluate the toxicity of natural antioxidant green tea extract (GTE) in lactose-egg yolk (LEY) extender during boar sperm cooling prior to freezing. Spermatozoa were cooled to $5^{\circ}C$ for 3 h in LEY extender containing 0 (control), 1, 10, 100 or 1,000 mg/l of GTE, re-suspended with LEY-glycerol-Equex extender and cooled at $5^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. Sperm progressive motility, viability and phosphatidylserine (PS) translocation were evaluated. PS translocation was assayed by flow cytometry using Annexin V-FITC apoptosis detection kit. The sperm function including progressive motility, viability and PS translocation was not significantly different regardless of GTE concentrations (P>0.05). In conclusion, this study demonstrated non-toxicity of GTE supplement in LEY extender during sperm cooling.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.190-194
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• 2016

Double outlet right ventricle (DORV) and transposition of the great arteries (TGA) with ventricular septal defect (VSD) and pulmonary stenosis (PS) are complex heart diseases, the treatment of which remains a surgical challenge. The Rastelli procedure is still the most commonly performed treatment. Aortic root translocation including an arterial switch operation is advantageous anatomically since it has a lower possibility of conduit blockage and the left ventricle outflow tract remains straight. This study reports successful aortic root transpositions in two patients, one with DORV with VSD and PS and one with TGA with VSD and PS. Both patients were discharged without postoperative complications.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.571-575
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• 2011

Sperm cryopreservation methods have been improved over the last few decades. However, an optimized thawing rate has not yet been established. Therefore, we investigated the effect of thawing rate on sperm function after cryopreservation. The ejaculates collected from beagle dogs were cryopreserved and then thawed at two different thawing rates ($37^{\circ}C$ for 1 min or $70^{\circ}C$ for 15 sec). The thawed sperm were evaluated for motility, viability, morphology, plasma membrane integrity, phosphatidylserine (PS) translocation, and intracellular $H_2O_2$ level. The sperm thawed rapidly at $70^{\circ}C$ showed improved motility, viability, normal morphology, plasma-membrane integrity and non-PS translocation compared to the sperm thawed slowly at $37^{\circ}C$ (P < 0.05). However, the intracellular $H_2O_2$ levels were not significantly different between the rapid- and slow-thawed sperm (P > 0.05). In conclusion, sperm rapid thawing at $70^{\circ}C$ could improve the function of cryopreserved canine sperm, and the appropriate thawing rate would enhance the quality of the cryopreserved sperm.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.599-607
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• 2009

Prunellae Spica is the spike or whole plant of Prunella vulgaris Linne, which has been used for clearing heat from the liver, brightening the eyes and treating headache in traditional oriental medicines. This study was conducted to evaluate the inhibitory effects of the aqueous extract of Prunellae Spica (PSE; PS extract) on the production of NO and PGE2 in LPS-activated Raw 264.7 cells. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay, and all three doses of PS extract (0.03, 0.1 and 0.3 mg/ml) had no significant cytotoxicity during the entire experimental period. The cells were treated with 1 ${\mu}g/ml$ of LPS 1 h before adding PS extract, and increased NO and PGE2 production were detected in LPS-activated cells compared to control. However, these increases were dose-dependently attenuated by treatment with PS extract. The inhibition of NO by PS extract was due to the suppression of iNOS expression via inhibition of $NF{\kappa}B$ nuclear translocation and proteolytic degradation of $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$. The decreased level of PGE2 was derived from inhibition of COX-2 activity, but expression of COX-2 protein was not affected by PS extract. Moreover, PS extract reduced the elevated production of IL-${\beta}$ and IL-6 by LPS. These results demonstrate that PS extract has inhibitory effects on the production of NO and PGE2 as a consequence of the reduction of proinflammatory cytokines, especially IL-${\beta}$ and IL-6 in LPS-activated Raw 264.7 cells.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.135-138
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• 2011

The authors of the present study report the prenatal detection of a chromosomal abnormality with additional satellites on the distal short arm of chromosome 8. A 35-year-old woman was referred for amniocentesis because of her advanced maternal age and positive result for maternal serum screening test. Cytogenetic analysis of cultured amniocytes showed a satellite 8p chromosome. The satellite 8p chromosome was positive for nucleolus organizer region (NOR) staining. The parents' karyotypes were normal. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) study for metaphases of fetal amniocytes revealed a cryptic translocation of chromosomes 8p and 22p. The fetal karyotype was described as 46,XY,8ps.ish t(8;22)(p23.3;p11.2) (D8S504-;D8S504+)dn. The parents decided to continue the pregnancy and a phenotypically normal boy was born at 38 weeks of gestation. In case of de novo terminal NORs detected prenatally, more accurate cytogenetic and molecular analysis should be performed in order to rule out cryptic chromosomal rearrangement among other chromosomes.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1675-1679
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• 2003

The photodynamics of excited-state intramolecular proton transfer reaction of 1-hydroxyanthraquinone (1-HAQ) and 1-deuterioanthraquinone was investigated in toluene with time-resolved emission and femtosecond transient transmittance techniques at room temperature. The temporal profiles of transient transmittance of 1-HAQ could be well described with multi-decaying time constants. The ultrafast time constant within ca. 260 fs reflects the dynamics of proton transfer. The decay component of 2 ps is assigned to an additional proton translocation process induced by the intramolecular vibrational relaxation, whereas the decay component of 18 ps is assigned to the vibrational cooling process, while the long component (200 ps) can be explained in terms of the relaxation from excited-state keto-tautomer to its ground state. Time-resolved anisotropy decay dynamics and isotope effects on the photodynamics reveals that the ESIPT from enol-tautomer to keto-one of 1-HAQ is barrierless reaction and coupled to a vibrational relaxation process.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2019.10a
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• pp.92-92
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• 2019

Excessive or chronic inflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of many inflammatory diseases such as sepsis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ulcerative colitis. Hibiscus syriacus L. has been used as a medicinal plant in many Asian countries, even though its anti-inflammatory activity has been unclear. Therefore, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of anthocyanin fractions from the H. syriacus L. varieties Pulsae (PS) on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced expression of proinflammatory mediators and cytokines in RAW264.7 macrophages. PS suppressed LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) secretion concomitant with downregulation of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. Furthermore, PS inhibited the production of proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha ($TNF-{\alpha}$), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-12 in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. Further study showed that PS significantly decreased LPS-induced nuclear translocation of the nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ ($NF-{\kappa}B$) subunits, p65 and p50. Molecular docking data showed that many anthocyanins from PS fit into the hydrophobic pocket of MD2 and bound to Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), indicating that PS inhibits the TLR4-MD2-mediated inflammatory signaling pathway. Especially, apigenin-7-O-glucoside most powerfully bound to MD2 and TLR4 through LYS122, LYS122, and SER127 at a distance of $2.205{\AA}$, $3.098{\AA}$, and $2.844{\AA}$ and SER441 at a distance of $2.873{\AA}$ (docking score: -8.4) through hydrogen bonding, respectively. Additionally, PS inhibited LPS-induced TLR4 dimerization/expression on the cell surface, which consequently decreased MyD88 recruitment and IRAK4 phosphorylation. PS completely blocked LPS-mediated mortality in zebrafish larvae by diminishing the recruitment of neutrophil and macrophages accompanied by low levels of proinflammatory cytokines. Taken together, our results indicate that PS attenuates LPS-mediated inflammation in both in vitro and in vivo by blocking the TLR4/MD2-MyD88/IRAK4-$NF-{\kappa}B$ axis. Therefore, PS might be used as a novel modulatory candidate for effective treatment of LPS-mediated inflammatory diseases.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.167-178
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• 2002

Objective : The present study was performed to investigate whether apoptosis occur in human embryos by annexin staining and detect the expression of Fas, Fas-ligand (FasL), Bax, and Bcl-2 in human fragmented embryos derived from IVF-ET by immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis. Materials and Methods: Using annexin staining, immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis on normal and fragmented embryos, we were able to detect apoptotsis and apoptotic gene products in fragmented embryos. Result: Phosphatidylserine (PS) translocation, the marker for apoptosis, were detected frequently in fragmented embryos. Bcl-2 and Bax protein were detected in both fragmented and non-fragmented embryos. When fragmented embryos compared to normal embryos, immunofluorescent intensity of Bcl-2 tended to be lower in fragmented embryos. Bax gene expression increased in the fragmented embryos compared to the normal embryos. This result supports a model in which the molar ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax determines whether apoptosis induced or inhibited in human embryo. Fas was highly expressed in human preimplantation embryos but not FasL. It suggests that embryo may undergo apoptosis by binding with FasL produced by follicular or immune cells. Conclusion: The over expression of Bax and Fas will trigger apoptosis to lead embryo fragmentation and change embryo to be nonviable.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.87-91
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• 2009

The surgical management of complete transposition of the great arteries, ventricular septal defect, and pulmonary stenosis still remain a significant challenge. The Rastelli (REV procedure) remains the most widely applied procedure for surgical repair of these lesions. Although the Rastelli procedure can be performed with good early results, the intermediate- and long-term results have been less than satisfactory because of deterioration of the hemodynamic performance of the LVOT or RVOT. We performed a modified Nikaidoh procedure as an alternative surgical procedure in a 19-month-old boy weighing 10.4 kg with this anomaly. Aortic translocation with biventricular outflow tract reconstruction resulted in a more "normal" anatomic repair and postoperative echocardiography showed straight, direct, and unobstructed ventricular outflow.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.161-169
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• 2007

We identified two alternatively spliced variants of the peroxisomal targeting signal 1 (PTS1) receptor protein Pex5ps in monocot (rice, wheat, and barley) but not in dicot (Arabidopsis and tobacco) plants. We characterized the molecular and functional differences between the rice (Oryza sativa) Pex5 splicing variants OsPex5pL and OsPex5pS. There is only a single-copy of OsPEX5 in the rice genome and RT-PCR analysis points to alternative splicing of the transcripts. Putative light-responsive cis-elements were identified in the 5' region flanking OsPEX5L and Northern blot analysis demonstrated that this region affected light-dependent expression of OsPEX5 transcription. Using the pex5-deficient yeast mutant Scpex5, we showed that OsPex5pL and OsPex5pS are able to restore translocation of a model PTS1 protein (GFP-SKL) into peroxisomes. OsPex5pL and OsPex5pS formed homo-complexes via specific interaction domains, and interacted with each other and OsPex14p to form hetero-complexes. Although overexpression of OsPex5pL in the Arabidopsis pex5 mutant (Atpex5) rescued the mutant phenotype, overexpression of OsPex5pS only resulted in partial recovery.