• Toxicological Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.359-365
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• 1997

Many factors are known to be responsible for cerebral ischemic injury, such as excitatory neurotransmitters, increased intraneuronal calcium, or disturbance of cellular energy metabolism. Recently, oxygen free radicals, formed during ischemia/reperfusion, have been proposed as one of the main causes of ischemia/reperfusion injury. Therefore, to investigate the role of oxygen free radical during ischemia/reperfusion, in the present study the effect of endogenous oxygen free radical scavenger, superoxide dismutase / catalase(SOD / catalase) on the release of [$^3$H]-5-hydroxytryptamine([$^3$H]-5-HT) during hypoxia/reoxygenation in rat hippocampal slices was measured. The hippocampus was obtained from the rat brain and sliced 400 gm thickness with manual chopper. After 30 min's preincubation in the normal buffer, the slices were incubated for 20 min in a buffer containing [$^3$H]-5-HT(0.1 $\mu$M, 74 $\mu$Ci) for uptake, and washed. To measure the release of [$^3$H]-5-HT into the buffer, the incubation medium was drained off and refilled every ten minutes through a sequence of 14 tubes. Induction of hypoxia for 20 min (gassing it with 95% N$_2$/5% CO$_2$) was done in the 6th and 7th tube, and oxygen free radical scavenger, SOD / catalase was added 10 minutes prior to induction of hypoxia. The radioactivity in each buffer and the tissue were counted using liquid scintillation counter and the results were expressed as a percentage of the total activity. When slices were exposed to hypoxia for 20 min, [$^3$H]-5-HT release was markedly decreased and a rebound release of [$^3$H]-5-HT was observed on the post-hypoxic reoxygenation period. SOD / catalase did not changed the release of [$^3$H]-5-HT in control group, but inhibited the decrease of [$^3$H]-5-HT release in hypoxic period and rebound increase of [$^3$H]-5-HT in reoxygenation period. This result suggest that superoxide anion may play a role in the hypoxic-, and reoxygenation-induced change of [$^3$H]-5-HT release in rat hippocampal slices.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.36 no.1 s.140
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• pp.56-59
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• 2005

Urease plays an important role in the urea metabolism and the effect of urease activity on human and environment is enormous. For instance, urease acts as a virulence factor of the urinary and gastrointestinal tracts infections in human and animal, being involved in kidney stone formation, catheter encrusatation, pyelonephritis, ammonia encephalopathy, hepatic coma, and urinary tract infections. Widespread urease activity in soil induces a plant damage due to ammonia toxicity and pH increase. Therefore, urease activity regulation through urease inhibitors would lead to an enhanced efficiency of urea nitrogen uptake in plants and to the improved therapeutic strategies for ureolytic bacterial infections. To search for new inhibitory compounds on urease activity from herbs, MeOH extracts of herbs were screened. Among of them, the MeOH extracts of Areca catechu exhibited an excellent inhibitory effect on urease activity. Two compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction by the activity guided fractionation. Their chemical structures were identified as (+)-catechin(compound I) and allantoin(compound II) by spectroscopic evidence, respectively. Compound I showed a stronger inhibitory effect on urease activity than compound II.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.247-253
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• 1995

The herbicide butachlor [N-(butoxymethyl)-2-chloro-N-(2,6-di-methylphenyl) acetamide] is widely used by farmers as a tool for weed management of transplanted rice(Oryza sativa L.) in Taiwan. The herbicide did not stop germination of rice and weed seeds, but strongly inhibited the subsequent growth of young shoots and roots. The inhibition was also strong on established seedlings. However, they could recover to normal growth after the herbicide effect disappeared. Butachlor greatly decreased the endogenous indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) but increased the endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) contents of rice seedlings. Addition of lAA into growth medium (Hoagland's solution) partly relieved growth inhibition. Pretreatment of both gibberellic acid ($GA_3$) and IAA 24 hours before butachlor treatment almost completely alleviated the butachlor-interfere with GA and/or IAA metabolism or their action resulting in the growth inhibition of rice. Butachlor was readily absorbed by rice roots. During 24 hours of uptake experiment, 32% of the applied herbicide was absorbed. Pretreatment of the herbicide for 2 days did ncx affect the absorption. Of the absorbed herbicide, 80% remained in roots, only 20% transported into shoots, and more than 50% was metabolized to water soluble substances. Thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) analysis indicated that the Rf value of the most abundant metabolite was butachlor-glutathione conjugate. Rice, barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv.), and monochoria (Monochoria vaginalis Presl) seedlings contained relatively high level of non-protein thiols, while the glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was found highest in rice, barnyardgrass the next, monochoria the lowest. The difference in GST activity among these species might be related to their sensitivity to butachlor.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.513-518
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• 1998

Fluoxetine is a nontricyclic antidepressant which blocks serotonin reuptake selectively. Its N-demethyl metabolite, norfluoxetine is also selective inhibitor of serotonin uptake . This study was carried out to compare the bioavailability of Myung-in fluoxetine (20mg/cap.) with that of Prozac$^{\circde{R}}$. The bioavailability was conducted on 24 healthy volunteers who received a single dose (80mg) of each drug in the fasting state, in a randomized balanced 2-way crossover design. After closing, serial blood samples were collected for a period of 48 hours, Plasma was analyzed for fluoxetine and norfluoxetine by a sensitive and validated HPLC assay. The major pharmacokinetic parameters ($AUC_{0-48\;hr}$, Cmax, Tmax , $AUC_{inf.}$, MRT. $T_{1/2}$, Vd and Cl) were, calculated from the plasma fluoxetine concentration-time data of each volunteer. The microcomputer program, 'WinNonlin' was used for compartmental analysis. A two-compartment model with first-order input, first-order output and no lag time was chosen as the most appropriate pharmacokinetic model. The data were best described by using a weighting factor of $1/y^2$. Though the plasma fluoxetine concentrations of Myung-in fluoxetine were higher than those of Prozac$^{\circde{R}}$ at all observed time from 7.9% to 16.9% (P<0.05 at 6.7 and 10 hr), the bioavailability of Myung-in fluoxetine appeared to be bioequivalent with that of Prozac$^{\circde{R}}$. There were no statistical significant differences between the two drugs in all pharmacokinetic parameters including $AUC_{0-48\;hr}$ of norfluoxetine.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.395-401
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• 2011

BACKGROUND: Potassium (K) is one of the macronutrients which are essential for plant growth and development. Its deficiency in paddy soils is becoming one of the limiting factors for increasing rice yield in Asia. METHODS AND RESULTS: To investigate physiological symptoms under K-starvation (NP) compared with complete media (NPK) condition, we measured shoot/root length, weight, nutrients, and patterns of protein expression. The shoot growth was significantly reduced, but root growth was not affected by K-starvation. However, biomasses were decreased in both shoot and root. Uptake of K was reduced up to 85%, while total concentrations of P, Ca, Mg, Na were increased in root and shoot. To better understand the starved K mechanism of rice, comparative proteome analysis for proteins isolated from rice leaves was conducted using 2-DGE. Five spots of differentially expressed proteins were analyzed by MALDI-TOF MS. Analysis of these K-starvation response proteins suggested that they were involved in metabolism and defense. CONCLUSION(s): Physiological and 2-DGE based proteomics approach used in our study results in observation of morphology or nutrients change and identification of K-starvation responsive proteins in rice root. These results have important roles in maintaining nutrient homeostasis and would also be useful for further characterization of protein function in plant K nutrition.

• International Journal of Molecular Medicine
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.931-938
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• 2020

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) regulates cell growth, glucose uptake and protein metabolism, and is required for growth hormone (GH) signaling-mediated insulin production and secretion. IGF1 expression is associated with STAT5, which binds to a region (TTCNNNGAA) of the gene. Although sulfur is used in various fields, the toxicity of this element is a significant disadvantage as it causes indigestion, vomiting, diarrhea, pain and migraine. Therefore, it is difficult to conduct in vitro experiments to directly determine the effects of dietary sulfur. Additionally, it is difficult to dissolve non-toxic sulfur (NTS). The present study aimed to identify the role of NTS in GH signaling as a Jak2/STAT5b/IGF-1 pathway regulator. MTT assay was used to identify an optimum NTS concentration for C2C12 mouse muscle cells. Western blotting, RT-PCR, chromatin immunoprecipitation, overexpression and small interfering RNA analyses were performed. NTS was dissolved in 1 mg/ml DMSO and could be used in vitro. Therefore, the present study determined whether NTS induced mouse muscle cell growth via GH signaling. NTS notably increased STAT5b binding to the Igf1 promoter. NTS also promoted GH signaling by upregulating GH receptor expression, similar to GH treatment. NTS enhanced GH signaling by regulating Jak2/STAT5b/IGF-1 signaling pathway factor expression in C2C12 mouse muscle cells. Thus, NTS may be used as a GH-enhancing growth stimulator.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.7
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• pp.963-971
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• 2014

This study investigated the effects of exercise intensity on PGC-$1{\alpha}$, PPAR-${\gamma}$, and insulin resistance in skeletal muscle of high fat diet-fed Sprague-Dawley rats. Forty rats were randomly divided into five groups: sedentary control group (SED), high fat diet group (HF), high fat diet+low-intensity exercise group (HFLE, 22 m/min, 60 min, 6 days/week), high fat diet+moderate-intensity exercise group (HFME, 26 m/min, 51 min), and high fat diet+high-intensity exercise group (HFHE, 30 m/min, 46 min). After 4 weeks of high fat diet and endurance exercise training, the lipid profiles, insulin, and glucose concentrations were determined in plasma. PGC-$1{\alpha}$, PPAR-${\gamma}$, and GLUT-4 contents were measured in plantaris muscle. The rate of glucose transport in soleus muscle was determined under submaximal insulin concentration ($1,000{\mu}IU/mL$ insulin, 20 min) during muscle incubation. Plasma glucose during oral glucose tolerance test in HF was significantly greater than that in SED, and plasma glucose levels in the three exercise (EX) groups were significantly lower that those in SED and HF at 30 and 60 min, respectively (P<0.05). Plasma insulin levels in the EX groups were significantly reduced by 60 min compared to that in HF (P<0.05). The protein expression level of PGC-$1{\alpha}$ as well as muscle glucose uptake were significantly higher in SED and HF than those in the three EX groups (P<0.05), and HFHE showed significantly higher levels than HFLE and HFME. Expression levels of GLUT-4 and PPAR-${\gamma}$ were significantly higher in the HFLE, HFME, and HFHE groups compared to the SED and HF (P<0.05). Therefore, the results of this study indicate that 4 weeks of high fat diet significantly developed whole body insulin resistance but did not affect PGC-$1{\alpha}$, PPAR-${\gamma}$, or the glucose transport rate in skeletal muscle, and exercise training was able to attenuate deteriorated whole body insulin resistance due to high fat diet. In addition, high intensity training significantly affected PGC-$1{\alpha}$ expression and the glucose transport rate of skeletal muscle in comparison with low and middle training intensities.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.218-224
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• 2004

We compared rest perfusion PET with redistribution perfusion SPECT to investigate the concordant rate between PET and SPECT images and analyze the discordant pattern. Materials and Methods: Rest N-13 ammonia and F-18 FDG PET were performed on 18 patients with old myocardial infarction and left ventricular dysfunction whose dipyridamole - 4hr redistribution TI-201 SPECT showed one or more severe fixed defects. Regional perfusion and metabolism were evaluated visually and quantitatively with 5-segment myocardial model. Results: There were high concordant rate in uptake pattern (80/90 segments, 88.9%) and high correlation coefficient on quantitative analysis (R=0.81, p<0.001) between redistribution TI-201 SPECT and N-13 ammonia PET images. Nine of 18 patients had SPECT-PET concordant pattern (Group I). Ten segments (9 in inferior wall, 1 in apex) from the remaining 9 patients showed SPECT-PET discordant pattern with abnormal TI-201 defect and near normal N-13 ammonia uptake (Group II). The diastolic and systolic left ventricular dimensions were significantly increased in Group II compared to those of Group I. When attenuation uncorrected N-13 ammonia PET images were reconstructed in Group II, it resulted in PET images with severe inferior wall defects nearly identical to those seen in redistribution TI-201 SPECT images. Conclusion: Redistribution TI-201 SPECT images showed high concordant rate and correlation with rest N-13 ammonia PET images. Most of discordant segments had fixed thallium defects in inferior wall with nearly normal N-13 ammonia uptake, which may result from severe left ventricular dilatation and attenuation by the left hemidiaphragm and cardiac blood pool.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.515-521
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• 1997

Tobacco plant was grown for 40 days hydroponically in nutrient solutions composed of different forms of nitrogen, like NO$_3$$^{[-10]}$ -N, NH$_4$$^{＋}$-N, and a mixed formulation of NO$_3$$^{[-10]}$ -N and NH$_4$$^{＋}$-N. Uptake response, nitrate reductase, and glutamine synthetase activity at growth stage were investigated to understand the basic knowledge of nitrogen metabolism. The better growth of shoot and root was observed in the mixed nutrient solution than NO$_3$$^{[-10]}$ -N or NH$_4$$^{＋}$-N, alone. The plant growth in NH$_4$$^{＋}$-N nutrient solution was poor due to ammonium toxicity. The pH of nutrient solution containing NO$_3$$^{[-10]}$ -N increased up to 40 days after transplanting. But the pH of solution containing NO$_3$$^{[-10]}$ -N decreased drastically to 3.42 at 20 days after transplant. The pH in the mixed formulation dropped to pH 3.64 at 30 days after transplant and showed re-increase. It is assumed that nitrogen of NH$_4$$^{＋}$-N form was taken up preferentially at early stage and NO$_3$$^{[-10]}$ -N form was taken up preferentially at middle stage in the treatment with the mixed solution. The result indicates that the relative proportion of nitrogen forms affected the uptake patterns at each growth stages. The contents of chlorophyll and soluble protein were high with the mixed solution. Total nitrogen content was the highest in NH$_4$$^{＋}$-N solution and the content also increased by the application of the mixed type of nitrogen. The amount of nitrate in leaves was high in NO$_3$$^{[-10]}$ -N treatment and the amount of ammonium was high in NH$_4$$^{＋}$-N treatment. The activity of nitrate reductase or glutamine synthetase was highest in the leaves grown in mixed nutrient solution than in those with any other single of nitrogen form.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.241-252
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• 2004

Purpose: Population based structural and functional maps of the brain provide effective tools for the analysis and interpretation of complex and individually variable brain data. Brain MRI and PET standard templates and statistical probabilistic maps based on image data of Korean normal volunteers have been developed and probabilistic maps based on cytoarchitectonic data have been introduced. A quantification method using these data was developed for the objective assessment of regional intensity in the brain images. Materials and Methods: Age, gender and ethnic specific anatomical and functional brain templates based on MR and PET images of Korean normal volunteers were developed. Korean structural probabilistic maps for 89 brain regions and cytoarchitectonic probabilistic maps for 13 Brodmann areas were transformed onto the standard templates. Brain FDG PET and SPGR MR images of normal volunteers were spatially normalized onto the template of each modality and gender. Regional uptake of radiotracers in PET and gray matter concentration in MR images were then quantified by averaging (or summing) regional intensities weighted using the probabilistic maps of brain regions. Regionally specific effects of aging on glucose metabolism in cingulate cortex were also examined. Results: Quantification program could generate quantification results for single spatially normalized images per 20 seconds. Glucose metabolism change in cingulate gyrus was regionally specific: ratios of glucose metabolism in the rostral anterior cingulate vs. posterior cingulate and the caudal anterior cingulate vs. posterior cingulate were significantly decreased as the age increased. 'Rostral anterior'/'posterior' was decreased by 3.1% per decade of age ($P<10^{-11}$, r=0.81) and 'caudal anterior'/'posterior' was decreased by 1.7% ($P<10^{-8}$, r=0.72). Conclusion: Ethnic specific standard templates and probabilistic maps and quantification program developed in this study will be useful for the analysis of brain image of Korean people since the difference in shape of the hemispheres and the sulcal pattern of brain relative to age, gender, races, and diseases cannot be fully overcome by the nonlinear spatial normalization techniques.