• Computers and Concrete
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• 제26권6호
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• pp.497-504
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• 2020

Concrete can lose its alkalinity by concrete carbonation causing steel corrosion. Thus, the determination of the carbonation depth is necessary. An empirical model is proposed in this research to predict the carbonation depth of concrete using Gene expression programming (GEP). The GEP model was trained and validated using a large and reliable database collected from the literature. The model was developed using the six parameters that predominantly control the carbonation depth of concrete including carbon dioxide CO2 concentration, relative humidity, water-to-cement ratio, maximum aggregate size, aggregate to binder ratio and carbonation period. The model was statistically evaluated and then compared to the Jiang et al. model. A parametric study was finally performed to check the proposed GEP model's sensitivity to the selected input parameters.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.75-81
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• 2017

Dangguisoo-san (DGSS), a traditional Korean herbal formula, has been prescribed to patients who suffer from various symptoms related with blood stagnation. Since inflammation can cause blood stagnation, we hypothesized that DGSS suppresses inflammation, relieving the symptoms associated with blood stagnation. In this study, given that DGSS is prepared in a mix of alcohol and water, we prepared the methanol (mDGSS) and water extract (wDGSS) of DGSS and compared their activities in suppressing inflammatory reaction. Western blot analyses show that mDGSS was more effective than wDGSS in activating Nrf2, a key factor that suppresses inflammation. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR shows that mDGSS activating Nrf2 resulted in the induction of Nrf2-dependent genes expression. However, mDGSS was not effective in suppressing the nuclear translocation of $NF-{\kappa}B$, a key factor that promotes inflammation, and the expression of $NF-{\kappa}B$-dependent genes such as TNF-a and IL-1b. When comparing with wDGSS, mDGSS was less effective in suppressing luciferase activity driven by $NF-{\kappa}B$. Therefore, our results show that mDGSS has the anti-inflammatory function by mainly activating Nrf2, while wDGSS does by both activating Nrf2 and suppressing $NF-{\kappa}B$. Our results suggest that preparing DGSS in a mix of water and methanol is a better way to achieve a strong anti-inflammatory efficacy of DGSS.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.1-9
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• 2017

Objective: This study investigated the effect of purified Carthamus tinctorius (C. tinctorius) extracted with a hot water and ethanol method on adipogenic differentiation of mouse bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal stem cells (mBMSCs). Methods: The C. tinctorius was extracted using hot water and ethanol. The samples were concentrated by a rotary evaporator and were then dried using a freeze-dryer. The mBMSCs were cultured and maintained in a minimum essential medium eagle alpha (${\alpha}-MEM$) supplemented with 10% FBS and 1% antibiotic antimycotic solution. To induce adipogenic differentiation, the cells were treated with Dulbecco's modified eagle's medium-low glucose (DMEM-LG) containing 1 mg/mL insulin, 1 mM dexamethasone, and 0.5 mM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine. To evaluate the adipogenic differentiation ability, oil-red O staining was performed after adipogenic differentiation for 21 days. The mRNA expression and protein level of adipogenic-related genes were quantified by quantitative real-time PCR and western blotting, respectively. Results: In the results of the MTT assay, no concentrations of C. tinctorius extracts showed toxicity on mBMSCs, so we fixed the treatment concentration of the extract at 100 ng/mL. In oil-red O staining, the water-C. tinctorius extract treatment significantly decreased adipogenic differentiation compared with the control and ethanol extract groups. The water-C. tinctorius extract group in particular showed reduced mRNA and protein expression of Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma ($Ppar{\gamma}$) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha ($C/ebp{\alpha}$), which are adipogenic-related transcription factors. Conclusion: These data suggest that extract of C. tinctorius decreased the adipogenic differentiation of mBMSCs, while only water-C. tinctorius extract had an effect on different adipogenesis in mBMSCs. The C. tinctorius will be a useful therapeutic reagent for the prevention of obesity-related diseases such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, and osteoporosis.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.61-67
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• 2012

Objective : Angelica Gigas Nakai is a popular oriental medicine used for the treatment of vascular diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate neuroprotective effect of the water extract of Anelicae Gigantis Radix Palva (AG) in transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO)-induced ischemic rats via the regulation of angiogenesis-related molecules. Methods : Sprague-Dawley rats were intraperitoneally administrated with AG water extract at doses of 10, 25, 50 mg/kg body weight after tMCAO (90 min occlusion). reperfusion for 24 hr infarction volumes were measured by 2,3,5-tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. Brain tissues were observed neuronal cell injuries by nissl staining, and also brain-blood barrier (BBB) permeability change by evans blue. Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) and Tie-2 receptor protein in brain tissues was determined by western blot. Results : AG water extract significantly reduced infarction volume in ischemic brains of rats, degradation of neuronal cell, BBB permeability and expression of VEGF protein dose-dependently. Ang-1 protein was increased dose-dependantly, not significantly. Conclusion : This study suggests that AG water extract shows neuroprotective effect by preventing BBB breakdown, with regulating angiogenesis factor VEGF and Ang-1.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.33-39
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• 2014

Obesity occurs when a person's calorie intake exceeds the amount of energy burns, which may lead to pathologic growth of adipocytes and the accumulation of fat in the tissues. In this study, the effect and mechanism of pear pomace extracts on 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation and apoptosis of mature adipocytes were investigated. The effects of pear pomace extract on cell viability and the anti-adipogenic and proapoptotic effects were investigated via MTT assay, Oil red O staining, western blot analysis and apoptosis assay. 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were stimulated with DMEM containing 10% FBS, 0.5 mM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX), $5{\mu}g/ml$ insulin and $1{\mu}M$ dexamethasone for differentiation to adipocytes. 3T3-L1 cells were cultured with PBS or water extract of pear pomace. Water extract of pear pomace effectively inhibited lipid accumulations and expressions of PPAR-${\gamma}$ and $C/EBP{\alpha}$ in 3T3-L1 cells. It also increased expression of p-AMPK and decreased the expression of SREBP-1c and FAS in 3T3-L1 cells. The induction of apoptosis was observed in 3T3-L1 cells treated with pear pomace. These results indicate that pear pomace water extract inhibits adipogenesis and induces apoptosis of adipocytes and thus can be used as a potential therapeutic substance as part of prevention or treatment strategy for obesity.

• 한국약용작물학회지
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.177-184
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• 2011

This study was performed to assess the antioxidant activities and whitening effects of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb on melanin synthesis. The whitening effects of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb water extracts were examined by in vitro mushroom tyrosinase assay and B16BL6 melanoma cells. We assessed inhibitory effect of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb water extract on expression of melanogenic enzyme proteins including tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP-1) and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP-2) in B16BL6 cells. Inhibitory effect of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb onto free radical generation was determined by measuring DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging activitie. Our results indicated that Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb water extract effectively inhibited free radical generation. In DPPH and hydroxy radical scavenging activity, Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb water extract had a potent anti-oxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner. They significantly inhibited tyrosinase activity in vitro and in B16BL6 melanoma cells. Also, Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb suppressed the expression of tyrosinase in B16BL6 melanoma cells. These results show that Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb inhibited melanin production on the melanogenesis. The underlying mechanism of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb on whitening activity may be due to the inhibition of tyrosinase activity. We suggest that Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb may be useful as new natural active ingredients for antioxidant and whitening cosmetics.

• 한국동물생명공학회지
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• 제35권3호
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• pp.279-288
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• 2020

Changes of gonadal morphology and mRNA expression patterns of vitellogenin were investigated in Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baerii (Chondrostei) during its early gonadal maturation period. Early differentiations and morphological transitions of both ovaries and testes appeared to occur actively until the age of 3 years, however from then on, the maturation patterns to full maturity were largely gender-dependent, in which males showed a faster progression of maturation than did females while females experienced a steady-state progress with a lagged interval before entering the final maturation. Expression of vitellogenin mRNAs are closely correlated with transitional patterns of gonadal appearances. In both females and males, hepatic mRNA levels of vitellogenin exponentially increased in the earliest interval (up to 1-year-old). However, in subsequent periods, vitellogenin expression in females continued to increase with age, whereas in males, the expression stabilized at a younger age. Nevertheless, at the age older than or equal to 7-year-old, fully matured individuals showed a quite low level of vitellogenin expression in both females and males. Collectively, results from this study could be useful as a fundamental guideline to address the gonad maturation of this sturgeon species, which is helpful for making practical decisions about farming practices and management for caviar production on local sturgeon farms.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.113-120
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• 2019

Mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) are glycolipids and have several pharmacological efficacies. MELs also show skin-moisturizing efficacy through a yet-unknown underlying mechanism. Aquaporin-3 (AQP3) is a membrane protein that contributes to the water homeostasis of the epidermis, and decreased AQP3 expression following ultraviolet (UV)-irradiation of the skin is associated with reduced skin moisture. No previous study has examined whether the skin-moisturizing effect of MELs might act through the modulation of AQP3 expression. Here, we report for the first time that MELs ameliorate the UVA-induced downregulation of AQP3 in cultured human epidermal keratinocytes (HaCaT keratinocytes). Our results revealed that UVA irradiation decreases AQP3 expression at the protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) levels, but that MEL treatment significantly ameliorated these effects. Our mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor analysis revealed that phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), but not extracellular signal-regulated kinase or p38, mediates UVA-induced AQP3 downregulation, and that MEL treatment significantly suppressed the UVA-induced phosphorylation of JNK. To explore a possible mechanism, we tested whether MELs could regulate the expression of peroxidase proliferator-activated receptor gamma ($PPAR-{\gamma}$), which acts as a potent transcription factor for AQP3 expression. Interestingly, UVA irradiation significantly inhibited the mRNA expression of $PPAR-{\gamma}$ in HaCaT keratinocytes, whereas a JNK inhibitor and MELs significantly rescued this effect. Taken together, these findings suggest that MELs ameliorate UVA-induced AQP3 downregulation in HaCaT keratinocytes by suppressing JNK activation to block the decrease of $PPAR-{\gamma}$. Collectively, our findings suggest that MELs can be used as a potential ingredient that modulates AQP3 expression to improve skin moisturization following UVA irradiation-induced damage.

• 한국어병학회지
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.141-155
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• 2022

Rock bream iridovirus (RBIV) causes high mortality and economic losses in the rock bream (Oplegnathus fasciatus) aquaculture industry in Korea. Viral open reading frames (ORFs) expression profiling at different RBIV infection stages was investigated using microarray approaches. Rock bream were exposed to the virus and held for 7 days at 23 ℃ before the water temperature was reduced to 17 ℃. Herein, 28% mortality was observed from 24 to 35 days post infection (dpi), after which no mortality was observed until 70 dpi (end of the experiment). A total of 27 ORFs were significantly up- or down-regulated after RBIV infection. In RBIV-infected rock bream, four viral genes were expressed after 2 dpi. Most RBIV ORFs (26 genes, 96.2%) were significantly elevated between 7 and 20 dpi. Among them, 12 ORF (44.4%) transcripts reached their peak expression intensity at 15 dpi, and 14 ORFs (51.8%) were at peak expression intensity at 20 dpi. Expression levels began to decrease after 25 dpi, and 92.6% of ORFs (25 genes) were expressed below 1-fold at 70 dpi. From the microarray data, in addition to the viral infection, viral gene expression profiles were categorized into three infection stages, namely, early (2 dpi), middle (7 to 20 dpi), and recovery (25 and 70 dpi). RBIV ORFs 009R, 023R, 032L, 049L, and 056L were remarkably expressed during RBIV infection. Furthermore, six ORFs (001L, 013R, 052L, 053L, 058L, and 061L) were significantly expressed only at 20 dpi. To verify the cDNA microarray data, we performed quantitative real-time PCR, and the results were similar to that of the microarray. Our results provide novel observations on broader RBIV gene expression at different stages of infection and the development of control strategies against RBIV infection.

• 대한한의학회지
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.91-98
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• 2000

The water extract of Seongpungtang(SPT) has commonly been used for treatment of ischemic brain damage in Oriental traditional medicine. However, little is known about the mechanism by which the water extract of SPT rescues brain cells from ischemic damage. To elucidate the protective mechanism of ischemic induced cytotoxicity, the regulation of Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and PMA (phobol-12-myristate-13-acetate) induced iNOS expression in microglial cells was investigated. LPS and PMA treatment for 48 hr in microglial cells markedly induced nitric oxide (NO), but treatment of the cells with the water extract of SPT decreased nitrite formation. In addition, LPS and PMA treatment for 48 hr induced severe cell death in microglial cells. However treatment of the cells with the water extract of SPT did not induce significant changes compared to the control cells. Furthermore, NO production was markedly decreased by treatment of nuclear factor kappa B(NF-kB) inhibitor, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate(PDTC). According to the above results, it is suggested that the protective effects of the water extract of SPT against ischemic brain damage may be mediated by regulation of iNOS during ischemic condition.