• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.683-687
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• 2015

Aloe vera gel exhibits protective effects against insulin resistance as well as lipid-lowering and anti-diabetic effects. The anti-diabetic compounds in this gel were identified as Aloe-sterols. Aloe vera gel extract (AVGE) containing Aloe-sterols has recently been produced using a new procedure. We previously reported that AVGE reduced large-sized intestinal polyps in Apc-deficient Min mice fed a high fat diet (HFD), suggesting that Aloe vera gel may protect against colorectal cancer. In the present study, we examined the effects of Aloe vera gel powder (AVGP) and AVGE on azoxymethane-induced colorectal preneoplastic aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in mice fed a HFD. Male C57BL/6J mice were given a normal diet (ND), HFD, HFD containing 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose solution, which was used as a solvent for AVGE (HFDC), HFD containing 3% or 1% AVGP, and HFDC containing 0.0125% (H-) or 0.00375% (L-) AVGE. The number of ACF was significantly lower in mice given 3% AVGP and H-AVGE than in those given HFD or HFDC alone. Moreover, 3% AVGP, H-AVGE and L-AVGE significantly decreased the mean Ki-67 labeling index, assessed as a measure of cell proliferation in the colonic mucosa. In addition, hepatic phase II enzyme glutathione S-transferase mRNA levels were higher in the H-AVGE group than in the HFDC group. These results suggest that both AVGP and AVGE may have chemopreventive effects on colorectal carcinogenesis under the HFD condition. Furthermore, the concentration of Aloe-sterols was similar between 3% AVGP and H-AVGE, suggesting that Aloe-sterols were the main active ingredients in this experiment.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.2577-2583
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• 2011

We have designed a 20-residue hybrid peptide CA(1-8)-MA(1-12) (CAMA) incorporating residues 1-8 of cecropin A (CA) and residues 1-12 of magainin 2 (MA) with high bacterial cell selectivity. CAMA-P2 is an ${\alpha}$-helical antimicrobial peptide designed from a CAMA hybrid peptide and substitution of Gly-Ile-Gly hinge sequence of CAMA to Pro influences the flexibility at central part of CAMA. Based on structure-activity relationships of CAMA peptides, to investigate the effects of the total positive charges on antimicrobial activity of CAMA-P2, the $Ser^{14}{\rightarrow}$Lys analogue (CAMA-syn1) was synthesized. The role of tryptophan at C-terminal ${\alpha}$-helix on its antimicrobial activity as well as synergistic activity was also investigated using $Ser^{14}{\rightarrow}$Lys/$Phe^{18}{\rightarrow}$Trp analogue (CAMA-syn2). Also, we designed CAMA-syn3 by substitution of $Lys^{16}$ located opposite side of substituted $Lys^{14}$ of CAMA-syn1 with Leu residue, resulting in increase of hydrophobicity and amphipathicity of the peptide. All of CAMA-syn analogues showed good antimicrobial activities similar to those of CAMA and CAMA-P2. The CAMA-syn1 and CAMA-syn2 showed low hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity against human keratinocyte Haca-T cells while CAMA-syn3 showed hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity at its MIC value. We then investigated their abilities to act synergistically in combination with the antimicrobial flavonoids and synthetic compounds screened in our laboratory. The results showed that all peptides exhibited synergistic effects with dihydrobinetin, while only CAMA-syn2 exhibited synergistic effects with YKAs3001 against both S. aureus and MRSA, suggesting that Trp residue at C-terminus of CAMA-syn2 may facilitate the polar antibiotic flavonoids and synthetic compounds to permeabilize the membrane. This study will be useful for the development of new antibiotic peptides with potent antimicrobial and synergistic activity but without cytotoxicity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.9
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• pp.1407-1414
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• 2014

Physicochemical properties of rice-based expanded snacks extruded with rice flour, high amylose starch, and isolated soy protein were investigated using a twin-screw extruder. The ingredients were extruded at various feed moisture contents (19~23%) and screw speeds (200~400 rpm) at a constant feed rate (43.4 kg/hr). Bulk density and apparent density of rice snacks were 0.06~0.21, and 0.55~0.65 respectively. Bulk density, apparent density, water absorption index, and breaking strength of rice snacks increased with increasing feed moisture content and decreasing screw speed. However, expansion and water solubility index of rice snacks increased with decreasing feed moisture content and increasing screw speed. Hunter's color L values of rice snacks was lower with increasing screw speed at feed moisture contents of 19% and 21%, but was not significantly different from a feed moisture content of 23%. On the other hand, a and b values of rice snacks were higher with increasing screw speed a feed moisture content of 19%. X-ray diffraction intensity of rice snacks decreased with decreasing feed moisture content and increasing screw speed. X-ray diffraction of rice snacks was V-type at feed moisture contents of 19% and 21% and screw speeds of 300, and 400 rpm. In the microstructure of the cross section of rice snacks, air cells in rice snacks were not well formed, and cell walls were thicker with increasing feed moisture content and decreasing screw speed.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.21 no.6 s.101
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• pp.451-455
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• 2006

An efficient pilot scale (10 ton) three-stage methane fermentation system to digest food waste has been developed in this laboratory. This system consisted of three stages: semianaerobic hydrolysis, anaerobic acidogenesis and strictly anaerobic methanogenesis. From the secondary acidogenesis reactor, a novel strain KA4 responsible for alcohol fermentation was isolated and characterized. The cell was oval and its dimension was $5.5-6.5{\times}3.5-4.5\;{\mu}m$. This strain was identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae KA4 by 26S rDNA D1/D2 rDNA sequence. Optimal culture temperature was $30-35^{\circ}C$. Cells were tolerant to 5% (v/v) ethanol concentration, however, were inhibited significantly by higher ethanol concentration up to 7%. The strain could grow well up to 50% (w/v) initial glucose concentration in the YM liquid medium, however, optimal concentration for ethanol fermentation was 10%. It could produce ethanol in a broad initial pH range from 4 to 10, and optimal pH was 6. In this condition, the strain converted 10% glucose to 7.4% ethanol during 24 hr, and ethanol yield was estimated to be 2.87 moi EtOH/mol glucose.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.519-533
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• 2010

Activity oefficients and solubilities of L-Alanine in aqueous solutions containing each of four electrolytes(NaCl, KCl, $NaNO_3$ and $KNO_3$) were measured at 298.15 K. The measurements of activity coefficients were carried out in the electrochemical cell coupled with two ion-selective electrodes(cation and anion), and the solubilities were measured by the gravimetric analysis of saturated solutions in equilibrium with the solid phase of L-alanine. To model the activity coefficients and solubilities of amino acid in the amino acid/electrolyte aqueous solutions, thermodynamic relations of the residual Helmholtz free energy in the amino acid/electrolyte aqueous solutions were developed based on the perturbed-chain statistical associating fluid theory(PC-SAFT) combined with the primitive mean spherical approximation(primitive-MSA). In the present model, it is assumed that the zwitterions of L-alanine are associated with each other and cross-associated with water molecules, and also cross-associated with the cation and anion dissociated from an electrolyte(inorganic salt). The activity coefficients and solubilities of L-Alanine calculated from the theoretical model proposed in this work are found to be well agreeable with experimental data.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.12-19
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• 2016

The probiotic effects of kimchi lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Lactobacillus plantarum (Lab. plantarum) and Leuconostoc mesenteroides (Leu. mesenteroides), were studied. Lab. plantarum KCCM 11352P (LPpnu) and Leu. mesenteroides KCCM 11353P (LMpnu) were isolated from kimchi and were the predominant LAB. We compared their probiotic effects with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LRgg), a well-known probiotic LAB. LPpnu showed better probiotic activities than LRgg. LMpnu also exhibited almost equal activities as LRgg. These two kimchi LAB strains exhibited resistance to gastric and bile acid, adhesion to intestines, and thermal stability. In particular, LPpnu showed excellent probiotic properties. In addition, LPpnu showed greater antioxidant activity by scavenging DPPH radicals or hydroxyl radicals than LMpnu or LRgg. LPpnu also inhibited growth of HT-29 human colon cancer cells by inducing apoptosis, increasing Bax and suppressing Bcl-2 expression compared to LMpnu or LRgg. Taken together, LPpnu and LMpnu could be used as probiotics, and LPpnu exhibited the most beneficial probiotic activities with anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2016

Garlic has drawn attention as a food material for its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties as well as for prevention and treatment of cancer. In order to increase efficiency, various aging methods for garlic have been attempted. In particular, thermally processed garlic is known to have higher biological activities due to its various chemical changes during heat treatment. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the anti-oxidative effects of garlic extracts aged at low temperature ($60{\sim}70^{\circ}C$). In the results, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzo-thiazoline-6-sulfonate) radical scavenging activities and ferric reducing ability of low temperature-aged garlic (LTAG) were similar to those of raw garlic. LTAG also showed decreased lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of reactive oxygen species, although there were not significant differences among samples. In addition, xanthine oxidase activity was inhibited by LTAG; the 15 days and $60^{\circ}C$ extract showed outstanding inhibition compared with the others. To understand the molecular mechanisms behind the anti-oxidative activity of LTAG, we performed quantitative real-time PCR analysis. The 30 days and $70^{\circ}C$ extract upregulated mRNA expression of antioxidant enzymes such as Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD), Mn-SOD, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. This result indicates that LTAG can be a functional food as a nature antioxidant and antioxidant substance.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.61-67
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• 2010

Selenoprotein S (SelS) is widely expressed in diverse tissues where it localizes in the plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum. We studied the potential function of SelS in erythrocyte differentiation using K562 cells stably over-expressing SelS wild-type (WT) or one of two SelS point mutants, $U_{188}S$ or $U_{188}C$. We found that in the K562 cells treated with $1\;{\mu}M$ Ara-C, SelS gradually declined over five days of treatment. On day 4, intracellular ROS levels were higher in cells expressing SelS-WT than in those expressing a SelS mutant. Moreover, the cell cycle patterns in cells expressing SelS-WT or $U_{188}C$ were similar to the controls. The expression and activation of SIRT1 were also reduced during K562 differentiation. Cells expressing SelS-WT showed elevated SIRT1 expression and activation (phosphorylation), as well as higher levels of FoxO3a expression. SIRT1 activation was diminished slightly in cells expressing SelS-WT after treatment with the ROS scavenger NAC (12 mM), but not in those expressing a SelS mutant. After four days of Ara-C treatment, SelS-WT-expressing cells showed elevated transcription of $\beta$-globin, $\gamma$-globin, $\varepsilon$-globin, GATA-1 and zfpm-1, whereas cells expressing a SelS mutant did not. These results suggest that the suppression of SelS acts as a trigger for proerythrocyte differentiation via the ROS-mediated downregulation of SIRT1.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2013

Various voltage-gated $K^+$ currents were recently described in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. However, the characterization and diversity of voltage-gated $K^+$ currents have not been well studied in trigeminal root ganglion (TRG) neurons, which are similar to the DRG neurons in terms of physiological roles and anatomy. This study was aimed to investigate the characteristics and diversity of voltage-gated $K^+$ currents in acutely isolated TRG neurons of rat using whole cell patch clamp techniques. The first type (type I) had a rapid, transient outward current ($I_A$) with the largest current size having a slow inactivation rate and a sustained delayed rectifier outward current ($I_K$) that was small in size having a fast inactivation rate. The $I_A$ currents of this type were mostly blocked by TEA and 4-AP, K channel blockers whereas the $I_K$ current was inhibited by TEA but not by 4-AP. The second type had a large $I_A$ current with a slow inactivation rate and a medium size-sustained delayed $I_K$ current with a slow inactivation rate. In this second type (type II), the sensitivities of the $I_A$ or $I_K$ current by TEA and 4-AP were similar to those of the type I. The third type (type III) had a medium sized $I_A$ current with a fast inactivation rate and a large sustained $I_K$ current with the slow inactivation rate. In type III current, TEA decreased both $I_A$ and $I_K$ but 4-AP only blocked $I_A$ current. The fourth type (type IV) had a smallest $I_A$ with a fast inactivation rate and a large $I_K$ current with a slow inactivation rate. TEA or 4-AP similarly decreased the $I_A$ but the $I_K$ was only blocked by 4-AP. These findings suggest that at least four different voltage-gated $K^+$ currents in biophysical and pharmacological properties exist in the TRG neurons of rats.

• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.59-69
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• 2018

In this paper, we present a robust beamforming design to tackle the weighted sum-rate maximization (WSRM) problem in a multicell multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) - non-orthogonal multipleaccess (NOMA) downlink system for 5G wireless communications. This work consider the imperfectchannel state information (CSI) at the base station (BS) by adding uncertainties to channel estimation matrices as the worst-case model i.e., singular value uncertainty model (SVUM). With this observation, the WSRM problem is formulated subject to the transmit power constraints at the BS. The objective problem is known as on-deterministic polynomial (NP) problem which is difficult to solve. We propose an robust beam forming design which establishes on majorization minimization (MM) technique to find the optimal transmit beam forming matrix, as well as efficiently solve the objective problem. In addition, we also propose a joint user clustering and power allocation (JUCPA) algorithm in which the best user pair is selected as a cluster to attain a higher sum-rate. Extensive numerical results are provided to show that the proposed robust beamforming design together with the proposed JUCPA algorithm significantly increases the performance in term of sum-rate as compared with the existing NOMA schemes and the conventional orthogonal multiple access (OMA) scheme.