• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.65 no.1
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• pp.57-62
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• 2022

Excessive activation and aggregation of platelets is a major cause of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, inhibition of platelet activation and aggregation is considered an attractive therapeutic target in preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases. In particular, strong platelet activation and aggregation by collagen secreted from the vascular endothelium are characteristic of vascular diseases. Artesunate is a compound extracted from the plant roots of Artemisia or Scopolia species, and has been reported to be effective in anticancer and Alzheimer's disease fields. However, the effect and mechanism of artesunate on collagen-induced platelet activation and aggregation have not been elucidated. In this study, the effect of artesunate on collagen-induced human platelet aggregation was confirmed and the mechanism of action of artesunate was clarified. Artesunate inhibited the phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt and Mitogen-activated protein kinases, which are phosphoproteins that are known to act in the signal transduction process when platelets are activated. In addition, artesunate decreased TXA₂ production and decreased granule secretion in platelets such as ATP and serotonin release. As a result, artesunate strongly inhibited platelet aggregation induced by collagen, a strong aggregation inducer secreted from vascular endothelial cells, with an IC₅₀ of 106.41 µM. These results suggest that artesunate has value as an effective antithrombotic agent for inhibiting the activation and aggregation of human platelets through vascular injury.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.182-190
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• 2015

This present study demonstrates the immunological synergistic effects of herbal preparation (HemoHIM) and red ginseng powder granule in various immune cell models (bone marrow-derived macrophages, dendritic cells, and mouse splenocytes) from mice. Both herbal preparation and red ginseng extracts were treated to bone-marrow derived macrophages, dendritic cells, and mouse splenocytes, and there was no cytotoxicity at a dose below $200{\mu}g/mL$. Cell proliferation and cytokine [tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-12] production tested in bone marrow-derived macrophages and dendritic cells significantly increased upon combined treatment. Cell surface marker (CD 80/86, MHC class I/II)-mediated immune cell activation was highly elevated by combined treatment. For cytokine production in splenocytes, combined treatment significantly increased production of Th 1 type cytokines [IL-2 and interferon (IFN)-${\gamma}$] but not Th 2 type cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10). Therefore, combined treatment with HemoHIM and red ginseng extracts is an effective method to establish powerful immunological synergy in immune cells.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.91-97
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• 2005

The acinar cells and secretory granules of the parotid salivary gland were examined in the lesser white toothed shrew, Crocidura suaveolens and the big white-toothed shrew, C. lasiura. The parotid gland of both species were a serous gland having only one kind of serous acinar cells, and had conventional arrangement of acini and intercalated, granular and striated ducts. In case of C. suaveolens, serous acinar cells had well developed rER, prominent Golgi complex, several large mitochondria and abundant moderate dense secretory granules with various stages of the maturing or fusing process. Immature acinar secretory granules were only or mainly filled with fine strong dense specks and had an indistinct limiting membrane, and mature granules were filled with homogeneous pale large round center and had fine strong dense specks at the periphery of the homogeneous pale center and a distinct limiting membrane. In case of C. lasiula, serous acinar cells had well developed rER, prominent Golgi complex, several large mitochondria and abundant dense secretory granules with maturing or fusing process. Immature acinar secretory granules were only filled with pale rough specks and had an indistinct limiting membrane, and mature granules were only filled with rough dense specks and had a distinct limiting membrane. Eventually The acinar secretory granules of C. suaveolens were seen moderate at the light and ultrastuctural level, those of C. lasiura were strong dense at the light microscopic level and dense at the ultrastructural level.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.389-399
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• 1996

In order to understand the morphological differences between two different organic loadings by its upstream, and to compare with other algal groups with references, the fine structure of blue-green algae, Microcystis aeruginosa Kitzing, taken from two branches, Tongbok and Bosung stream of Lake Chuam, Korea pennisula was examined. It showed extinct differences in most physicochemical factors between both branches, except water temperature and pH values. The concentrations of total phosphorus in Tongbok branch were twice as those of Bosung. M. aeruginosa cells were enumerated totally $1.2X10^4cells/ml$ and these individuals in branch of Tongbok were close to two times as much as Bosung. In light and electron microscopy, natural M. aeruginosa colonies formed irregular shape and non-directional array in amorphous matrix. They were consisted of many kinds of cells, youngs or olds in cell division, solitary, and various size of cells. Each cell ranged from 2.61 to $5.40{\mu}m$ in diameter, and averaged as $3.54{\pm}0.19{\mu}m$. In cytoplasm, they contained a number of inclusions in various size, shape and appearances. Among them, polyhedral bodies or carboxysomes, a structured granules, photosynthetic lamellae or thylakoids, and gas vacuoles were prominent and easy to recognize. Although it was failed to find the definable morphological variations in the ultrastructure of M. aeruginosa in terms of algal habitual environments, some useful characters were founded, outer layer of cell wall, polyhedral bodies and gas vacuoles, in blue-green algal classification and taxonomy.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.107-119
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• 1989

The histochemical characteristics of the cutaneous granular glands and its fine structure of the Korean fire bellied toad, Bombino orientalis Boulenger the only species inhabitated in Korea, were studied with light and electron microscopes. By the granular size and histochemical properties, the granular glands were subdivided into two types. The type I glands have small secretory granules (3.6 $\mu$ m), whereas the type II glands contain relatively larger granules (7.5 $\mu$ m). These two types of glands were simple alveolar gland, and they were commonly composed of inner glandular epithelial cells and outermost myoepithelial cells. By the histochemical reactions, these two secretory granules were not responsed to Alcian blue, but weakly positive reaction was observed in type I granular glands by the PAS reaction. And by the scanning electron microscopic observation, extemal morphology of the opening site of the gland duct was resembled to the stomata of the plant leaves. Especially the epithelial cells of the type I glands had fine reticular surface whereas, type II glands had large vesicular surface. These types of the glands conimonly had larger cavities than those of mucous glands, and forming the multinucleated unicellulr structure (syncytium) at the glandular epithelial layers. Secretory granules of these glands were originated from the rough endoplasmic reticulum of the glandular epithelial cells, and by the maturation level of the granule, morphological diversities appeared.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2000

The morphological changes in normal and weathering hair shafts of the human scalp were investigated by using the transmission and scanning electron microscopes. The hair shaft composed of cuticular layer, cortex and medula. The surface of normal hairs are smooth and covered by imbricated cuticular scales. The cuticular layer consists of five to seven cuticle cells. These cells, which are flat and thin, measuring about $100{\mu}m$ long and $0.4{\mu}m$ thick, appears intercellular membrane complex in diameter 25 nm. The cortex composed of melanin granules and cornified cells, which multicomponent concentric microfibrils in diameter about 8 nm give rise to macrofibrils in diameter $0.5{\mu}m$ to $0.8{\mu}m$ encased in limiting membrane. The melanin granules are spherical shaped about $0.5{\mu}m$ in size and scattered between macrofibrils. The medulla in the normal hairs are $16{\mu}m$ in diameter centrally region of cortex. Normal hair shafts undergo progressive degenerative changes due to a variety of environmental insults. In the initial weathering process of hair, the cuticular scales became irregularly raised and broken, and then cuticle cells formed cytoplasmic vacuolation, following dissociated intercellular membrane complex, ultimately entirely lost and nuded cortex. Occasionally, transverse fissures were seen at hair shafts indicating that the hairs were deteriorated. Complete removal of the cuticular layer in the heavily damaged cortex portions appeared splitting of the cortical cell into its macrofibrils and scattering of melanin granules.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.94-103
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• 2004

Korean red ginseng is known to have anti-stress and memory enhancing effects. Recent studies suggested that stress-induced inhibition of adult neurogenesis in hippocampus may contribute, in part, to decreased negative feedback inhibition of HPA axis. In order to elucidate the mechanism of Korean red ginseng in anti-stress and memory enhancing effects, we observed the effects of repeated treatment of Korean red ginseng total saponin (GTS, 50 mg/kg, i.p.) in response to repeated unpredictable stress for 10 days. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (230 - 260 g) received with either GTS (50 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle (1 ml/kg, i.p.) 1 h before stress for 10 days. Rats were injected with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU, 50 mg/kg, i.p.) 16-18 he after last stress procedure, and were sacrificed 2 hr later by perfusion. Immunohistochemistry of BrdU was done to measure proliferation of neural progenitor cells in hippocampus, which was used as an index of neurogenesis. Repeated GTS treatment for 10 days increased neurogenesis in subgranular zone area of dentate gyrus (SGZ), but not hilus, compared with vehicle-treated rats. Repeated unpredictable stress did not affect the neurogenesis compared with controls, while repeated GTS treatment increased neurogenesis in SGZ in repeated unpredictable stress-exposed group. BDNF mRNA was also measured in subregions of hippocampus by in situ hybridization. BDNF mRNA expression in CA3 and CA1 pyramidal cell layer was increased by repeated GTS treatment but not in dentate granule cell layer. Repeated unpredictable stresses significantly decreased BDNF mRNA expression in all subregions of hippocampus, but repeated GTS treatment did not prevent stress-induced BDNF mRNA downregulation. Given that repeated GTS treatment increased proliferation of neural progenitor cells in repeated unpredictable stress-exposed rats in the presence of decreased BDNF mRNA expression in dentate granule cell layer, it raise the possibility that BDNF may not playa significant role in GTS-mediated increase of neurogenesis in adult rat hippocampus. Also, these results suggest that repeated GTS treatment increased neurogenesis of SGZ and BDNF mRNA expression, which may account for memory enhancing effect of Korean red ginseng. In addition, repeated GTS treatment appears not to have anti-stress effects in terms of neurotrophin, but GTS-mediated increase of neurogenesis in hippocampus may contribute to increase negative feedback inhibition of HPA axis.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.119-132
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• 1989

Gamma irradiation as a new physical treatment was applied to comparative investigates with a conventional ethylene oxide fumigant on the microbiological and physicochemical qualities of selected spices and dry vegetables such as powdered red pepper, black pepper, welsh onion, onion, garlic, carrot, korean cabbage and instant ramyon soup. The microorganisms contaminated in the sample, including total viable count, thermophilic bacteria, aerobic spore and fungi counts between the $10^4\;to\;10^6/g$ range. Coliforms were found only in black pepper and welsh onion powder as the $10^2\;to\;10^3/g$ level. A radiation dose of 7 to 10 KGy were sterilized completely to the contaminated microorganisms, while ehthylene oxide (E.O.) fumigation reduced of them to the $10^3/g$ level. An optimum dose of irradiation was less detrimental than E.O. fumigation to the physicochemical properties of the sample. Sensory evaluation after three months of storage at room temperatures showed that the overall acceptability of irradiated sample was higher than that of the non treated control as well as E.O. fumigated samples. Comparison gamma irradiation with E.O. gas treatment showed that E.O. treatment was less effective than radiation in cotrolling microbial contamination of spices and vegetables.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.77-88
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• 1992

Effective strains of cowpea bradyrhizobia JB7 $nal^rspe^r$ and CB756 $str^rrif^r$, antibiotic-resistant variants of JB7 and CB756, respectively, were used to examine changes of rhizosphere populations and nodule occupancy. Populations of each strain increased gradually in the rhizosphere, reaching a maximum of about $10^8$ cells per root system. Nodule number increased as the density of inoculum increased from $10^2$ cells to $10^8$ cells per seed. Inoculation with liquid suspension resulted in the formation of more nodules than the peat slurry or granule inoculation. When JB7 $nal^rspe^r$ and CB756 $str^rrif^r$ were introduced in equal numbers in inoculum mixtures the former consistantly occupied the majority of nodules with all three groundnut cultivars used. There was no difference in yield between nitrogen treatments and inocultation treatments.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.102-107
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• 2007

Environmental contamination becomes a great public concern as our society gets industrialized rapidly. The present study examine the role of chitosan in a effort to intervene the environmental pollutant-induced toxicity. PCB-induced neurotoxicity with respect to the PKC signaling was examined. Since the developing neuron is particularly sensitive to PCB-induced neurotoxicity, we isolated cerebellar granule cells derived from 7-day old SD rats and grew cells in culture for additional 7 days to mimic PND-14 conditions. PCB showed the alteration of PKC signaling pathway. The alteration was structure-dependent. Mono-ortho-substituted congeners at a high dose showed a significant increase of total PKC activity at [$^3H$]PDBu binding assay, indicating that mono-ortho-substituted congeners are more neuroactive than non-ortho-substituted congeners in neuronal cells. PKC isoforms were immunoblotted with respective monoclonal antibodies. PKC-beta II and -epsilon were activated with mono-ortho-substituted congeners exposure. The result suggests that the position with ortho has a higher potential of altering the signaling pathway. Alteration of PKC was blocked with treatment of high molecular weight of chitosan. The study demonstrated that the ortho position in PCBs are important in assessing the structure-activity relationship. The results suggest a potential use of marine bioactive materials as a means of nutritional intervention to prevent the harmful effects of pollutant-derived toxicity.