• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.457-464
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• 2021

The objectives of this study were to analyze of soil chemical characteristics of abandoned coal mine forest rehabilitation areas in Gangwon-do. The study sites were 8 areas and the investigations were performed 11 times according to elapsed time. Soil characteristics were soil pH, TOC, Total-N, C/N ratio, and Av. P₂O₅. Soil pH and Av. P₂O₅ were decreased according to elapsed time after forest rehabilitation, while TOC, Total-N, and C/N ratio increased. TOC and Total-N arrived at quality requirements of covering soil for forest rehabilitation in abandoned coal mine area passed 10 years after forest rehabilitation, while soil pH became lower than that. Therefore, it needs long-term monitoring of soil chemical characteristics after the forest rehabilitation and to establish post management.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.73-79
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• 2021

Bisphenol A is a representative endocrine disruptor and continuously detected in aquatic environment due to wide use, resulting in adverse effects on growth, development, and reproduction in diverse organisms as well as human. Structural analogs have been developed to substitute BPA are also suspected to have endocrine disrupting effects. In the present study, the time-dependent expression patterns of ecdysteroid synthesis (nvd, cyp314a1), receptors (EcRA, EcRB, USP, ERR), and downstream signaling pathway - related genes (HR3, E75, Vtg, VtgR) were investigated using quantitative real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in the brackish water flea Diaphanosoma celebensis exposed to Bisphenol analogs (BPs; BPA, BPF, and BPS) for 6, 12, and 24 h. As results, the expression of nvd, cyp314a1, EcRs, USP, ERR and E75 mRNA was upregulated at 6 h exposure to BPF, which is earlier than BPA and BPS (12 h). On the other hand, HR3, E75 and VtgR mRNA levels were elevated at 6 h earlier at BPS and BPF than at BPA (12 h), but Vtg mRNA level was slightly changed within 24 h. These findings suggest that like BPA, BPF and BPS can also modulate the transcription of ecdysteroid pathway - related genes with different mechanisms, and have a potential as endocrine disruptors. This study will provide a better understanding the molecular mode of action of bisphenols on ecdysteroid pathway in the brackish water flea.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2005

We performed in vitro and in vivo studies to know whether the inhibitory effects of ginsenosides on $5-HT_{3A}$ receptor channel acctivity are coupled to anti-nausea and anti-vomiting action. In vitro study, we investigated the effect of compound K (CK) and M4, which are ginsenoside metabolites, on human $5-HT_{3A}$ receptor channel activity expressed in Xenopus oocytes using two-electrode voltage clamp technique. Treatment of CK or M4 themselves had no effect in both oocytes injected with $H_2O\;and\;5-HT_{3A}$ receptor cRNA. In oocytes injected with $5- HT_{3A}$ receptor cRNA, M4 treatment inhibited more potently 5-HT-induced inward peak current $(I_{5-HT})$ than CK with dose-dependent and reversible manner. The half-inhibitory concentrations $(IC_{50})$ of CK and M4 were $36.9\;\pm\;10.1\;and\;7.3\;\pm\;2.2\;{\mu}M$, respectively. The inhibition of $I_{5-HT}$ by M4 was non-competitive and voltage-independent. These results indicate that M4 might regulate $5-HT_{3A}$ receptors. In vivo experiments, injection of cisplatin (7.5 mg/kg, i.v.) induced both nausea and vomiting with 1 h latency. These episodes reached to peak after 2 h and persisted for 4 h. Pre-treatment of GTS (500 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly reduced cisplatin-induced nausea and vomiting by $51\;\pm\;8.4\;and\;48.8\;\pm\;6.4\%$ during 4 h compared to GIS­untreated group, respectively. These results show the possibility that in vitro inhibition of $5-HT_{3A}$ receptor channel activity by ginsenosides might be coupled to in vivo anti-emetic activity.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.413-421
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• 2014

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is involved in the stress response and there is increasing evidence that stress influences skin disease such as hair loss. In cultured human hair follicles, CRF inhibits hair shaft elongation, induces premature regression and promotes the apoptosis of hair matrix keratinocytes. We investigated whether CRF influences the dermal papilla cells (DPC) that play pivotal roles in hair growth and cycling. Human DPCs were treated with CRF, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol, key stress hormones along the hypothalamic-pituitary -adrenal (HPA) axis for 1-24 h. Interestingly, CRF modulated the expression of cytokines related to hair growth (KGF, Wnt5a, $TGF{\beta}-2$, Nexin) and increased cAMP production in cultured DPCs. CRF receptors were down-regulated by negative feedback systems. Pretreatment of CRF receptor antagonists or protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor prevented the CRF-induced modulation. Since the CRF induces proopiomelanocortin (POMC) expression through the cAMP/PKA pathway, we analyzed POMC mRNA. CRF stimulated POMC expression in cultured human DPCs, yet we were unable to detect ACTH levels by western blot. These results indicate that CRF operates within DPCs through CRF receptors along the classical CRF signaling pathway and CRF receptor antagonists could serve as potential therapeutic and cosmetic agents for stress-induced hair loss.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.283-290
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• 1997

A total of 32 human diphyllobothriasis cases have been reported so far in Korea, exclud- ing 21 egg-positive cases from stool examinations. Authors experienced five more human cases of DiphHllobothrium latum infection, especially infected due to eating raw flesh of redlip mullet, Lizc hoematocheiln. Five cases were neighbors residing in the Puchon area, Kyonggi-do, who ate raw mullets (L. hQematocheila) in a party in February 1996. The mul- lets were purchased at the Noryangjin fisheries market in Seoul. All of cases (2 males and 3 females) were 35 to 43 years old and healthy with the body weight range of 56-62 kg. They complained about gastrointestinal trouble and abdominal discomfort, but were in normal ranges of their hematology and urinalysis data. None revealed any sign of anemia The patients experienced natural discharge of a chain of segments before, and showed diphyllobothriid eggs in their stool specimens when they visited our laboratory. They were administered with praziquantel (15 mg/kg of body weight) and 30 g of magnesium sulfate as a purgative. Two whole worms with the scolices (310-340 cm in length; 8-13 mm in width) were expelled each from two out of five cases after anthelmintic treatment, and the others expelled the parts of strobilae without scolex. The worms were identified as D. Ictum, based on the following biological characters. external morphologies, coiling of uterus, the number of uterine loops, position of genital opening, morphologies of cirrus, cirrus sac and seminal vesicle on the histological sections, position of vagina and uterine pore , and microscopical and SEM morphologies of the eggs.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1095-1100
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• 2014

Keratin wastes are generated in excess of million tons per year worldwide and biodegradation of keratin by microorganisms possessing keratinase activity can be used as an alternative tool to prevent environmental pollution. For practical use of keratinase, its physicochemical properties should be investigated in detail. In this study, we investigated characteristics of keratinase produced by Xanthomonas sp. P5 which is isolated from rhizospheric soil of soybean. The level of keratinase produced by the strain P5 increased with time and reached its maximum (10.6 U/ml) at 3 days. The production of soluble protein had the same tendency as the production of keratinase. Optimal temperature and pH of keratinase were $40^{\circ}C-45^{\circ}C$ and pH 9, respectively. The enzyme showed broad temperature and pH stabilities. Thermostability profile showed that the enzyme retained 94.6%-100% of the original activity after 1 h treatment at $10^{\circ}C-40^{\circ}C$. After treatment for 1 h at pH 6-10, 89.2%-100% of the activity was remained. At pH 11, 71.6% of the original activity was retained after 1 h treatment. Although the strain P5 did not degrade human hair, it degraded duck feather and chicken feather. These results indicate that keratinase from Xanthomonas sp. P5 could be not only used to upgrade the nutritional value of feather hydrolysate but also useful in situ biodegradation of feather.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.386-391
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• 2012

The principal objective of this study was to evaluate the quality characteristics of black garlic milk tofu prepared with five different levels (0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2.0%) of black garlic concentrate (BG0~BG4). We conducted the pH, total phenol and flavonoids, Hunter's color values, mechanical characteristics, and a sensory evaluation analysis of black garlic milk tofu. The total phenol and flavonoid content of black garlic concentrate were 1.67mg/100 g and 1.07 mg/100 g. The more black garlic concentrate increased, the more lightness (L) decreased, but redness(a) and yellowness (b) increased. The hardness, gumminess, and chewiness scores significantly increased (p<0.05) in all black garlic milk tofu samples. In color, taste, flavor, texture, and overall quality, the score of milk tofu with 1.0% black garlic concentrate (BG2) increased the most.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1100-1109
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• 2021

The halophyte Artemisia scoparia is an edible medicinal plant, with insecticidal, anti-inflammatory, anticholesterol, antipyretic, and antibacterial effects. The aim of this study was to assess the inhibitory effect of crude extract and solvent-partitioned fractions obtained from A. scoparia on MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity in phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated human fibrosarcoma HT-1080 cells using four different activity tests: gelatin zymography, MMP enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), wound healing assay, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and Western blot assay. A. scoparia samples were extracted twice with methylene chloride (MC) and twice with methanol (MeOH). After the MC and MeOH crude extracts were combined, the combined crude extracts showed a significant inhibitory effect against MMP-2 and MMP-9 enzymes. They were then fractionated into n-hexane, 85% (v/v) aqueous methanol (85% (v/v) aq.MeOH), n-butanol, and water according to solvent polarity. Among the four solvent-partitioned fractions, n-hexane and 85% (v/v) aq. MeOH fractions significantly inhibited MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity and cell mobility. In addition, the n-hexane and 85% (v/v) aq.MeOH fractions effectively inhibited MMP-2 and -9 activity in the gelatin zymography and MMP ELISA assay. In the wound healing assay, RT-PCR, and Western blot assay, all solvent-partitioned fractions, except the H₂O fraction, significantly suppressed cell migration, as well as the expression levels of MMP-2 and -9 mRNA and proteins.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2979-2984
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• 2012

Recent studies have indicated a link between levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and development of the multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype. The ATP-binding cassette sub-family G member 2 (ABCG2) is a major MDR-related transporter protein that is frequently overexpressed in cancer patients. In this study, we aimed to evaluate any positive correlation between COX-2 and ABCG2 gene expression using the COX-2 inducer 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in human breast cancer cell lines. ABCG2 mRNA and protein expression was studied using real-time RT-PCR and flow cytometry, respectively. A significant increase of COX-2 mRNA expression (up to 11-fold by 4 h) was induced by TPA in MDA-MB-231 cells, this induction effect being lower in MCF-7 cells. TPA caused a considerable increase up to 9-fold in ABCG2 mRNA expression in parental MCF-7 cells, while it caused a small enhancement in ABCG2 expression up to 67 % by 4 h followed by a time-dependent decrease in ABCG2 mRNA expression in MDA-MB-231 cells. TPA treatment resulted in a slight increase of ABCG2 protein expression in MCF-7 cells, while a time-dependent decrease in ABCG2 protein expression was occurred in MDA-MB-231 cells. In conclusion, based on the observed effects of TPA in MDA-Mb-231 cells, it is proposed that TPA up-regulates ABCG2 expression in the drug sensitive MCF-7 breast cancer cell line through COX-2 unrelated pathways.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.531-536
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• 2010

A quantitative analytical method has been established for the measurement of inosine 5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) activity in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by ion-pair reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography equipped with ultraviolet detection (HPLC/UV). IMPDH is a ${\beta}$-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide hydrate (NAD+)-dependent dehydrogenase in which the enzyme converts inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP) into xanthosine 5'-monophosphate (XMP). Its activity was measured by quantifying a HPLC chromatogram corresponding to XMP produced during the incubation of lysed PBMCs with IMP as a substrate and $NAD^+$ as a coenzyme. XMP produced was detected at a wavelength of 260 nm. The mobile phase was composed of a mixture of 37 mM potassium dihydrogen phosphate containing 7 mM tetra-n-butylammonium hydrogen sulfate adjusted to pH 5.5 and methanol (85:15, v/v) with a flow rate of 1 mL/min. The calibration curve was linear ($r^2$=0.999999) in the range of $0.2-50.0\;{\mu}M$ and the limit of quantification (LOQ) was $0.2\;{\mu}M$. The intra- and inter-day precisions were between 0.88-1.47% and 0.85-5.24%, respectively. The intra- and inter-day accuracies were between 98.74-99.99% and 99.95-101.65%, respectively. IMPDH activity in 11 Korean healthy volunteers ranged from 18.29 to 36.60 nmol/h/mg protein (mean = $27.70{\pm}6.28\;nmol/h/mg$ protein).