• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.90-100
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• 2022

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have posed serious public health problems, accounting for nearly 30% of mortality worldwide and their incidence is still increasing. Therefore, new treatment resources are necessary to prevent or manage the ever-increasing population of patients with CVDs. Sea cucumber is well known for its medical and health benefit effects, but it is not well known what/how effect it has on vascular disease. In the present study, we examined the protect effect of sea cucumber, Apostichopus japonicus 80% ethanol extract (AJE) on zebrafish embryo with the stimulation of free fatty acid, palmitate (PA). In vivo study showed that AJE can attenuate PA-induced toxicity through relieving the rapid heartbeat, increasing the survival rate and reducing the malformation in both wild type and Tg (fli1a:eGFP) transgenic zebrafish lines. Additionally, compare with PA treated embryos, the yolk sac area, body length, axial vascular segment (AVS) and intersegmental vessel (ISV) of the co-treatment group of AJE and PA were comparable to the control group. Moreover, AJE lowered the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), nitric oxide (NO) and inflammation-related genes induced by PA, and inhibited PA-induced vascular development disorders. Our data preliminarily verify that AJE could be a candidate resource for the prevention or therapy of CVDs.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2023

Arsenic (As), which is ubiquitous throughout the environment, represents a major environmental threat at higher concentration and poses a global public health concern in certain geographic areas. Most of the conventional arsenic remediation techniques that are currently in use have certain limitations. This situation necessitates a potential remediation strategy, and in this regard bioremediation technology is increasingly important. Being the oldest representativse of life on Earth, microbes have developed various strategies to cope with hostile environments containing different toxic metals or metalloids including As. Such conditions prompted the evolution of numerous genetic systems that have enabled many microbes to utilize this metalloid in their metabolic activities. Therefore, within a certain scope bacterial isolates could be helpful for sustainable management of As-contamination. Research interest in microbial As(III) oxidation has increased recently, as oxidation of As(III) to less hazardous As(V) is viewed as a strategy to ameliorate its adverse impact. In this review, the novelty of As(III) oxidation is highlighted and the implication of As(III)-oxidizing microbes in environmental management and their prospects are also discussed. Moreover, future exploitation of As(III)-oxidizing bacteria, as potential plant growth-promoting bacteria, may add agronomic importance to their widespread utilization in managing soil quality and yield output of major field crops, in addition to reducing As accumulation and toxicity in crops.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.62-77
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• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide with a high recurrence rate. Oxaliplatin (OXA) resistance is one of the major reasons hindering CRC therapy. β-Carotene (BC) is a provitamin A and is known to have antioxidant and anticancer effects. However, the combined effect of OXA and BC has not been investigated. Therefore, this study investigated the anticancer effects and mechanism of the combination of OXA and BC on CRC. MATERIALS/METHODS: In the present study, the effects of the combination of OXA and BC on cell viability, cell cycle arrest, and cancer stemness were investigated using HCT116, HT29, OXA-resistant cells, and human CRC organoids. RESULTS: The combination of OXA and BC enhanced apoptosis, G₂/M phase cell cycle arrest, and inhibited cancer cell survival in human CRC resistant cells and CRC organoids without toxicity in normal organoids. Cancer stem cell marker expression and self-replicating capacity were suppressed by combined treatment with OXA and BC. Moreover, this combined treatment upregulated apoptosis and the stem cell-related JAK/STAT signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest a novel potential role of BC in reducing resistance to OXA, thereby enhances the anticancer effects of OXA. This enhancement is achieved through the regulation of cell cycle, apoptosis, and stemness in CRC.

• Electronics and Telecommunications Trends
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.73-81
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• 2024

As the demand for a healthy life increases and the use of information technology expands, interest in digital healthcare has increased. Among the digital healthcare technologies, digital therapeutics (DTx), which are capable of disease prevention, management, and treatment rather than simple healthcare, are expected to play a key role in future healthcare services. As interest in untact remote treatment that can minimize the risk of viral infection has rapidly increased since the spread of COVID-19, the application of DTx has received much attention because it can partially replace face-to-face treatment for mental illnesses, chronic diseases, and other diseases, reducing concerns about infection. In addition, because of the nature of software, DTx have lower toxicity and fewer side effects than existing treatments and do not require manufacturing, transportation, and storage like general medicines. Hence, they can be supplied in large quantities at low cost and have the advantage of lowering medical costs. However, despite these advantages, it has been pointed out that there are difficulties in investment and universal use because of the complexity of pricing and malpractice compensation. In other words, if it is difficult to prove and measure the improvements in disease management and treatment using DTx and it takes a considerable amount of time and money to do so, it will be difficult to attract investment from stakeholders such as medical providers and pharmaceutical companies. In this paper, we examine the domestic and global application status and development trends of DTx and determine the relevant implications.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.459-466
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• 2022

Anatomy studies require cadavers to study the human body. Generally in Indonesia, the dead human body will be buried. This causes problems because the decomposition process of a cadaver that is preserved with formalin will be delayed and it causes environmental pollution. The toxicity of formalin can be reduced by neutralizing the formalin. This study aimed to compare the decrease of mice mass that were preserved with formalin then neutralized with sodium bicarbonate and those that were not neutralized. This study used 18 mice (Mus musculus) which were divided into 3 groups. They were the control group (not given preservative), group preserved with 4% formalin, and group preserved with 4% formalin then neutralized with sodium bicarbonate. All groups of mice were buried for 6 weeks. The changes in mass were assessed with an analysis of the percentage loss in mass. Based on the results of this study, the formalin group had a greater percentage of total mass reduction than the neutralize group. The formalin group had a higher decomposition rate than the neutralizing sodium bicarbonate group. The effectiveness of reducing the concentration of formalin is similar with neutralize group. Therefore, it can be concluded that 4% formalin is recommended for use to accelerate the occurrence of decay and decrease in mass.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.73 no.2
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• pp.93-99
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• 2012

Background: Local adverse events associated with inhaled corticosteroid use, including dysphonia, pharyngitis and oral candidiasis, can affect adherence for treatment. 'Mouth rinsing method' has been used for reducing local adverse events, but it cannot ensure complete prevention. The goal of this pilot study was to identify whether the 'immediate diet method' can reduce local adverse events in a limited number of patients. Methods: The study was conducted in a total of 98 patients, who had been prescribed a medium-dose fluticasone propionate for the first time, from January to October in 2010. One training nurse had performed the education on how to use the inhaler, including the mouth rinsing method. And with follow-ups at one month intervals, any patient who experienced such adverse events were educated on the immediate diet method, having a meal within 5 minutes after using an inhaler and they were checked on any incurrence of adverse events with one month intervals for 2 months. Results: The mean age of patients was 65.9 years old. The local adverse events had incurred from 18.4% of the study subjects. When performed the follow-up observation in 18 patients with local adverse events after education on the immediate diet method, 14 patients (77.8%) had shown symptomatic improvements. Three of 4 patients did not show any improvement, in spite of implementing the immediate diet method. The other 1 patient did not practice the immediate diet method properly. Conclusion: The immediate diet method may be useful in reducing the local adverse events, caused by the use of inhaled corticosteroid.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.37-43
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• 2018

Objectives : Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) were well known as anti-oxidant, but they were limited to use because of toxicity. So, many studies are being done to develope natural anti-oxidant. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents along with total antioxidant capacity of the ethanolic extract of Plantaginis Herba (PH) were evaluated to explore the reliable and potential sources of novel natural antioxidants. Methods : Total polyphenol contents and total flavonoid contents in PH ethanol extract were determined by colorimetric method. And DPPH(1.1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS(2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-Surfonicacid)) free radical scavenging capacity and reducing power inhibition activities of PH ethanol extract were measured at 100, 500, 1000, $5000{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ concentrations by spectrometric assay. Results : The total polyphenol contents and total flavonoid contents of the extract were 161.99 mg/g, 144.05 mg/g, respectively. Also, DPPH, ABTS free radical scavenging capacity and reducing power of PH ethanol extract in treated concentrations (100, 500, 1000, $5000{\mu}g/m{\ell}$) increased dose dependently. In particular, DPPH free radical scavenging capacity of PH ethanol extract from $500{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ was significantly increased compared to positive control (BHA). ABTS free radical scavenging capacity of PH ethanol extract from $1000{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ was significantly higher than BHA. Also, reducing power showed that PH ethanol extract from $500{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ was significantly increased compared to BHA. Conclusions : These results suggest that PH ethanol extract has effects to scavenge free radicals, thus PH has potential and applicable benefits for development of materials and products to have anti-oxidation functions.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.23-27
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• 2006

The rate of metallothionein synthesis on cadmium-poisoned rats reflects the level of toxicity, and also it reduces the toxicity which is caused by the uptake of cadmium. Chlorella supplementation in the diets of the cadmium-poisoned rats decreased the concentration of cadmium in blood and urine compared with the control group. Although the liver and kidneys of rats are major target organs of cadmium and coherence of metallothionein and cadmium, no previous study has determined the correlation between the rate of metallothionein synthesis in the liver and kidneys of rats and dietary supplementation of chlorella with cadmium uptake. This study analyzed total metallothionein level on the tissue of the liver and kidneys, the concentration of cadmium bound to the metallothionein, and the total concentration of cadmium on the tissue of the liver and kidneys after dietary supplementation with 1%, 5%, and 10% dried chlorella and 40 ppm of cadmium to 46 male SD rats (mean weight: $150\pm20\;g$) for 4 weeks. According to the data analysis of the total rate of metallothionein synthesis in the liver and kidneys, the group of SD rats on the supplementation with 1% chlorella and 40 ppm of cadmium showed a rate of $93.2\pm8.9\;ng/g$, a significant decrease of 58.8% compared to that of the control group of SD rats on the supplementation with cadmium only, which showed a rate of $227.3\pm32.5 ng/g$ (P=0.0001). In contrast, no significant difference was observed through the changing of chlorella concentrations between 5% and 10% chlorella supplementation with cadmium. The group supplemented with 1% or greater chlorella levels represented a greater decrease in the total cadmium concentration of the kidney and liver tissues, the amount of total metallothionein synthesis, the amount of metallothionein with binding to cadmium, and the concentration of free cadmium without binding to metallothionein. Consequently, the supplementation of 1% and 5% chlorella was effective in reducing the synthesis of metallothionein for cadmium uptake, but increased the rate of binding of cadmium to metallothionein.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.205-211
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect the lead toxicity of chitosan on the rats. A healthy male of Wistar rat was used for experiment. The lead acetate (30 mg/kg, Pb) was injected two times per a week into the abdomen. 0.1% chitosan solution (1 mg/ml) was supplied by feeding ad libitum. After 4 or 8 weeks, we was observed kidney by electron microscope. The experimental groups were divided into two groups. Group 1 was control group which was not treated with chitosan solution after contaminatation of lead acetate. Group 2 was experimental group which was treated with chitosan solution after contamination of lead acetate. All groups were used to 10 rats. The results were as follow: On the proximal convoluted tubules of the group with only Pb, the number of microvillis were decreased and the number of lysosomes were increased on the cytoplasm. The mitochondria and rough endoplasmic reticulum were extended and ribosomes dropped from the rough endoplasmic reticulum. On the proximal convoluted tubules of the group with Pb-chitosan, the shapes and number of microvilli were not changed and the number of lysosomes were decreased. The shapes of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum observed not changes. We concluded that chitosan has effect on reducing toxicity of lead in the rat kidney.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.224-231
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• 1995

Paraquat, the representative bipyridilium herbicide, has high phytotoxic activity through generating toxic oxygen species such as superoxide, hydrogen peroxide and hydroxy radical. The response patterns of plants to paraquat were various. It was assumed that the different response was derived from different antioxidative mechanisms including antioxidative enzymes and antioxidant. Paraquat treatment increased reducing sugar content and malondialdehyde formation at 35 days after treatment in a dose-dependent manner but chlorophyll content decreased. Glutathione content increased by paraquat treatment and tolerant species showed more glutathione content than susceptible species. Superoxide dismutase activity increased with the increase in paraquat concentration and that was higher in tolerant species than susceptible species. Photosynthetic activity(PSII activity) was affected by paraquat, so the susceptible species showed more reduced oxygen evolving capacity than tolerant species. Catalse, NADPH-cytochrome C reductase, and malate dehydrogenase, the enzymes tested in this study, showed that the activities decreased by paraquat treatment. Further studies are necessary to determine whether antioxidative system cause the tolerance to paraquat.