• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.21
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• pp.9049-9058
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• 2014

Casticin (3', 5-dihydroxy-3, 4', 6, 7-tetramethoxyflavone) is an active compound isolated from roots, stems, leaves, fruits and seeds of a variety of plants. It is well known for its pharmacological properties and has been utilized as an anti-hyperprolactinemia, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotetective, analgesic and immunomodulatory agent. Recently, the anticancer activity of casticin has been extensively investigated. The resulkts showed that it exerts protective potential by targeting apoptosis, considered important for cancer therapies. In this article, our aim was to review the pharmacological and therapeutic applications of casticin with specific emphasis on its anticancer functions and related molecular mechanisms. Chemotherapeutic effects are dependent on multiple molecular pathways, which may provide a new perspective of casticin as a candidate anti-neoplastic drug. This review suggests that additional studies and preclinical trials are required to determine specific intracellular sites of action and derivative targets in order to fully understand the mechanisms of its antitumor activity and validate this compound as a medicinal agent for the prevention and treatment of various cancers.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 2009

Various plant growth regulators were tested for shoot proliferation of Tripterospermum japonicum, a rare and endangered species. Among the six different media tested, MS medium was the best for the shoot growth. Whereas BA, upto 3 mg/L, significantly increased shoot proliferation rate, it suppressed the rate at higher levels. Neither kinetin nor TDZ was so effective in proliferating shoots as BA. As for rooting, TDZ strongly inhibited it even at very low concentration though spontaneous rooting was frequently observed from the proliferated shoots during culture of lower concentration BA or kinetin. In contrast, shoot elongation was significantly promoted by $GA_3$. More than 90% of the proliferated plantlets could be transplanted via cuttings into pots containing artificial soil mixture where they rooted and resumed normal growth. Most of the plants bloomed to bear fruits in the following year.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 2012

Among 38 Vietnamese medicinal plant extracts investigated for their ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activity, 35 extracts showed $IC_{50}$ values below $250{\mu}g/mL$. The MeOH extracts of the heartwood of Oroxylum indicum, the seeds of Caesalpinia sappan, and the fruits of Xanthium strumarium exhibited strong ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activity with $IC_{50}$ values less than $50{\mu}g/mL$. Fractionation of the MeOH extract of the heartwood of O. indicum led to the isolation of oroxylin A (1), oroxyloside (2), hispidulin (3), apigenin (4), ficusal (5), balanophonin (6), 2- (1-hydroxymethylethyl)-4H,9H-naphtho[2,3-b]furan-4,9-dione (7), salicylic acid (8), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (9), protocatechuic acid (10), isovanillin (11), and ${\beta}$-hydroxypropiovanillon (12). Compounds 1 - 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 12 showed more potent activities, with $IC_{50}$ values ranging from 2.13 to $133.51{\mu}M$, than a positive control acabose ($IC_{50}$, $241.85{\mu}M$). The kinetic study indicated that oroxyloside (2) displayed mixed-type inhibition with inhibition constant (Ki) was $3.56{\mu}M$.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.917-921
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• 2016

However, the incidence of gastric cancer (GC) has been decreased in past decades; GC is the second cause of cancer related death in the world. Evidence has illustrated that several factors including Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, host genetics, and environmental factors (smoking and particularly diet) may play a crucial role in gastric carcinogenesis. It has been demonstrated that high consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables, high level of selenium and zinc in drinking water, sufficient iron, and cholesterol protect against GC, while; smoked, pickled, and preserved foods in salt, and nitrites increase the risk of GC. Epidemiological studies have also proved that H. pylori infection and a high salt diet could independently induce atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia. Recently, studies have been demonstrated that dietary factors directly influence H. pylori virulence. The use of appropriate diet could reduce levels of H. pylori colonization or virulence and prevent or delay development of peptic ulcers or gastric carcinoma. This is attractive from a number of perspectives including those of cost, treatment tolerability, and cultural acceptability. This review will describe new insights into the pathogenesis of H. pylori in relation to environmental factors, especially dietary, not only to find the developed means for preventing and treating GC, but also for understanding the role of chronic inflammation in the development of other malignancies.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6527-6534
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• 2015

Background: In Japan, in comparison with the rest of the world the death rate of lung cancer is low although the smoking rate is relatively high. This is the so-called "Japanese smoking paradox". A healthy diet is proposed to attenuate the risk without quitting smoking. We here examined the relationships between smoking status (SS) and the consumption of food and nutrient in Japan. Materials and Methods: Totals of 5,587 men and 2,718 women were divided into three (non-smokers, smokers and heavy smokers) and two (non-smokers and smokers) groups, respectively, according to pack-year, which represents the amount of smoking over a long period. Food and nutrient consumption was estimated with a validated food frequency questionnaire. Using general linear models, food and nutrient consumption was estimated for each group in men and women, separately. Results: In men, SS was positively related to consumption of rice, 3 alcoholic beverages, carbohydrate, alcohol and other 8 foods/nutrients (p< 0.05 for all) and negatively to those of protein animal, fat, fatty acids, dietary fiber, isoflavones and 36 other foods/nutrients (p<0.05 for all). In women, SS was positively associated with intake of 13 foods/nutrients, while being negatively associated with those of rice, energy, dietary fiber, and 14 other foods/nutrients (p<0.05 for all). Conclusions: Our results support lower intake of vegetables and fruits rich in antioxidants, which are thought as preventive factors for many diseases, in smokers.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.291-299
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• 1993

Midgut tissues from 4 insect specIes were exammed for the activity of cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases, a major enzyme involved in chemical detoxification. When Helicoverpa assulta larvae were reared on an artificial d;et, the specific activity of the midgut cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases (MFO) was :3 times higher than that of the fat body, The specific activity of the midgut cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases was higher in H. assul/a larvae when reared on Nicotiana tabacum leaves than when on CapsIcum annuum fruits or an artificial diet. In the case of Hyphantria cunea larvae, Tilia megaphyllo leaves were the best in inducing midgut cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases activity. When larvae of H. assulta, Spodoptera exigua, H. cunea and Spodoptera litura were reared on their own artificial diet, the highest activity was seen in S. exigua larvae which is a polyphagous and insecticide-resistant strain.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.557-568
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• 2013

In this study, Calculated the nonpoint sources(NPS) load per unit area about various rainy events in vineyard of Nakdong River basin. NPS monitoring and calculation for NPS load per unit area were estimated from 'Investigation method of precipitation discharge(National Institute of Environmental Research, 2007)'. The evaluation of applicability for NPS load per unit by compared with prior research data and Total Maximum Daily Load(TMDL) data. Five target areas were each $2000m^2$, $1800m^2$, $1943m^2$, $2484m^2$, $864m^2$ and located in Gyeongsangbukdo Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbukdo Sangju, Gyeongsangnamdo Hapcheon in Korea. Since fruits were the only crop on the target area, the characteristics of stormwater discharge at survey sites could be evaluated independently. A total of 115 rainfall events in the Orchard area during five years(2008-2012) was surveyed, and 38 of them became stormwater discharge. In the Nakdong River watershed, average of event mean concentrations(EMCs) in Orchard area for biochemical oxyzen demand(BOD), Chemical oxyzen demand(COD), total nitrogen(T-N), total phosphorus(T-P) were 2.0mg/L, 10.1mg/L, 3.195mg/L, 0.578mg/L, respectively. NPS load per unit area in Orchard area showed BOD : $2.0kg/km^2{\cdot}day$, COD : $10.2kg/km^2{\cdot}day$, T-N : $3.220kg/km^2{\cdot}day$, T-P : $0.606kg/km^2{\cdot}day$.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.269-278
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• 2008

Ripe rot was frequently observed on fruits, leaves and stems of grape growing in eight locations in Korea from 2004 to 2006. All 30 isolates of Colletotrichum sp. were obtained from lesions of the ripe rot on grape plants. Out of the isolates, 19 isolates were identified as Colletotrichum acutatum and the others as Colletotrichum gloeosporioides based on morphological and cultural characteristics. Inter and intra specific variations of the Colletotrichum spp. isolates were investigated using RAPD and sequences of rDNA ITS and $\beta$-tubulin-2. Isolates of C. acutatum and C. gloeosporioides were distinctly differentiated by molecular analyses. Phylogenetic trees of ITS and$\beta$-tubulin-2 showed that Korean isolates of C. acutatum were clustered into groups A2 and A3 among the eight global groups. A2 included non-chromogenic isolates and A3 chromogenic ones. Both C. acutatum and C. gloeosporioides isolates were tested for pathogenicity to grape leaves. All isolates tested induced lesions on the leaves of grape by artificial inoculation. There was no difference in pathogenicity between C. acutatum and C. gloeosporioides isolates. This is the first report that C. acutatum except C. gloeosporioides causes grape ripe rot in Korea.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.531-543
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• 2002

To assess the dietary therapy compliance of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients living in Daegu, we evaluated diet adequacy levels by index of nutritional quality (INQ), nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR), mean adequacy ratio (MAR), and dietary variety score (DVS) with food exchange system and Korean recommended dietary allowances (KRDA). One day dietary intake was measured by 24 hour recall method for 229 subjects over 20 years of age. Average daily energy intake was 1444 kcal. The relative ratio of carbohydrate, protein and fat in terms of energy intake was 69.4：14.5：16.0. The nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) for Vitamin A, B$_2$, calcium were lower than 0.5 and MAR was 0.65. It appeared that the consumption of each food group as compared to prescribed food exchange unit was insufficient, in the order of dairy group (10.2 $\pm$ 25.2%), fruits group (58.2 $\pm$ 71.2%) and oils & fats group (42.9 $\pm$ 42.0%). The dietary variety score (DVS) was evaluated as an useful tool for diabetes' meal management when we accept minimum intake as 0.3 of food exchange unit. We found significant correlation between food groups and anthropometric indices: cereals group and % total body fat (r = 0.251, p < 0.01), meat group and waist circumference (r = 0.241, p < 0.01), vegetables group and WHR(r = 0.139, p < 0.05), and oils poop and WHR(r = 0.165, p < 0.05). from these results, we concluded that overall status of dietary intake of NIDDM patients in Daegu area was insufficient not only in quality but also in quantity. It is suggested that nutrition education for NIDDM patients should stress on balanced food consumption to meet proscribed amount by six food group to improve the inadequacy of dietary status.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.53-60
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• 1990

A study was carried out to investigate the dietary environment food intake and blood picture of rural housewives. Sixty percent of female farmer's was in weak health state. Mean farmer's syndrome score was 4, 7 which meaning that they must give attention to their health. The intake of animal food group was poor Most of nutrients taken by them were almost lower than those of Korean Recommended Dietary Allowances except vitamin C. According to the blood tests the blood levels of lipids calcium magnesium iron hemoglobin and hematocrit were in lower states. All of the farmers were lower serum level of ferritin whereas but glucose protein and albumin levels were normal. Serum magnesium was correlated with cereal intake The intake of cereal fat and oils and vegetables was correlated with physical perfect index. Hemoglobin and hematocrit level were negatively correlated with physical perfect index. Hemoglobin and hematocrit level were negatively correlated with the food group of fruits and fishes.