박은경 교수

BACKGROUND: Ginseng (the root of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, Araliaceae) has been reported to possess various biological activities, including anti-inflammatory and antitumor actions. In this study, we investigated the antiallergic activity of ginsenosides isolated from ginseng. METHOD: We isolated ginsenosides by silica gel column chromatography and examined their in vitro and in vivo antiallergic effect on rat peritoneal mast cells and on IgE-induced passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) in mice.

BACKGROUND: Weight perception has been studied with a limited focus on "feeling overweight." This study, using a more inclusive definition of overestimation and underestimation, examines adolescents' weight perception focusing on how accurate it is in relation to body mass index (BMI)-based weight status and how it varies across socio-demographic factors. METHODS: Data are from the 2007 Minnesota Student Survey, a paper-and-pencil survey completed in the classroom by students in public schools.

Diallyl disulfide (DADS) induced apoptosis through the caspase-3 dependent pathway in leukemia cells was earlier reported from this laboratory. In this study, we investigated the involvement of Ca(2+) in DADS-induced apoptotic cell death of HCT-15, human colon cancer cell line. DADS induced the elevation of cytosolic Ca(2+) by biphasic pattern; rapid Ca(2+) peak at 3 min and following slow and sustained elevation till 3 h after the addition of DADS. Production of H(2)O(2) was also observed with

To understand the relationship between the metabolites and estrogenic activity of the main isoflavones puerarin and daidzin of the rhizome of Pueraria thunbergiana (PT, family Leguminosae), PT and its isoflavones were transformed by human intestinal bacteria and their estrogenic effects were investigated. All human fecal specimens hydrolyzed puerarin and daidzin to daidzein, but their hydrolyzing activities varied depending on the individuals. All intestinal bacteria isolated from human also hyd

The key factors for high-density Haematococcus pluvialis cultures and conditions for astaxanthin induction were examined to maximize astaxanthin production. Light intensity was found to be the most important factor, and thus experiments were carried out using different light sources and intensities. A high cell density of over 2.7 g/l was obtained at 75 μE/m 2 /s. whereas a much lower cell concentration (<1.0 g/ 1) was obtained with lower light intensities (15 -30 μE/m 2 /s). A high light intens

Though melatonin is known to improve ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced oxidative damage and inflammatory conditions via the blockade of the nuclear factor (NF)-&kappa;B, interleukin (IL)-6, there is no report on the anti-wrinkle effect of melatonin to date. Hence in the present study, the anti-wrinkle mechanism of melatonin was elucidated in UVB treated HaCaT keratinocytes and hairless mice. Herein melatonin protected against a radical initiator tert-Butyl hydroperoxide (t-BOOH) induced reactive oxyge

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by selective degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Parkin (which encoded by Park2), an E3 ubiquitin ligase, is the most frequently mutated gene that has casually been linked to autosomal recessive early onset familial PD. We tested the effect of Park2 on ethanol-induced dopaminergic neurodegeneration in Park2 knockout (KO) transgenic mice after chronic ethanol feeding. Male Park2 wild type (WT) and KO m

Some risk perception studies suggest that personal and societal level risk judgements are distinct and largely separate, and people do not necessarily draw personal implications from their general views about society. This study explores the role of community involvement in people's risk judgements at personal and societal levels. Using risk judgements about four health issueswater contaminants, radon, AIDS and heart diseasewe examined if community involvement decreases the discrepancy between p

(123)I-labeled 2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl)-N-(3-fluoropropyl)nortropane ((123)I-FP-CIT) was approved for clinical use in 2011 by the Food and Drug Administration. (123)I-FP-CIT is a radioligand for brain dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging that is useful for the differential diagnosis of Parkinson disease (PD) and other diseases that mimic PD. The sensitivity and specificity of (123)I-FP-CIT SPECT for PD diagnosis are more than 90% and equivalent to those of other DAT SPECT methods. In the