Comparison of Various Kinds of Vegetative Indices for Chlorophyll Contents Using Low-Resolution Camera

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - Nitrogen management is crucial for high yield potential of crops as well as reducing environmental pollution. However, the heterogeneity of nitrogen...     

Chungtaejeon,a Korean Fermented Tea,Scavenges Oxidation and Inhibits Cytokine Induced Proliferation and Migration of Human Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells

Oxidation susceptibility of serum lipid and the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from tunica media to the sub endothelial region are the key steps in the progression of atherosclerosis. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of Chungtaejeon (CTJ) on oxidation and cytokine induced proliferation and migration of human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMC). The antioxidative effects of CTJ were evaluated by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assay, nitric oxide (NO) scavenging assay and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) assay. Similarly, the proliferation, migration and expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in HASMC were assessed by MTT assay, transwell Boyden chamber assay and gelatin zymography, respectively. Western blotting was done to determine the protein expression of MMP-9, phospho extracellular regulated kinase (pERK1/2) and phospho c-Jun N-terminal kinase (pJNK). In results, the IC₅₀ values for DPPH and NO scavenging activities were 8.91 μg/ml and 14.32 μg/ml, respectively. Furthermore, CTJ inhibited TBARS formation dose dependently. The pretreatment of CTJ dose dependently inhibited the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) induced proliferation and MMP-9 expression and platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) induced migration of HASMC. Thus, CTJ can be suggested to have beneficial effect in the prevention of atherosclerosis.     

Bee venom reduces burn-induced pain via the suppression of peripheral and central substance P expression in mice

BackgroundScalding burn injuries can occur in everyday life but occur more frequently in young children. Therefore, it is important to develop more effective burn treatments.ObjectivesThis study examined the effects of bee venom (BV) stimulation on scalding burn injury-induced nociception in mice as a new treatment for burn pain.MethodsTo develop a burn injury model, the right hind paw was immersed temporarily in hot water (65°C, 3 seconds). Immediately after the burn, BV (0.01, 0.02, or 0.1 mg/kg) was injected subcutaneously into the ipsilateral knee area once daily for 14 days. A von Frey test was performed to assess the nociceptive response, and the altered walking parameters were evaluated using an automated gait analysis system. In addition, the peripheral and central expression changes in substance P (Sub P) were measured in the dorsal root ganglion and spinal cord by immunofluorescence.ResultsRepeated BV treatment at the 2 higher doses used in this study (0.02 and 0.1 mg/kg) alleviated the pain responses remarkably and recovered the gait performances to the level of acetaminophen (200 mg/kg, intraperitoneal, once daily), which used as the positive control group. Moreover, BV stimulation had an inhibitory effect on the increased expression of Sub P in the peripheral and central nervous systems by a burn injury.ConclusionsThese results suggest that a peripheral BV treatment may have positive potency in treating burn-induced pain.