Among the environmental chemicals that may be able to disrupt the endocrine systems of animals and humans are polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a chemical class of considerable concern. PCB consists of two six-carbon rings linked by a single carbon bond, and theoretically, 209 congeners can form, depending on the number of chlorines and their location on the biphenyl rings. Furthermore, 3,3’,4,4’,5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB126) exposure also increases nitric oxide production and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells binding activity in chondrocytes, thus contributing as an initiator of chondrocyte apoptosis and resulting in thymic atrophy and immunosuppression. This study identified whether cardiac and immune abnormalities from PCB126 were caused by the Kv1.3 and Kv1.5 channels. PCB126 did not affect either the steady-state current or peak current of the Kv1.3 and Kv1.5 channels. However, PCB126 right-shifted the steady-state activation curves of human Kv1.3 channels. These results suggest that PCBs can affect the heart in a way that does not block voltage-dependent potassium channels including Kv1.3 and Kv1.5 directly.

Melatonin is a neurotransmitter that modulates various physiological phenomena including regulation and maintenance of the circadian rhythm. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) play an important role in oral functions including orofacial muscle contraction, salivary secretion, and tooth development. However, knowledge regarding physiological crosstalk between melatonin and nAChRs is limited. In the present study, the melatoninmediated modulation of nAChR functions using bovine adrenal chromaffin cells, a representative model for the study of nAChRs, was investigated. Melatonin inhibited the nicotinic agonist dimethylphenylpiperazinium (DMPP) iodide-induced cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) increase and norepinephrine secretion in a concentrationdependent manner. The inhibitory effect of melatonin on the DMPP-induced [Ca2+]i increase was observed when the melatonin treatment was performed simultaneously with DMPP. The results indicate that melatonin inhibits nAChR functions in both peripheral and central nervous systems.

K+ channels are key components of the primary and secondary basolateral Cl- pump systems, which are important for secretion from the salivary glands. Paroxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) for psychiatric disorders that can induce QT prolongation, which may lead to torsades de pointes. We studied the effects of paroxetine on a human K+ channel, human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG), expressed in Xenopus oocytes and on action potential in guinea pig ventricular myocytes. The hERG encodes the pore-forming subunits of the rapidly-activating delayed rectifier K+ channel (IKr) in the heart. Mutations in hERG reduce IKr and cause type 2 long QT syndrome (LQT2), a disorder that predisposes individuals to lifethreatening arrhythmias. Paroxetine induced concentrationdependent decreases in the current amplitude at the end of the voltage steps and hERG tail currents. The inhibition was concentration-dependent and time-dependent, but voltageindependent during each voltage pulse. In guinea pig ventricular myocytes held at 36℃, treatment with 0.4 μM paroxetine for 5 min decreased the action potential duration at 90% of repolarization (APD90) by 4.3%. Our results suggest that paroxetine is a blocker of the hERG channels, providing a molecular mechanism for the arrhythmogenic side effects of clinical administration of paroxetine.

Cytosolic Ca2+ is an important regulator of tumor cell proliferation and metastasis. Recently, the strategy of blocking receptors and channels specific to certain cancer cell types has emerged as a potentially viable future treatment. Oral squamous cell carcinoma is an aggressive form of cancer with a high metastasis rate but the receptor-mechanisms involved in Ca2+ signaling in these tumors have not yet been elucidated. In our present study, we report that bradykinin induces Ca2+ signaling and its modulation in the human oral squamous carcinoma cell line, HSC-3. Bradykinin was found to increase the cytosolic Ca2+ levels in a concentration-dependent manner. This increase was inhibited by pretreatment with the phospholipase C-β inhibitor, U73122, and also by 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate, an inhibitor of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor. Pretreatment with extracellular ATP also inhibited the peak bradykinin-induced Ca2+ rise. In contrast, the ATP-induced rise in cytosolic Ca2+ was not affected by pretreatment with bradykinin. Pretreatment of the cells with either forskolin or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (activators of adenylyl cyclase and protein kinase C, respectively) prior to bradykinin application accelerated the recovery of cytosolic Ca2+ to baseline levels. These data suggest that bradykinin receptors are functional in Ca2+ signaling in HSC-3 cells and may therefore represent a future target in treatment strategies for human oral squamous cell carcinoma.

This study aims to establish baseline data for sustainable monitoring by applying the green city index (GCI), which is set up to evaluate the city level, to the city of Gangneung-si, which was designated as a pilot city for the Low-carbon Green Growth City project by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transportation. The GCI was applied in the framework of European systems, while considering the social and economic status of Korea. Indicators from 7 areas—CO2, energy, building, transportation, water, waste, and quality of atmosphere were analyzed, except for qualitative indicators. Results indicate that total CO2 emissions were 30.8 tons per capita, or 2.2 tons per one million units of real GDP. The total final energy consumption was 0.231 TOE/capita, or 0.317 TOE per one million units of real GDP. The percentage of total energy derived from renewable resources was 0.41% and energy consumption by the building was 433.5 Mwh/1,000 ㎡. The total percentage of the working population travelling to work daily by public transportation (limited to bus) was 19%. Further, the total annual water consumption was 99 ㎥/capita, and the water lost in the water distribution system was 0.057 ㎥/capita/day. The total annual waste collected was 0.0077 ton per capita, The annual mean emission were 0.014 ppm/day for NO2, 0.005 ppm/day for SO2, and 0.019 ppm/day for O3. The annual mean for PM10 emissions was 39 ㎍/㎥/day.

Soybean(Glycine max(L.) Merill) is a good source of vegetable oil and high-quality protein. Soy foods have became popular food worldly because of its ingredients. Recently, as the well-being trends, the demand for soybean has increased in the West as well as in Asian countries. It contains valuable source of dietary isoflavones and phenolic compounds which are important secondary metabolites. The 33 germplasm cultivated in Yeoju, Gyeonggi-do region. The obtained results showed that isoflavones and phenolic compounds were significantly various. The highest compounds is malonyl genistin (230.89㎍𝑔-1), the lowest is genistin(0.70㎍𝑔-1) and the highest germplasm is Dunggeunseolitaekong (2222.60㎍𝑔-1) in isoflavone. In phenolic compounds, the highest compounds is myricetin (155.59㎍𝑔-1) and the lowest is vanillin (1.89㎍𝑔-1). Total containment of phenolic compounds is the highest in Dunggeunseolitaekong (803.76㎍𝑔-1) germplasm.