• Journal of KIISE:Software and Applications
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• v.30 no.5_6
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• pp.444-453
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• 2003

Recently, a great interest of bio-technology(BT) is concentrated and the image analysis technique for electrophoresis gels is highly requested to analyze genetic information or to look for some new bio-activation materials. For this purpose, the location and quantity of each band in a lane should be measured. In most of existing techniques, the approach of peak searching in a profile of a lane is used. But this peak is improper as the representative of a band, because its location does not correspond to that of the brightest pixel or the center of gravity. Also, it is improper to measure band quantity in most of these approaches because various enhancement processes are commonly applied to original images to extract peaks easily. In this paper, we adopt an approach to measure accumulated brightness as a band quantity in each band region, which Is extracted by not using any process of changing relative brightness, and the gravity center of the region is calculated as a band location. Actually, we first extract lanes with an entropy-based threshold calculated on a gel-image histogram. And then, three other methods are proposed and applied to extract bands. In the MER method, peaks and valleys are searched on a vertical search line by which each lane is bisected. And the minimum enclosing rectangle of each band is set between successive two valleys. On the other hand, in the RG-1 method, each band is extracted by using region growing with a peak as a seed, separating overlapped neighbor bands. In the RG-2 method, peaks and valleys are searched on two vertical lines by which each lane is trisected, and the left and right peaks nay be paired up if they seem to belong to the same band, and then each band region is grown up with a peak or both peaks if exist. To compare above three methods, we have measured the location and amount of bands. As a result, the average errors in band location of MER, RG-1, and RG-2 were 6%, 3%, and 1%, respectively, when the lane length is normalized to a unit value. And the average errors in band amount were 8%, 5%, and 2%, respectively, when the sum of band amount is normalized to a unit value. In conclusion, RG-2 was shown to be more reliable in the accuracy of measuring the location and amount of bands.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.246-259
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• 2000

Background: As one of the etiologies of acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS), sepsis is one of the morbid causes of this cryptogenic malady. Even though many documents on the role of endotoxin(ETX) in the pathogenesis of ARDS have been issued, still the underlying mechanism associated with oxidative stress and activation of $PLA_2$ has been controversial. In the present study, the role of phospholipase $A_2(PLA_2)$ in the neutrophilic respiratory burst, which is presumed to cause acute lung injury during sepsis, was probed. Method: In glutathione-depleted Sprague-Dawley rats, lung leak, infiltration of neutrophils, $PLA_2$ activity and lipid peroxidation in the lung were measured after intratracheal instillation of endotoxin(delete). In addition, gamma glutamyl transferase(GGT) activity and the amount of pulmonary surfactant were measured. Morphologically, the changes in ultrastructure and cytochemical demonstration of oxidants were presented to confirm the neutrophilic oxidative stress and to elucidate the effects of $PLA_2$ activation on(delete) oxidative stress. Results: Instillation of ETX to glutathione-depleted rats intensified lung leak and lipid peroxidation when compared with non-glutathione depleted rats treated with the endotoxin. Moreover, oxidative stress was confirmed by the assay of GGT and malondialdehyde. Functionally, the depletion of glutathione altered the secretion of pulmonary surfactant from alveolar type II cells. Ultrastructurally and cytochemicaliy, oxidative stress was also confirmed after treatment of with ETX and diethylmaleate(DEM). Conclusion: The endotoxin-induced acute lung injury was mediated by oxidative stress, which in turn was provoked by the neutrophilic respiratory burst. The activation of $PLA_2$ in the lung seems to playa pivotal role in the oxidative stress of the lung.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.17-28
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• 2018

In this study, catalytic activation using sulfuric acid lignin (SAL), the condensed solid by-product from saccharification process, with potassium hydroxide at $750^{\circ}C$ for 1 h in order to investigate its potential to nanoporous carbon In this study, catalytic activation using sulfuric acid lignin (SAL), the condensed solid by-product from saccharification process, with potassium hydroxide at $750^{\circ}C$ for 1 h in order to investigate its potential to nanoporous carbon material. Comparison study was also conducted by production of activated carbon from coconut shell (CCNS), Pinus, and Avicel, and each activated carbon was characterized by chemical composition, Raman spectroscopy, SEM analysis, and BET analysis. The amount of solid residue after thermogravimetric analysis of biomass samples at the final temperature of $750^{\circ}C$ was SAL > CCNS > Pinus > Avicel, which was the same as the order of activated carbon yields after catalytic activation. Specifically, SAL-derived activated carbon showed the highest value of carbon content (91.0%) and $I_d/I_g$ peak ratio (4.2), indicating that amorphous large aromatic structure layer was formed with high carbon fixation. In addition, the largest changes was observed in SAL with the maximum BET specific surface area and pore volume of $2341m^2/g$ and $1.270cm^3/g$, respectively. Furthermore, the adsorption test for three kinds of organic pollutants (phenol, 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and carbofuran) were conducted, and an excellent adsorption capacity more than 90 mg/g for all activated carbon was determined using 100 ppm of the standard solution. Therefore, SAL, a condensed structure, can be used not only as a nanoporous carbon material with high specific surface area but also as a biosorbent applied to a carbon filter for remediation of organic pollutants in future.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.102-112
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• 2011

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of chronic exposure by welders to manganese (Mn) through an analysis of the degree of brain activity in different activities such as cognition and motor activities using the neuroimaging technique of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The neurotoxic effect that Mn has on the brain was examined as well as changes in the neuro-network in motor areas, and the usefulness of fMRI was evaluated as a tool to determine changes in brain function from occupational exposure to Mn. Methods: A survey was carried out from July 2010 to October 2010 targeting by means of a questionnaire 160 workers from the shipbuilding and other manufacturing industries. Among them, 14 welders with more than ten years of job-related exposure to Mn were recruited on a voluntary basis as an exposure group, and 13 workers from other manufacturing industries with corresponding gender and age were recruited as a control group. A questionnaire survey, a blood test, and an fMRI test were carried out with the study group as target. Results: Of 27 fMRI targets, blood Mn concentration of the exposure group was significantly higher than that of the control group (p<0.001), and Pallidal Index (PI) of the welder group was also significantly higher than that of the control group (p<0.001). As a result of the survey, the score of the exposure group in self-awareness of abnormal nerve symptoms and abnormal musculoskeletal symptoms was higher than those of the control group, and there was a significant difference between the two groups (p<0.05, respectively). In the correlation between PI and the results of blood tests, the correlation coefficient with blood Mn concentration was 0.893, revealing a significant amount of correlation (p<0.001). As for brain activity area within the control group, the right and the left areas of the superior frontal cortex showed significant activity, and the right area of superior parietal cortex, the left area of occipital cortex and cerebellum showed significant activity. Unlike the control group, the exposure group showed significant activity selectively on the right area of premotor cortex, at the center of supplementary motor area, and on the left side of superior temporal cortex. In the comparison of brain activity areas between the two groups, the exposure group showed a significantly higher activation state than did the control group in such areas as the right and the left superior parietal cortex, superior temporal cortex, and cerebellum including superior frontal cortex and the right area of premotor cortex. However, in nowhere did the control group show a more activated area than did the exposure group. Conclusions: Chronic exposure to Mn increased brain activity during implementation of hand motor tasks. In an identical task, activation increased in the premotor cortex, superior temporal cortex, and supplementary motor area. It was also discovered that brain activity increase in the frontal area and occipital area was more pronounced in the exposure group than in the control group. This result suggests that chronic exposure to Mn in the work environment affects brain activation neuro-networks.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.979-995
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• 1999

This study was investigated to observe the effect of Treponema denticola cell sonicates(TDC) and Treponema lecithinolyticum cell sonicates(TLC) on cytokine secretion and matix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2) activation of cultured human gingival fibroblast. Several experiments were performed including $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 ELISA for the effect on the $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 secretion of human gingival fibroblast. Also gelatinase zymography and gelatin dissolubility test for the activation of MMP-2 secreted by gingival fibroblast. The results were as follows. 1. The effect of TDC and TLC on IL-6 secretion of human gingival fibroblast showed statistically significant increase of IL-6 secretion in the TDC and TLC treated group compared to no treatment group(p<0.05) . 2. The amount of $IL-1{\beta}$ secretion was below the lower limit and there was no difference in the $IL-1{\beta}$ secretion of gingival fibroblast between TDC, TLC treated group and no treatment group. 3. The active form of pro MMP-2 with 72 kDa molecular weight was activated in both TDC and TLC treated group and clear band was appeared at 62kDa site on the zymography. 4. Gelatin dissolubility of MMP-2 secreted by gingival fibroblast was higher in TDC and TLC treated group compared to no treatment group(p<0.05). 5. In the TDC treated group, serine protease of T. denticola affect gelatin dissolubility. But in the TLC treated group gelatin was degraded by only MMP secreted by gingival fibroblast. Regarding to the above results, TDC and TLC have an effect on the IL-6 secretion increase of human gingival fibroblast and appears to activate pro MMP-2 which degrades collagen.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.71-77
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• 1984

A study on the stability of chlorophyll a in Undaria pinnatifida during blanching, salting and storage was carried out. Raw Undaria pinnatifida was blanched for 25 seconds in the temperature range of 70 to $100^{\circ}C$. To stabilize the chlorophyll a some chemicals such as 1% solutions of $Ca(CH_3CO_2)_2,{\;}Ca(OH)_2,{\;}MgCO_3,{\;}0.5%{\;}Ca(CH_3CO_2)_2$ with $0.5%{\;}MgCO_3$, and reed ash solution were used during/after blanching. The blanched product was salted with table salt after centrifuging for 2 minutes at 1500 rpm, and then again centrifuged after 48 hours for dewatering. The product which was mixed with 8% of table salt was sealed in a polyethylene film bag and stored at 10, 20, 30 and $40^{\circ}C$. The most effective blanching temperature for maximal residual amount of chlorophyll a was $85^{\circ}C$. The quantities of total organic and volatile acids were not significantly changed by the blanching temperature. Blanching in 1% chemical solutions showed bitter results than soaking in 1% chemical solutions for 20 minutes after blanching without chemicals. Reed ash and 0.5% $Ca(CH_3CO_2)_2$ with 0.5% $MgCO_3$ solutions were more effective than the 1% solutions of other chemicals, but the effect was not significant, compared with the group not treated with chemicals. The most reasonable ratio of added salt to dewater the product for 48 hours was 30% in w/w. The amount of total organic and volatile acids revealed no correlation with the amount of added salt. Color and odor of salted product was not severely changed during the storage of 77 days at $10^{\circ}C$. But the changes were accelerated with increasing storage temperatures. The degradation of chlorophyll a in salted product during storage could be interpreted as a first order reaction, and the rate constants at 10, 20, 30 and $40^{\circ}C$ were 0.1289, 0.1028, 0.0770 and 0.0550, respectively. $Q_{10}$ and the activation energy were 1.33 and 5.01 Kcal/g mole.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.450-461
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• 2001

Background : The underlying pathogenesis of radiation-induced lung fibrosis (RTLF) has not been very well defined. However, the role of TGF-$\beta$ in the generation of RTLF has been a major focus because there is an increase in the expression of both the TGF-${\beta}m$-RNA and its protein preceding RTLF lesions. The down stream signal after a TGF-$\beta$ stimulated lung fibrosis includes the activation of many mediators such as Smad and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) through TAK1. It is we hypothesized that JNK activation may play a pivotal role in RTLF pathogenesis through increased transcription of the fibrogenic cytokines. The present study evaluates JNK activity in alveolar macrophages after irradiation and the relationship between JNK activity and the amount of collagen in the lung tissues. Methods : C57BL/6 mice(20-25 gr, males) received chlorotetracycline(2g/L) in their drinking water 1 week prior to irradiation and continuously there after. The mice were irradiated once with 1400 cGy of $60CO{\gamma}$-ray over the whole chest. The cellular composition of the whole lung bronchoalveoalr lavage fluids(BALF), elastin expression in the lung tissues, the level of hydroxyproline in lung tissues, and an in vitro JNK assay was measured before irradiation and one, four, and eight weeks after irradiation (RT). Results : The volumes of BALF retrieved from instilled 4 mL of saline with 2% heparin were 3.7-3.8 mL for each group. The cell numbers were similar before($4.1{\times}10^4{\pm}0.5{\times}10^4/mL$) and 1 week($3.1{\times}10^4{\pm}0.5{\times}10^4/mL$) after RT. At four and eight weeks after RT, the cell number reached to $14.0{\times}10^4{\pm}1.5{\times}10^4mL$ and $10.0{\times}10^4{\pm}1.3{\times}10^4/mL$, respectively. There we no changes in the lymphocytes and neutrophils population observed in the BALF after RT. The H-E stain of the lung tissues did not show any structural and fibrotic change in the lung tissues at 4 and 8 weeks after RT. In addition, the amount of elastin and collagen were not different on Verhoeff staining of the lung tissues before RT to eight weeks after RT. The hydroxyproine content was measured with the left lung dissected from the left main bronchus. The lung were homogenized and hydrolyzed with 6 N Hel for 12 hours at $110^{\circ}C$ then measured as previously described. The content of hydroxyproline, standardized with a lung protein concentration, reached a peak 4 weeks after RT, and thereafter showed a plateau. AnIn vitro JNK assay using c-$Jun_{1-79}$-GST sepharose beads were performed with the alveolar macrophages obtained from the BAL. JNK activity was not detected prior to RT, However, the JNK activity increased from one week after RT and reached a peak four weeks after RT. Conclusion : JNK may be involved in the pathogenesis because the JNK activity showed similar pattern observed with the hydroxyproine content. However, it is necessary to clarify that the JNK increases the transcription of fibrogenic cyiokines through the transcription factor.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.33 no.3 s.98
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• pp.199-210
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• 2003

Tooth movement is the result of bone metabolism in the periodontium, where various cytokines take important roles. Interleukin-6(II-6) and nitrous oxide (NO) were reported to be secreted from osteoblasts in the process of bone resorption. The mechanism of the process has not been clearly understood, but the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) was known to be an important process in the release of the inflammatory cytotines in macrophages. In this regard, to prove the role of MAPK in the release of IL-6 and NO in MC3T3E-1 osteoblasts, Northern blot analysis, Western blot analysis and immune complex kinase assay were used. As a result, the treatment of MC3T3E-1 osteoblast cultures with combined $interferon-\gamma(IFN-\gamma)$, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and tumor necrosis $factor-\alpha(TNF-\alpha)$ induces expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and IL-6, resulting in sustained releases of large amounts of NO and IL-6. However, $IFN-\gamma,\;LPS,\;and\;TNF-\alpha$ individually induce a non-detectable or small amount of NO and IL-6 in MC3T3E-1 osteoblasts. The role of MAPK activation in the early intracellular signal transduction involved in iNOS and IL-6 transcription in the combined agents-stimulated osteoblasts has been investigated. The p38 MAPK pathway is specifically involved in the combined agents-induced NO and IL-6 release, since NO and IL-6 release in the presence of a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK, 4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-metylsulfinylphenyl)-5-(4-metylsulfinylphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)imidazole) (SB203580), were significantly diminished. In contrast, PD98059, a specific inhibitor of MEK1, had no effect on NO and IL-6 release. Northern blot analysis showed that the p3a MAPK pathway controlled the iNOS and IL-6 transcription level. These data suggest that p38 MAPK play an important role in the secretion of NO and IL-6 in $LPS/IFN{\gamma}-or\;TNF-\gamma-treated\;MC3T3E-1$ osteoblasts.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.120-129
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• 2005

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been recognized as major contributor to air pollution. The catalytic oxidationis is one of the most important processes for VOCs destruction due to the possibility getting high efficiency at low temperature. In this study, monometallic Pt, Ir and bimetallic Pt-Ir were supported to $TiO_2$. In order to distribute metals uniformly, $H_2O-H_2$ treatment method was used. Xylene, toluene and MEK were used as reactants. The monometallic or bimetallic catalysts were prepared by the excess wetness impregnation method and characterized by XRD, XPS, and TEM analysis. Pt catalyst showed higher conversion than Ir catalyst and Pt-Ir bimetallic catalyst showed the highest conversion. The catalysts prepared by $H_2O-H_2$ treatment had better VOC's conversion than that of nothing treatment. In the VOCs oxidation, Pt-Ir bimetallic catalysts had multipoint active sites, so it improved the range of Pt metal state. Therefore, bimetallic catalysts showed higher conversion of VOCs than monometallic ones. $H_2O-H_2$ treatment effected an uniform distribution of Pt particles. In VOCs oxidation was found to follow first order reaetion kinetics. The activation energy of $H_2O-H_2$ treatment catalysts was lower than that of untreated ones. In this study, the a small amount of Ir was used with Pt to promote the oxidation conversion of VOCs.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.147-160
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• 2008

The present study was designed to examine effects of polyphenolic compounds isolated from red wine (PCRW) on the release of catecholamines (CA) from the isolated perfused model of the rat adrenal medulla, and to clarify its mechanism of action. PCRW (20${\sim}$180 ${\mu}$g/mL), given into an adrenal vein for 90 min, caused inhibition of the CA secretory responses evoked by ACh (5.32 mM), high $K^+$ (a direct membrane-depolarizer, 56 mM), DMPP (a selective neuronal nicotinic $N_N$ receptor agonist, 100 ${\mu}$M) and McN-A-343 (a selective muscarinic $M_1$ receptor agonist, 100 ${\mu}$M) in dose- and time-dependent fashion. PCRW itself did not affect basal CA secretion (data not shown). Following the perfusion of PCRW (60 ${\mu}$g/mL), the secretory responses of CA evoked by Bay-K-8644 (a L-type dihydropyridine $Ca^{2+}$ channel activator, 10 ${\mu}$M), cyclopiazonic acid (a cytoplasmic $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase inhibitor, 10 ${\mu}$M) and veratridine (an activator of voltage-dependent $Na^+$ channels, 10 ${\mu}$M) were also markedly blocked, respectively. Interestingly, in the simultaneous presence of PCRW (60 ${\mu}$g/mL) and L-NAME (a selective inhibitor of NO synthase, 30 ${\mu}$M), the inhibitory responses of PCRW on the CA secretion evoked by ACh, high $K^+$, DMPP, McN-A-343, Bay-K-8644 and cyclpiazonic acid were recovered to considerable level of the corresponding control release compared with those effects of PCRW-treatment alone. Practically, the amount of NO released from adrenal medulla after loading of PCRW (180 ${\mu}$g/mL) was significantly increased in comparison to the corresponding basal released level. Collectively, these results obtained here demonstrate that PCRW inhibits the CA secretory responses evoked by stimulation of cholinergic (both muscarinic and nicotinic) receptors as well as by direct membrane-depolarization from the isolated perfused adrenal gland of the normotensive rats. It seems that this inhibitory effect of PCRW is mediated by blocking the influx of both ions through $Na^+$ and $Ca^+{2$} channels into the rat adrenomedullary chromaffin cells as well as by inhibiting the release of $Ca^{2+}$ from the cytoplasmic calcium store, which are due at least partly to the increased NO production through the activation of nitric oxide synthase. Based on these data, it is also thought that PCRW may be beneficial to prevent or alleviate the cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension and angina pectoris.