• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.305-313
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• 2007

Purpose: Wound healing is a result of complex processes whose components, such as cells, extracellular matrix, proteolytic enzymes, and their inhibitors receive effects from immune compartments, cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. Impairment of normal physiologic response to wounding makes nonhealing chronic wounds. Wound infection and exacerbated proteolytic process may induce uncontrolled tissue degradation or exudates formation, which may result in the development of a nonhealing chronic wound. Thus proper management of wound infection and exudates is critical to prevent and treat nonhealing wound. The aim of this study is to evaluate effects of Aquacel AG, silver-containing carboxymethylcellulose dressing on treatment for exudative infected wound. Methods: The study included 31 patients with nonhealing wound. Wound was dressed with Aquacel AG. The effect of dressing was investigated by serial bacterial culture and wound exudates assessment. Each infection and exudates control time was determined and statistically analyzed. Results: Wound infection and exudates were effectively managed using Aquacel AG dressing. Mean infection and exudates control time were $3.4{\pm}1.2$ and $5.7{\pm}1.4$ weeks, respectively. Statistical analysis of the data indicated that infection control time correlated positively to age and exudates control time (p<0.05). Conclusion: There is as yet no ideal dressing for the topical treatment of chronic nonhealing wound. But silver-containing carboxymethylcellulose dressing can be used effectively for exudative, infected nonhealing wound.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.307-313
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• 2000

Aromatic hydrocarbons are known to be recalcitrant, so that they have been concerned as pollutant chemicals. Microorganisms play a major role in the breakdown and mineralization of these compounds. However, the kinetics of the biodegradation process may be much slower than desired from environmental consideration. The biodegradation of aromatic hydrocarbons is conducted by oxidation to produce catechol as a common intermediate which is metabolized for carbon and energy sources. In this study, a bacterial isolate capable of degrading several aromatic hydrocarbons was isolated from the contaminated wastewater of Yeocheon industrial complex. On the basis of biochemical characteristics and major cellular fatty acids, the isolate was identified as Pseudomonas putida Z104. The strain Z104 can utilize benzoate and catechol as the sole carbon and energy sources via a serial degradative pathway. The strain degraded actively 0.5 mM catechol in MM2 medium at pH 7.0 and 3$0^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.388-395
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• 2010

In order to decrease level of an organophosphorus fungicide, tolclofos-methyl, from in situ ginseng cultivating soil, we isolated a tolclofos-methyl degrading bacteria from ginseng cultivating soil samples. The bacterial strain removed tolclofos-methyl around 95% after 3 days incubation with complete liquid media. The strain was identified as Sphingomonas sp. by 16S rDNA sequence comparison, and designated as Sphingomonas sp. 224. Through the GC-MS analysis, Sphingomonas sp. 224 was proposed to have an initiative degradation pathway generating the metabolite such as 2,6-dichloro-4-methyl phenol compound from tolclofos-methyl. In addition, Sphingomonas sp. 224 was confirmed representing the effective degrading capability to tolclofosmethyl in situ soil.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.477-482
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• 1992

A bacterial strain Acinetobacter calcoaceticus was examined for its ability to degrade fats, oils and hydrocarbons, and tested for the possibility of application in wastewater treatment. All fats and oils tested were degraded by the strain. About 60% of hexadecane, 26% of fish oiL and 40-54% of vegetable oils were consumed respectively in shaking-flask culture. Saturated fatty acid compositions were about 55% in fish oil and 6-12% in vegetable oils. Increases in cell mass were accompanied with decreases in the concentrations of carbon sources. When jar fermentor in place of shaking-flask was used as a culturing vessel. above 80% of all carbon sources was consumed and yield of cell mass was improved to nearly 1.00. Synthetic wastewaters containing 3% of fat, oil, or hydrocarbon as a sale ca,bon source were treated sequentially with A. calcoaceticus first and then exposed to activated sludge. The concentrations of carbon sources were decreased below 0.06% through the process, and the concentrations of suspended solids were lower than 53 mglml. The data imply the potential use of A. calcoaceticus in wastewater treatment.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.28-35
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• 2008

Purpose: The nitric oxide (NO) release by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is the key events in macrophage response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) which is suggested to be a crucial mediator for inflammatory and innate immune responses. NO is an important mediator involved in many host defense action and may also lead to a harmful host response to bacterial infection. However, given the importance of iNOS in a variety of pathophysiological conditions, control of its expression and signaling events in response to LPS has been the subject of considerable investigation. Materials and Methods: The Raw264.7 macrophage cell line was used to observe LPS-stimulated iNOS expression. The expression of iNOS is observed by Western blot analysis and real-time RT-PCR. Protein kinase C $(PKC)-{\alpha}$ overexpressing Raw264.7 cells are established to determine the involvement of $PKC-{\alpha}$ in LPS-mediated iNOS expression. $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity is measured by $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation and $NF-{\kappa}B$ luciferase activity assay. Results: We found that various PKC isozymes regulate LPS-induced iNOS expression at the transcriptional and translational levels. The involvement of $PKC-{\alpha}$ in LPS-mediated iNOS induction was further confirmed by increased iNOS expression in $PKC-{\alpha}$ overexpressing cells. $NF-{\kappa}B$ dependent transactivation by LPS was observed and $PKC-{\alpha}$ specific inhibitory peptide abolished this activation, indicating that $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation is dependent on $PKC-{\alpha}$. Conclusion: Our data suggests that $PKC-{\alpha}$ is involved in LPS-mediated iNOS expression and that its downstream target is $NF-{\kappa}B$. Although $PKC-{\alpha}$ is a crucial mediator in the iNOS regulation, other PKC isozymes may contribute LPS-stimulated iNOS expression. This finding is needed to be elucidated in further study.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.569-575
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• 2002

Two bacterial strains capable of degrading trichloroethylene (TCE), isolated form soils contaminated with various chlorinated alkenes, were identified as Alcaligenes odorous N6 and Nocardia sp. Hl7. In addition, four KCTC strains, including three strains of Pseudomonas putida and one strain of Sphingomonas chlorophenolica, exhibited an ability to degrade toluene. A. odorans N6 and Nocardia sp. H17 degraded 84% of the initial amount of TCE in a basal salts medium (BSM), containing 0.2 mM TCE as the sole source of carbon and energy, in a day. The optimal pH for growth was within a range of 7.0-8.0. A mixed culture of the four toluene-degrading isolates degraded 95% of 0.2 mM TCE with 1.5 mM toluene as an inducer, whereas no TCE was degraded by the same mixture without an inducer. When a mixed culture of all 6 isolates was used, the degradation efficiency of 0.2 mM TCE was 72% without an inducer, in a day, and 82% with toluene as an inducer. In a continuous treatment, 1,000 mg/1 of TCE in an artificial wastewater was completely removed within 18 h when an activated sludge was used along with the microbial mixture, which was 27 h laster than when only an activated sludge was used. Accordingly, it would appear that such a microbial mixture could be effectively applied to the biological treatment of wastewater containing TCE with or without an inducer.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.66-73
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• 1993

Psychrotrophic bacterial strains utilizing crude oil as their sole carbon and energy sources were isolated from Antarctic soil and sea sediments. One of the strains named AI-I showed the hightest activity for emulsification of crude oil and the best growth. This strain was identified as Acinetobacter calcoaceticus. A. calcoaceticus AI-I strain contains a plasmid (OCT plasmid) which was related to the utilization of alkane compounds. The molecular weight of this plasmid was estimated to be about 110 Md by agarose gel electrophoresis. The cured strain of A. calcoaceticus AI-I strain (OCT ) was not able to utilize normal hydrocarbon compounds ($C_6C_{17}$) as carbon and energy sources. A. ca/coaceticus AI-1 was resistant to ampicillin and sensitive to streptomycin, kanamycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline. The results suggested that this strain carries a plasmid (OCT) responsible for oil utilization which is quite stable and might be concerned with antibiotics resistancy.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.283-288
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• 2013

The pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF${\alpha}$) and interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$ are crucial mediators involved in chronic inflammatory diseases. Inflammatory signal pathways regulate inflammatory cytokine expression-mediated by p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (p38MAPK). Therefore, considerable attention has been given to p38MAPK as a target molecule for the development of a novel anti-inflammatory therapeutics. BIRB 796, one of p38MAPK inhibitor, is a candidate of therapeutic drug for chronic inflammatory diseases. In this study, we investigated the effect of BIRB 796 on inflammatory cytokine productions by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in different immune cell types. BIRB 796 reduced LPS-mediated IL-8 production in THP-1 cells but not in Raw 264.7 cells. Further analysis of signal molecules by western blot revealed that BIRB 796 sufficiently suppressed LPS-mediated phosphorylation of p38MAPK in both cell types whereas it failed to block inhibitor of kappa B (I-${\kappa}B$) degradation in Raw 264.7 cells. Taken together, these results suggest that the anti-inflammatory function of BIRB 796 depends on cell types.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.65-73
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• 2014

Chios Gum Mastic (CGM) is a natural resin extracted from the leaves of Pistacia lentiscus, a plant endemic to the Greek island of Chios. It has been used by traditional healers, and it has antibacterial, antifungal properties, and therapeutic benefits for the skin. The CGM reduces the formation of dental plaque and bacterial growth in oral saliva, and recent studies have demonstrated the role of antioxidant activity of CGM. Although CGM has been widely investigated, its protective effect against oxidative-damage to keratinocytes, as well as the relationship between CGM and autophagy, has not been investigated. The aim of this study was to assess the protective effect of CGM against $H_2O_2$-induced oxidative stress and to evaluate the autophagic features induced by CGM in human keratinocytes. The pretreatment with CGM significantly reduced apoptosis in $H_2O_2$-exposed HaCaT cells. It promoted the degradation of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9; and it induced the formation of the processed PARP. The treatment with CGM caused an increase in vesicle formation compared to control group. The level of p62 was reduced and the conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II was increased in CGM treated HaCaT cells. Also, the treatment with CGM increased cleavage of ATG5-ATG12 complex. In summary, CGM helps the cells to survive under stressful conditions by preventing apoptosis and enhancing autophagy. Besides, the present investigation provides evidence to support the antioxidant potential of CGM in vitro and opens up a new horizon for future experiments.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.97-109
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• 2015

Citrate ion is a commonly used reductant in metal colloid synthesis, undergoes strong surface interaction with silver nanocrystallites. The slow crystal growth observed as a result of the interaction between the silver surface and the citrate ion makes this reduction process unique compared to other chemical and radiolytic synthetic methods. The antimicrobial effects of silver (Ag) ion or salts are well known, but the effects of citrate coated Ag nanoparticles (CAgNPs) are scant. Herein, we have isolated biofilm causative bacteria and fungi from drinking water PVC pipe lines. Stable CAgNPs were prepared and the formation of CAgNPs was confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopic analysis and recorded the localized surface plasmon resonance of CAgNPs at 430 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis revealed C=O and O-H bending vibrations due to organic capping of silver responsible for the reduction and stabilization of the CAgNPs. X-ray diffraction micrograph indicated the face centered cubic structure of the formed CAgNPs, and morphological studies including size (average size 50 nm) were carried out using transmission electron microscopy. The hydrodynamic diameter (60.7 nm) and zeta potential (-27.6 mV) were measured using the dynamic light scattering technique. The antimicrobial activity of CAgNPs was evaluated (in vitro) against the isolated fungi, Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria using disc diffusion method and results revealed that CAgNPs with 170ppm concentration are having significant antimicrobial effects against an array of microbes tested.