• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.23 no.6
• /
• pp.48.1-48.21
• /
• 2023

Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) possess immunoregulatory properties and their regulatory functions represent a potential therapy for acute lung injury (ALI). However, uncertainties remain with respect to defining MSCs-derived immunomodulatory pathways. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the mechanism underlying the enhanced effect of human recombinant bone morphogenic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) primed ES-MSCs (MSC^BMP2) in promoting Tregs in ALI mice. MSC were preconditioned with 100 ng/ml rhBMP-2 for 24 h, and then administrated to mice by intravenous injection after intratracheal injection of 1 mg/kg LPS. Treating MSCs with rhBMP-2 significantly increased cellular proliferation and migration, and cytokines array reveled that cytokines release by MSC^BMP2 were associated with migration and growth. MSC^BMP2 ameliorated LPS induced lung injury and reduced myeloperoxidase activity and permeability in mice exposed to LPS. Levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase were decreased while levels of total glutathione and superoxide dismutase activity were further increased via inhibition of phosphorylated STAT1 in ALI mice treated with MSC^BMP2. MSC^BMP2 treatment increased the protein level of IDO1, indicating an increase in Treg cells, and Foxp3⁺CD25⁺ Treg of CD4⁺ cells were further increased in ALI mice treated with MSC^BMP2. In co-culture assays with MSCs and RAW264.7 cells, the protein level of IDO1 was further induced in MSC^BMP2. Additionally, cytokine release of IL-10 was enhanced while both IL-6 and TNF-α were further inhibited. In conclusion, these findings suggest that MSC^BMP2 has therapeutic potential to reduce massive inflammation of respiratory diseases by promoting Treg cells.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.33.1-33.13
• /
• 2023

Vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been acknowledged as an effective mean of preventing infection and hospitalization. However, the emergence of highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) has led to substantial increase in infections among children and adolescents. Vaccine-induced immunity and longevity have not been well defined in this population. Therefore, we aimed to analyze humoral and cellular immune responses against ancestral and SARS-CoV-2 variants after two shots of the BNT162b2 vaccine in healthy adolescents. Although vaccination induced a robust increase of spike-specific binding Abs and neutralizing Abs against the ancestral and SARS-CoV-2 variants, the neutralizing activity against the Omicron variant was significantly low. On the contrary, vaccine-induced memory CD4⁺ T cells exhibited substantial responses against both ancestral and Omicron spike proteins. Notably, CD4⁺ T cell responses against both ancestral and Omicron strains were preserved at 3 months after two shots of the BNT162b2 vaccine without waning. Polyfunctionality of vaccine-induced memory T cells was also preserved in response to Omicron spike protein. The present findings characterize the protective immunity of vaccination for adolescents in the era of continuous emergence of variants/subvariants.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.256-269
• /
• 2020

The objective of this study is to evaluate the stress thresholds in crack development and the corrected fracture toughness of KURT granite under dry and saturated conditions. The stress thresholds were identified by calculation of inelastic volumetric strain from an uniaxial compression test. The corrected fracture toughness was estimated by using the Level II method (Chevron Bend specimen), suggested by ISRM (1988), in which non-linear behaviors of rock was taken into account. Average crack initiation stress(σ_ci) and crack damage stress(σ_cd) under a dry condition were 91.1 MPa and 128.7 MPa. While, average crack initiation stress(σ_ci) and crack damage stress(σ_cd) under a saturated condition were 58.2 MPa and 68.2 MPa. The crack initiation stress and crack damage stress of saturated ones decreased 36% and 47% respectively compared to those of dry specimens. A decrease in crack damage stress is relatively larger than that of crack initiation stress under a saturated condition. This indicates that the unstable crack growth can be more easily generated because of the saturation effect of water compared to the dry condition. The average corrected fracture toughness of KURT granite was 0.811 MPa·m^0.5. While, the fracture toughness of saturated KURT granite(K_CB) was 0.620 MPa·m^0.5. The corrected fracture toughness of rock in saturated condition decreases by 23.5% compared to that in dry condition. It is found that the resistance to crack propagation decreases under the saturated geological condition.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.45 no.2
• /
• pp.92-96
• /
• 2002

Present contamination levels of soils along the major roadsides of Seoul, Korea were investigated, and base-line data were accumulated for future use. Topsoil $(1{\sim}5$ cm) and subsoil $(20{\sim}50$ cm) from five districts (Gangdong-, Gwangjin-, Nowon-, Seodaemun- and Seongdong-gu) were sampled. The collected samples were airdried, passed through 2-mm sieves, and analyzed to determine the physicochemical properties including pH, EC, CEC, exchangeable cations (Ca, Mg, K, and Na), and heavy metal contents (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn). Soil textures of topsoils and subsoils were mainly loamy sand and sandy loam, respectively. The range of pH was $4.5{\sim}10$.0 with an average of 7.5 for both topsoil and subsoil, which is much higher than that of the forest soils in Seoul. The ranges of 0.1 N HCI extractable Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn contents for both topsoils and subsoils were $0.0l{\sim}l.19$, N.D. (not $detected){\sim}228$.99, $N.D.{\sim}352$.54, and $2.97{\sim}332$.96 mg $kg^{-1}$, respectively. Most of the average heavy metal contents were lower than the concern level of the Soil Environment Conservation Act of Korea, but were much higher than those of the , forest soils in Seoul. Some sites were higher in heavy metal contents than the concern levels; in particular, the average Cu content in Seongdong-gu was much higher than the concern level, 50 mg $kg^{-1}$. Careful management of the soil to prevent the aggravation of the present contamination level and the dissemination of contamination is highly recommended.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.346-350
• /
• 2002

A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with 2,2':6':2”-terpyridine (2,2':6':2”-TPR) using a spin coating method was applied for the highly selective and sensitive analysis of a trace amount of $Hg_2^{2+}$ ions. Various experimental parameters, which influenced the response of the 2,2':6':2”-TPR modified electrode to $Hg_2^{2+}$ ions, were optimized. The linear sweep and differential pulse voltammograms for the 2,2':6':2”-TPR modified electrode deposited with Hg show a well-defined anodic peak at +0.65 V (vs. Ag|AgCl). After a 25 min preconcentration time in an $Hg_2^{2+}$ ion solution (0.1 M acetate buffer, pH 5.0), differential pulse voltammetry(DPV) with 2,2':6':2”-TPR modified electrode shows a linear response between $1.0\;{\times}\;10^{-6}M\;and\;2.0\;{\times}\;10^{-7}M$. The least-square treatment of these data produce an equation of I[${\mu}A$] = 0.031 + 0.005C with r = 0.980(n = 5). The detection limit of this electrode with linear sweep voltammetry and differential pulse anodic voltammetry were $2.0\;{\times}\;10^{-6}M\;and\;8.0\;{\times}\;10^{-8}M$, respectively. The presence of Pb, Fe, Cd, Ti, Ni, Co, Mg, Al, Mn, and Zn did not interfere in the analysis of the $Hg_2^{2+}$ ion. The 2,2':6':2”-TPR modified GCE has been successfully applied in determination trace amounts of Hg in a human urine sample.

• KIISE Transactions on Computing Practices
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.250-255
• /
• 2017

Given the explosion of genomic data and expansion of applications such as precision medicine, the importance of efficient genome-database management continues to grow. Traditional compression techniques may be effective in reducing the size of a database, but a new challenge follows in terms of performing operations such as comparison and searches on the compressed database. Based on that many genome databases typically have numerous duplicated or similar sequences, and that the runtime of genome analyses is normally proportional to the number of sequences in a database, we propose a technique that can compress a genome database by eliminating similar entries from the database. Through our experiments, we show that we can remove approximately 84% of sequences with 1% similarity threshold, accelerating the downstream classification tasks by approximately 10 times. We also confirm that our compression method does not significantly affect the accuracy of taxonomy diversity assessments or classification.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.31 no.6
• /
• pp.449-453
• /
• 2009

This study focused on the content characteristics of regulated hazardous substances in specific wastes. Regulated heavy metal such as Cu, Pb, Cd analyzed the 108 waste samples that it choice from the representative facilities. Analytical method used content test method, suggested on the basis of analytical method of developing country, and the results as compared with limited standard in Austria Petroleum, primary metalworking and electronic industry had high content of Cu more than 100 mg/kg of Austria limited standard. Pb detected high level concentration the sample that dust producted at Primary metalworking industry. In case of total Cr was show that high content at KSIC 18, 19, 23 etc but result analyzed Cr(VI), it was shown that high level at dust producted from sewing clothes and fur industry.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.13 no.9
• /
• pp.789-798
• /
• 2004

Physicochemical characteristics of Kwangyang Bay, have been investigated on the effects of inputting rivers just after rainy season in summer 2003. The results ranged from 4.96～8.01 mg/L for DO, 1.16～3.09 mg/L for COD, 7.21～67.71 uM for DIN and 0.12～121.84 uM for phosphate. The COD of Yeosu Area was 1.19～3.09 mg/L, Kwangyang Area was 1.23～2.76 mg/L. The COD of Wallae cheon in Yeosu Area was 3.09 mg/L and Donghoan in Kwangyang Area was 2.76 mg/L. The reason of high COD might be industrial sewage of organic chemical plants and iron foundry. DIN of Yeosu Area and Kwangyang Area were 7.21～63.43 ${\mu}M$ and 8.43～67.71 ${\mu}M$ respectively. The average phosphate of Yeosu Area was 23.65 u. The source of phosphate might be industrial sewages of fertilizer plant and phosphate gypsum stocked with high amounts. The metal concentrations were measured in the range of 1.01～175.10 ${\mu}g/L$ for Cu, 0.13～1.78 ${\mu}g/L$ for Cd, 1.13～5.21 ${\mu}g/L$ for Pb, 1.58～13.57 ${\mu}g/L$ for Cr and 1.07～20.68 ${\mu}g/L$ for As. The average Cu concentration was 78.99 ${\mu}g/L$ in Kwangyang Area. The source of Cu might be industrial sewage of iron foundry. The average Cr concentration of Yeosu Area was 9.07 ${\mu}g/L$. That is 2 times higher than Kwangyang Bay 5.74 ${\mu}g/L$, because of sewage of chemical plants.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.50 no.2
• /
• pp.138-142
• /
• 2018

The physical properties and heavy metal content in rices that were grown in different conditions were compared; two paddy rices grown in irrigated water and a Jeju rice grown in dry field without irrigation. The pasting properties, color, or amylopectin chain length distribution were different, however, they were independent of growing conditions. For heavy metals such as Pb or Cd, Jeju rice showed similar content to paddy rices. However, total and inorganic arsenic (As) contents were much lower; for Jeju rice, the total arsenic content was only 10.1-17.9% of that in two paddy rices, and the inorganic arsenic was just corresponding to 15% of that in paddy rice. The inorganic arsenic content decreased by 34.1, 23.8, and 17.5% in paddy rice by soaking, cooking, and dripping with hot water, respectively.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.35-39
• /
• 2017

D-chiro-inositol (DCI) is a secondary messenger in insulin signal transduction. It is produced in vivo from myo-inositol via action of epimerase. In this study, we evaluated antitumor activity of DCI against human breast cancer both in vitro and in vivo. In order to determine the inhibitory effects of DCI on growth of human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231), two different assessment methods were implemented: MTT assay and mouse xenograft assay. MTT assay demonstrated downturn in cell proliferation by DCI treatment (1, 5, 10, 20 and 40 mM) groups by 18.3% (p < 0.05), 17.2% (p < 0.05), 17.5% (p < 0.05), 18.4% (p < 0.05), and 24.9% (p < 0.01), respectively. Also, inhibition of tumor growth was investigated in mouse xenograft model. DCI was administered orally at the dose of 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg body weight to treat nude mouse for 45 consecutive days. On the 45th day, tumor growth of DCI (500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg) groups was suppressed by 22.1% and 67.6% as mean tumor volumes were $9313.8{\pm}474.1mm^3$ and $3879.1{\pm}1044.1mm^3$, respectively. Furthermore, breast cancer stem cell (CSC) phenotype ($CD44^+/C24^-$) was measured using flow cytometry. On the 46th day, CSC ratios of DCI (500 mg/kg) and co-treatment with doxorubicin (4 mg/kg) and DCI (500 mg/kg) group decreased by 24.7% and 53.9% (p < 0.01), respectively. Finally, from tumor recurrence assay, delay of 5 days in the co-treatment group compared to doxorubicin (4 mg/kg) alone group was observed. Based on these findings, we propose that DCI holds potential as an anti-cancer drug for treatment of breast cancer.