• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2009

The current study was designed to evaluate the effects of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated with a xanthine (X) and xanthine oxidase system (XO) on sperm function and DNA fragmentation in porcine spermatozoa. ROS were produced by a combination of $1,000{\mu}M$ X and 50 mU/ml XO. The ROS scavengers such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) (200 U/ml) and catalase (CAT) (500 U/ml) were also tested. Spermatozoa were incubated for 2 hours in BWW medium with a combination of X-XO supplemented with or without antioxidants at $37^{\circ}C$ under 5% $CO_2$ incubator. Ca-ionophore-induced acrosome reaction, the proportion of swollen spermatozoa under hypo-osmotic condition, malondialdehyde formation for the analysis of lipid peroxidation, and the proportion of DNA fragmentation were determined after 2 hours incubation. The action of ROS on porcine spermatozoa resulted in decreased Ca-ionophore-induced acrosome reaction and membrane integrity, increased the formation of malondialdehyde, and the proportion of sperm with DNA fragmentation(p<0.05). The toxic effects caused by ROS were completely alleviated by CAT in terms of sperm function and characteristics, however SOD did not serve the same scavenger effect as CAT. To conclude, the ROS can cause significant damage to porcine sperm functions and characteristics, which can be minimized by the use of antioxidants.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.166-172
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• 1997

Aspergillus niger was selected as a strain producing the potent raw starch hydorlyzing enzyme. These experiments were conducted to investigate the conditions of the glucoa- mylase production, the purification of the enzyme, some characteristics of the purified enzyme and hydrolysis rate on various raw starches such as com, rice, potato, glutinous rice, sweet potato, wheat and barley. The optimum cultural temperature and time for the enzyme production on wheat bran medium were $30^{\circ}C$ and 96hrs, respectively. The respective addition of yeast extract and nutrient broth on wheat bran medium increased slightly the enzyme production. The enzyme was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation and DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. The specific activity of the purified enzyme was 30.7u/mg-protein and the yield of enzyme activity was 25.8%. The purified enzyme showed a single band on polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis and its molecular weight was estimated to be 56,000 by SDS-polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis. The isoelectric point for the purified enzyme was pH3.7. The optimum temperature and pH were $65^{\circ}C$ and pH 4.0, respectively. The purified enzyme was stable in the pH range of pH 3.0-9.5 and below $45^{\circ}C$, and its thermal stability was slightly increased by the addition of $Ca^{2+}$. The purified enzyme was activated by $Co^{2+},\;Sr^{2+},\;Mn^{2+},\;Fe^{2+},\;Cu^{2+}$. Raw rice starch, raw corn starch, raw glutinous rice starch, raw sweet potato starch, raw wheat starch and raw barley starch showed more than 90% hydrolysis rate in 48hrs incubation. Even raw potato starch, most difficult to be hydrolyzed, showed 80% hydrolysis rate. The purified enzyme was identified as glucoamylase.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.251-257
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• 2000

Chitin synthases are identified as key enzymes of chitin biosynthesis in most of the fungi. Among them, chitin synthase II has been reported to be and essential enzyme in chitin biosynthesis, and exists as a membrane-bound form. To search and screen new antifungal agents from natural resources to inhibit chitin synthase II, the assay conditions were established using the enzyme isolated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae ECY38-38A(pAS6) that overproduces only chitin synthase II. This enzyme was activated only by partial proteolysis with trypsin. Its actibity reached the maximum at $80{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml$ of trypsin and was strongly stimulated by 2.0 mM $Co^{2+}$, 1.0 nM UDP-[$^{14}C$]-GicNAc, and 32 mM free-GlcNAc. Under these assay conditions, the highest chitin synthase II activity was observed by incubation at $30^{\circ}C$ for 90 min. However, and extremely narrow range of organic solvents up to as much as 25% of DMSO and 25% of MeOH was useful for determining optimal assay conditions. After a search or potent inhibitors of chitin synthase II from natural resources, prodigiosin was isolated from Serratia marcescens and purified by solvent extration and silica gel column chromatographies. The structure of prodigiosin was determined by UV, IR, Mass spectral, and NMR spectral analyses. Its molecular weight and formula were found to be 323 and $C_{20}H_{25}N_{3}O$, respectively. Prodigiosin ingibited chitin synthase II by 50% at the concentration of $115{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml$.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.183-188
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• 1993

Effects of glucose on the catecholamine release from the hypothalamic fragments in vitro were studied. Basal release of catecholamines was inversely related to the concentrations $(5{\sim}30\;mM)$ of glucose in the incubation medium. Glucose did not affect the 30 mM $K{^+}-stimulated$ release of catecholamine. In the presence of tetrodotoxin $(10\;{\mu}M)$, the inhibitory effect of glucose on the basal release of catecholamines was largely persisted, but the inhibitory effect of 30 mM glucose on dopamine release was largerly blocked. In the presence of both tetrodotoxin $(10\;{\mu}M)$ and desipramine $(3\;{\mu}M)$, glucose failed to affect the basal catecholamine release. The results suggest that glucose modulates the catecholamine release through a direct action on the catecholaminergic nerve terminals, as well as through a trans-synaptical action. The glucose-modulation of the catecholamine release may explain, at least in part, the diabetes-induced changes in the hypothalamic catecholamine metabolism.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.359-365
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• 1998

This study was conducted to isolate the protozoan parasite Babesia gibsoni by intraerythrocytic culture method of micoraerophilous stationary phase(MASP) and evaluate the possibility of application for the detection of B gibsoni in canine babesiosis. Also, indirect fluorescent antibody test(IFAT) and thick blood smear(giemsa stain), direct light microscopy (DLM), as control diagnostic tests, were conducted to compare diagnostic effects between MASP, IFAT and DLM. The results obtained from this study were summarized as follows. The protozoan parasite B gibsoni multiplied in 24-well polystyrene plate containing 1.2ml of canine red blood cell suspension in RPMI 1640 medium(pH 7.0) which is contained 20~40% normal canine serum(NCS) under the MASP condition of 5% $CO_2$ and 95% air at $37^{\circ}C$ incubator. Under the above MASP culturing system the percentage of parasitized erythrocytes(PPE) after incubation for 9 days reached the peak. The levels of PPE in MASP culture were shown more higher by exchanging the medium at 24 hour intervals. The parasite were purely isolated from MASP culture of canine red blood cells collected from dogs(pit bullterrier) infected with B gibsoni naturally. Among the total of 83 heads of pit bullterrier blood samples the positive rate was 32 heads(38.5%) in DLM, 45 heads(54.2%) in IFAT and 42 heads(50.6) in MASP culture. In negative cases of IFAT and DLM the isolation rates of B gibsoni by MASP culture were 16 heads(42.1%) of 38 heads and 16 heads(28.6%)% of 56 heads, respectively. From this study it was suggested that MASP culture method by RPMI 1640 medium was a reliable and useful diagnostic test for the diagnosis of B gibsoni infections in canine babesiosis.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2010

An endospore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium was isolated from forest soil samples collected at the Taebaek mountain of Gangwon province, Korea, and taxonomically characterized by physiological, biochemical and phylogenetic methods. Its 16S rRNA sequences showed the maximum similarity of 97% with B. amyloliquefaciens. In addition, the isolate BCNU 2002 was determined to have the ability to produce enzymes such as amylase, protease, gelatinase and catalase. The in vitro antifungal activity of Bacillus sp. BCNU 2002 was also examined against human pathogenic fungi such as Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, Epidermophyton floccosum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton rubrum. A maximum production level of antifungal substances of Bacillus sp. BCNU 2002 was achieved under aerobic incubation at $28^{\circ}C$ for 7 days in LB broth. BCNU 2002 showed strong antifungal activities against T. mentagrophytes and T. rubrum with the range of percentage inhibition from 56.25 to 63.23%. It was also confirmed that ethylacetate extract of cultured broth showed a strong antifungal activity against A. niger, C. albicans, S. cerevisiae and T. rubrum by agar diffusion method. The peptide fraction also exhibited broad antifungal spectrum against various pathogenic fungi. The minimum inhibitory concentration values for active extracts ranged between 125 ${\mu}g$/mL and 1000 ${\mu}g$/mL.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.173-180
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• 2010

Background: APRIL, originally known as a cytokine involved in B cell survival, is now known to regulate the inflammatory activation of macrophages. Although the signal initiated from APRIL has been demonstrated, its role in cellular activation is still not clear due to the presence of BAFF, a closely related member of TNF superfamily, which share same receptors (TACI and BCMA) with APRIL. Methods: Through transfection of siRNA, BAFF-deficient THP-1 cells (human macrophage-like cells) were generated and APRIL-mediated inflammatory activities were tested. The expression patterns of APRIL were also tested in vivo. Results: BAFF-deficient THP-1 cells responded to APRIL-stimulating agents such as monoclonal antibody against APRIL and soluble form of TACI or BCMA. Furthermore, co-incubation of the siBAFF-deficient THP-1 cells with a human B cell line (Ramos) resulted in an activation of THP-1 cells which was dependent on interactions between APRIL and TACI/BCMA. Immunohistochemical analysis of human pathologic samples detected the expression of both APRIL and TACI in macrophage-rich areas. Additionally, human macrophage primary culture expressed APRIL on the cell surface. Conclusion: These observations indicate that APRIL, which is expressed on macrophages in pathologic tissues with chronic inflammation, may mediate activation signals through its interaction with its counterparts via cell-to-cell interaction.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.453-462
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• 2017

PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vitro cytotoxicity of thermoplastic denture base resins and to identify the possible adverse effects of these resins on oral keratinocytes in response to hot water/ food intake. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Six dental thermoplastic resin materials were evaluated: three polyamide materials (Smile tone, ST; Valplast, VP; and Luciton FRS, LF), two acrylic materials (Acrytone, AT; and Acryshot, AS), and one polypropylene resin material (Unigum, UG). One heat-polymerized acrylic resin (Vertex RS, RS) was chosen for comparison. After obtaining extracts from specimens of the denture resin materials (${\phi}=10$ mm and d=2 mm) under different extraction conditions ($37^{\circ}C$ for 24 hours, $70^{\circ}C$ for 24 hours, and $121^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour), the extracts (50%) or serial dilutions (25%, 12.5%, and 6.25%) in distilled water were co-cultured for 24 hours with immortalized human oral keratinocytes (IHOKs) or mouse fibroblasts (L929s) for the cytotoxicity assay described in ISO 10993. RESULTS. Greater than 70% viability was detected under all test conditions. Significantly lower IHOK and L929 viability was detected in the 50% extract from the VP ($70^{\circ}C$) and AT ($121^{\circ}C$) samples (P<.05), but only L929 showed reduced viability in the 50% and 25% extract from LF ($37^{\circ}C$) (P<.05). CONCLUSION. Extracts obtained from six materials under different extraction conditions ($37^{\circ}C$, $70^{\circ}C$, and $121^{\circ}C$) did not exhibit severe cytotoxicity (less than 70% viability), although their potential risk to oral mucosa at high temperatures should not be ignored.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.311-316
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• 2016

Effects of nanoparticles (NPs) on skin corrosion and irritation using three-dimensional human skin models were investigated based on the test guidelines of Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD TG431 and TG439). EpiDerm$^{TM}$ skin was incubated with NPs including those harboring iron (FeNPs), aluminum oxide (AlNPs), titanium oxide (TNPs), and silver (AgNPs) for a defined time according to the test guidelines. Cell viabilities of EpiDerm$^{TM}$ skins were measured by the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2.5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide based method. FeNPs, AlNPs, TNPs, and AgNPs were non-corrosive because the viability was more than 50% after 3 min exposure and more than 15% after 60 min exposure, which are the non-corrosive criteria. All NPs were also non-irritants, based on viability exceeding 50% after 60 min exposure and 42 hr post-incubation. Release of interleukin 1-alpha and histopathological analysis supported the cell viability results. These findings suggest that FeNPs, AlNPs, TNPs, and AgNPs are 'non-corrosive' and 'non-irritant' to human skin by a globally harmonized classification system.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.501-509
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• 2016

Shikonin, which derives from Lithospermum erythrorhizon, has been traditionally used against a variety of diseases, including cancer, in Eastern Asia. Here we determined that shikonin inhibits proliferation of gastric cancer cells by inducing apoptosis. Shikonin's biological activity was validated by observing cell viability, caspase 3 activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and apoptotic marker expressions in AGS stomach cancer cells. The concentration range of shikonin was 35-250 nM with the incubation time of 6 h. Protein levels of Nrf2 and p53 were evaluated by western blotting and confirmed by real-time PCR. Our results revealed that shikonin induced the generation of ROS as well as caspase 3-dependent apoptosis. c-Jun-N-terminal kinases (JNK) activity was significantly elevated in shikonin-treated cells, thereby linking JNK to apoptosis. Furthermore, our results revealed that shikonin induced p53 expression but repressed Nrf2 expression. Moreover, our results suggested that there may be a co-regulation between p53 and Nrf2, in which transfection with siNrf2 induced the p53 expression. We demonstrated for the first time that shikonin activated cell apoptosis in AGS cells via caspase 3- and JNK-dependent pathways, as well as through the p53-Nrf2 mediated signal pathway. Our study validates in partly the contribution of shikonin as a new therapeutic approaches/agent for cancer chemotherapy.