• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.31 no.6
• /
• pp.595-602
• /
• 2021

Human intestinal microbiota play an important role in the regulation of the host's metabolism. There is a close pathological and physiological interaction between dysbiosis of the intestinal microflora and obesity and metabolic syndrome. Akkermansia muciniphila, which was recently isolated from human feces, accounts for about 1-4% of the intestinal microbiota population. The use of A. muciniphila- derived external membrane protein Amuc_1100 and extracellular vesicles (EVs) could be a new strategy for the treatment of obesity. A. muciniphila is considered a next-generation probiotic (NGP) for the treatment of metabolic disorders, such as obesity. Faecalibacterium prausnitzii accounts for about 5% of the intestinal microbiota population in healthy adults and is an indicator of gut health. F. prausnitzii is a butyrate-producing bacterium, with anti-inflammatory effects, and is considered an NGP for the treatment of immune diseases and diabetes. Postbiotics are complex mixtures of metabolites contained in the cell supernatant secreted by probiotics. Parabiotics are microbial cells in which probiotics are inactivated. Paraprobiotics and postbiotics have many advantages over probiotics, such as clear chemical structures, safe dose parameters, and a long shelf life. Thus, they have the potential to replace probiotics. The most natural strategy to restore the imbalance of the intestinal ecosystem normally is to use NGPs among commensal bacteria in the gut. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new foods or drugs such as parabiotics and postbiotics using NGPs.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.126-131
• /
• 2004

This research sought to compare chlorine, chlorine dioxide and ozone as chemical disinfectants of drinking water, with inactivation of total coliform as the indicator. The inactivation of total coliform was tested against several variables, including the dose of disinfectant, contact time, pH, temperature and DOC. A series of batch processes were performed on water samples taken from the outlet of a settling basin in a conventional surface water treatment system that is provided with the raw water drawn from the mid-stream of the Han River. Injection of 1 mg/L of chlorine, chlorine dioxide and ozone resulted in nearly 2.4, 3.0 and 3.9 log inactivation, respectively, of total coliform at 5 min. To achieve 99.9 % the inactivation, the disinfectants were required in concentrations of 1.70, 1.00 and 0.60 mg/L for chlorine, chlorine dioxide and ozone, respectively. Bactericidal effects generally decreased as pH increased in the range of pH 6 to 9. The influence of pH change on the killing effect of chlorine dioxide was not strong, but that on ozone and free chlorine was sensitive. The activation energies of chlorine, chlorine dioxide and ozone were 36,053, 29,822 and 24,906 J/mol for coliforms with inactivation effects being shown in the lowest orders of these.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.39 no.4
• /
• pp.444-449
• /
• 1995

Primary cultures of rat cortical and chicken embryonic brain cells were employed to establish a reliable screening method for natural products blocldng or enhancing glutamate-induced neurotoxicity. Exposure of primary cultured rat cortical cells or chicken embryonic brain cells to high dose of glutamate resulted in the fragmentation of neutites and consequent neuronal death. The level of cytoplasmic lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), indicator for cell survival in cultures, was significantly reduced at exposure to glutamate. For the practical application of the methods, series of concentrations of plants extracts and positive control were applied prior to the glutamate insult on primary cultures of rat cortical and chicken embryonic, brain cells. Relative LDH level in cells was measured for the estimation of the effect of the test materials on the glutamatergic neurons. The validity of the present screening method for natural products acting on glutamatergic neurons was examined with dextromethorphan, a known glutamatergic antagonist. The treatment of 100 $\mu{M}$ dextromethorphan prevented the reduction of LDH in rat cortical and chicken embryonic brain cells caused by glutamate insult keeping 60% and 90% of LDH level in normal control, respectively. Above results indicate that primary cultures of rat cortical and chicken embryonic brain cells could be proper systems for the screening of potential natural agents acting on glutamatergic, neurons. Between the two types of cultures, primary culture of chicken embryonic brain cells seemed to be a better system for the primary screening, since it is technically easier and economical compared to that of rat cortical cells.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.99-105
• /
• 2006

Von Ebner's glands (vEG) are minor salivary glands associated with circumvallate and foliate papilla. The secretions of vEG consist of microenvironment of the taste buds in the circumvallate and foliate papillae, and thus saliva from vEG plays a role in the perception of taste. The $Ca^{2+}$ signaling system in rat vEG acinar cell was examined using the $Ca^{2+}$-sensitive fluorescent indicator Fura-2. Agonist-induced increase in intracellular $Ca^{2+}\;([Ca^{2+}]_i)$ was stimulated by carbachol (CCh) and substance P (SP), but not by norepinephrine (NE), and recovered to control levels by their receptor antagonists dose-dependently. The effects were also observed in $Ca^{2+}$-free medium, suggesting mobilization from intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ store. These results in the vEG acinar cell indicate that 1) $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ is at least regulated by muscarinic and neurokininergic (NK1) receptors; 2) the increases in $[Ca^{2+}])i$ activated by CCh and SP are mainly mediated by discharge of cytosolic calcium pool.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.149-155
• /
• 2001

Eighty-one workers including 38 employees directly incinerating industry wastes were recruited from a company located in South Korea. To evaluate the association between urinary 1-hydroxypyrene glucuronide (1-OHPG) levels, as internal dose of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure, and glycophorin A (GPA) mutation frequency, as an early biologic effect indicator. Urinary 1-OHPG levels were measured by synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy after immunoaffinity purification using monoclonal antibody 8E11. Erythrocyte GPA variant frequency (NN or NO) was assessed in MN heterozygotes with a flow cytometic assay. The GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes were assessed by a multiplex PCR method. The GPA NN phenotype frequency was higher in occupationally exposed group (n=14, mean$\pm$S.D. 6.6$\pm$12.0 in 10/SUP 6/ erythrocyte cells) than in non-exposed group (n=22, 2.1$\pm$3.5). Similarly, the GPA(NO or NN) phenotype frequency was higher in exposed group (n=14, 9.7$\pm$17.3) than non-exposed group (n=22, 4.2$\pm$6.3). The above differences failed to reach statistical significance, but a significant increase was seen in GPA variant frequency levels with increase in urinary 1-OHPG levels (Spearman's correlation: p=0.06 (NO), p=0.07 (NO or NN)). When this association was evaluated by GSTM1 genotype status, the association between GPA mutation and urinary 1-OHPG levels was stronger in individuals with GSTM1 present genotype (Spearmans correlation; r=0.50, p=0.02). These results suggest that the association between urinary 1-OHPG and GPA mutation is be modulated by the GSTM1 genotype.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.67-75
• /
• 2018

Multidimensional scaling (MDS) is an exploratory analysis of multivariate data to represent the dissimilarity among objects in the geometric low-dimensional space. However, a general MDS map only shows the information of objects without any information about variables. In this study, we used MDS based on the algorithm of Torgerson (Theory and Methods of Scaling, Wiley, 1958) to visualize some clusters of objects in categorical data. For this, we convert given data into a multiple indicator matrix. Additionally, we added the information of levels for each categorical variable on the MDS map by applying the partition method of Shin et al. (Korean Journal of Applied Statistics, 28, 1171-1180, 2015). Therefore, we can find information on the similarity among objects as well as find associations among categorical variables using the proposed MDS map.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.310-320
• /
• 2017

Ginseng has been widely used for traditional medicine in eastern Asia and is known to have inhibitory effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD) such as thrombosis, atherosclerosis, and myocardial infarction. Because, platelet is a crucial mediator of CVD, many studies are focusing on inhibitory mechanism of platelet functions. Among platelet activating molecules, thromboxane $A_2$ ($TXA_2$) and P-selectin play a central role in CVD. $TXA_2$ leads to intracellular signaling cascades and P-selectin plays an important role in platelet-neutrophil and platelet-monocyte interactions leading to the inflammatory response. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory mechanisms of total saponin fraction from Korean red ginseng (KRG-TS) on $TXA_2$ production and P-selectin expression. Thrombin-elevated $TXA_2$ production and arachidonic acid release were decreased by KRG-TS dose (25 to $150{\mu}g/mL$)-dependently via down regulation of microsomal cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), $TXA_2$ synthase (TXAS) activity and dephosphorylation of cytosolic phospholipase $A_2$ ($cPLA_2$). In addition, KRG-TS suppressed thrombin-activated P-selectin expression, an indicator of granule release via dephosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK). Taken together, we revealed that KRG-TS is a beneficial novel compound inhibiting $TXA_2$ production and P-selectin expression, which may prevent platelet aggregation-mediated thrombotic disease.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.551-554
• /
• 2012

The present laboratory investigation was conducted to assess the effect of heavy metals on carbon mineralization. Soil was treated with three concentrations (50, 100 and $150{\mu}mol\;g^{-1}$ soil) of two heavy metals (Cd and Zn) in a factorial combination of treatments replicated four times. Determination of carbon mineralization was carried out at 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 42 and 56 days after metal treatments.. The amount of $CO_2$-C released from heavy metal treated soils was found to be decreased at an increasing rate during the first 28 days, followed by slow release as incubation progressed. The total amounts of $CO_2$-C released were 448, 382 and $348mg\;kg^{-1}$ soil respectively for soils treated with 50, 100 and $150{\mu}mol\;g^{-1}$ soil of Zn. The corresponding figures for Cd treated soils were 406, 354 and $282mg\;kg^{-1}$ soil implying that dose-dependent reduction in cumulative $CO_2$-C released from soils. The inhibition of carbon mineralization was found to be high in Cd treated soils than that of Zn treated. Therefore, tolerance and adaptation of the microbial community is likely to be related to the concentration and the type of metal. According to the results, carbon mineralization can be considered as possible indicator of soil pollution by means of heavy metals.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.1 no.5
• /
• pp.565-572
• /
• 1997

In the freshly isolated rat nephron, the effect of endothelin-1, -2 and -3 (ET-1, -2 and -3) on cytosolic free calcium concentration ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) was determined using the fluorescent indicator Fura-2/AM. $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase was investigated in 9 parts of the single nephron including glomerulus (Glm), $S_1,\;S_2,\;S_3$, cortical and medullary thick ascending limb and cortical (CCT) and outer medullary collecting tubule (OMCT). Endothelins increased $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ in Glm (ET-1; $127{\pm}17%$, ET-2; $93{\pm}5%$, ET-3; $169{\pm}17%$), CCT (ET-1; $30{\pm}6%$, ET-2; $38{\pm}19%$, ET-3; $158{\pm}18%$) and OMCT (ET-1; $197{\pm}11%$, ET-2; $195{\pm}11%$, ET-3; $215{\pm}37%$) at 10-7 M. In OMCT, ET-1 and ET-2 increased $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ in a dose-dependent manner ($10^{-10}{\sim}10^{-6}$ M). To the contrary, ET-3-induced $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ rise was begun from $10^{-12}$ M. BQ-123Na, an antagonist of ETA receptor, at $10^{-4}$ M inhibited about 30% of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ rise induced by ET-1 and -3. Binding experiments using $[^{125}I]ET-3$ showed the existence of $ET_B$ receptor in OMCT. This binding was replaced by ET-1, ET-2 or ET-3 by the almost same degree but not by angiotensin II or vasopressin.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.355-360
• /
• 2006

Plants have been used in traditional medicinal system for centuries. Bangladeshi medicinal plants have received considerable attention from the researchers for evaluation of their bioactivity. As a part of our ongoing research of screening the Bangladeshi medicinal plants, the ethanolic extract of Dendrophthoe falcata have been chosen for the present study. The ethanolic extract of the leaves of the plant have been assessed for their antioxidant, antinociceptive, and general toxicity. The extract showed potent antioxidant activity ($IC_{50}5.1{\mu}g/ml$) using DPPH radical scavenging assay, which is comparable to the standard ascorbic acid ($IC_{50}4.6{\mu}g/ml$). The extract significantly and dose dependently inhibited the acetic acid induced writhing in mice (71.2%, P < 0.001 and 28.0%, P < 0.05 for 500 and 250 mg/kg body weight, respectively). A general toxicity was assessed by a simple and low cost assay using brine shrimp lethality as an indicator. The extract showed low level of toxicity ($LC_{50}100{\mu}g/ml$). Using different chromatographic techniques, quercitrin (quercetin 3-O-${\alpha}$-rhamnoside) was separated as the major component from the extract. The structure was elucidated by detailed 1D and 2D NMR and mass spectral analysis.