• Toxicological Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.89-100
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• 2004

The comet assay (also called the single-cell gel electrophoresis assay) has been widely used for detecting DNA damage and repair in individual cells. Since the conventional methods of evaluating comet assay data using frequency statistics are unsatisfactory we developed a new quantitative measure of DNA damage/repair that is based on all information residing in the dose/time-response curves of a comet experiment. Blood samples were taken from 25 breast cancer patients before undergoing radiotherapy. The comet assay was performed under alkaline conditions using isolated lymphocytes. Tail DNA, tail length, tail moment and tail inertia of the comet were measured for each patient at four doses of $\gamma$-rays (0, 2, 4 and 8 Gy) and at four time points after irradiation (0, 10, 20 and 30 min) using 100 cells each. The resulting three-dimensional dose-time response surface was modeled by multiple regression, and the second derivative, termed 2D, on dose and time was determined. A software module was programmed in SAS/AF to compute 2D values. We applied the new method successfully to data obtained from cancer patients to be assessed for their radiation sensitivity. We computed the 2D values for the four damage measures, i.e., tail moment, tail length, tail DNA and tail inertia, and examined the pairwise correlation coefficients of 2D both on the log scale and the unlogged scale. 2D values based on tail moment and tail DNA showed a high correlation and, therefore, these two damage measures can be used interchangeably as far as DNA repair is concerned. 2D values based on tail inertia have a correlation profile different from the other 2D values which may reflect different facets of DNA damage/repair. Using the dose-time response surface, other statistical models, e.g., the proportional hazards model, become applicable for data analysis. The 2D approach can be applied to all DNA repair measures, Le., tail moment, tail length, tail DNA and tail inertia, and appears to be superior to conventional evaluation methods as it integrates all data of the dose/time-response curves of a comet assay.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.363-373
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• 2007

To establish an efficient and reliable microspore culture system for pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), the effect of light intensity used for donor plant's growth, microspore isolation methods, the composition of culture medium, and culture period in light on the production of embryos were investigated. The viability of microspores taken from the plants grown under the light intensity of 10,000 lux was almost same as that from the lower (5,500 lux) light intensity, and the embryo induction and development were a bit higher when donor plants were grown under the lower light intensity. This result implies that lower light intensity does not interfere with the embryo induction and development. However, it was very difficult to prepare microspores for culture since only a small number of flower buds could be harvested from plants grown under the light intensity of 5,500 lux. Microspore isolation methods greatly affected microspores viability; that is, when microspores were isolated by blending rather than maceration, the greater number of viable microspores were easily generated (about 13 times). Among media used for microspores culture in this study, MN medium was most efficient for embryo induction and development. Total number of embryos and the number of cotyledonary embryos were highest when microspores were cultured in dark for 4 weeks, and then in light for one week. These results will be provide valuable information to set up efficient microspore culture system of hot pepper with a high frequency of embryo production, which are applicable to gene transformation and mutagenesis.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Illuminating and Electrical Installation Engineers
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.117-125
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• 2007

Recently, a fuel cell with low voltage and high current output characteristics is remarkable for new generation system. It needs both a DC-DC step-up converter and DC-AC inverter to be used in fuel cell generation system. Therefor, this paper, consists of an isolated DC-DC converter to boost the fuel cell voltage 380[VDC] and a PWM inverter with LC filter to convent the DC voltage to single-phase 220[VAC]. Expressly, The fuel cell system which it proposes DC-DC the efficient converter used PWM the phase transient control law and it depended to portion resonance ZVS switching, loss peek voltage and electric current of realization under make schedule, switching frequency anger and the switch reduction. And mind benevolence it sprouted 2 in stop circuit and it added and a direct current voltage and the electric current where the ingredient is reduced in load side ripple stable under make whom it will be able to supply. Besides the efficiency of 92[%]is obtained over the wide output voltage regulation ranges and load variations. Also, under make over together the result leads simulation and test, the propriety confirmation.

• Mycobiology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.258-265
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• 2015

The fungi on Meju are known to play an important role as degrader of macromolecule of soybeans. In order to elucidate the origin of fungi on traditional Meju, mycobiota of the air both inside and outside traditional Meju fermentation rooms was examined. From 11 samples of air collected from inside and outside of 7 Meju fermentation rooms, 37 genera and 90 species of fungi were identified. In outside air of the fermentation room, Cladosporium sp. and Cladosporium cladosporioides were the dominant species, followed by Cladosporium tenuissimum, Eurotium sp., Phoma sp., Sistotrema brinkmannii, Alternaria sp., Aspergillus fumigatus, Schizophyllum commune, and Penicillium glabrum. In inside air of the fermentation room, Cladosporium sp., Aspergillus oryzae, Penicillium chrysogenum, Asp. nidulans, Aspergillus sp., Cla. cladosporioides, Eurotium sp., Penicillium sp., Cla. tenuissimum, Asp. niger, Eur. herbariorum, Asp. sydowii, and Eur. repens were collected with high frequency. The concentrations of the genera Aspergillus, Eurotium, and Penicillium were significantly higher in inside air than outside air. From this result and those of previous reports, the origin of fungi present on Meju was inferred. Of the dominant fungal species present on Meju, Lichtheimia ramosa, Mucor circinelloides, Mucor racemosus, and Scopulariopsis brevicaulis are thought to be originated from outside air, because these species are not or are rarely isolated from rice straw and soybean; however, they were detected outside air of fermentation room and are species commonly found in indoor environments. However, Asp. oryzae, Pen. polonicum, Eur. repens, Pen. solitum, and Eur. chevalieri, which are frequently found on Meju, are common in rice straw and could be transferred from rice straw to Meju. The fungi grow and produce abundant spores during Meju fermentation, and after the spores accumulate in the air of fermentation room, they could influence mycobiota of Meju fermentation in the following year. This could explain why concentrations of the genera Aspergillus, Eurotium, and Penicillium are much higher inside than outside of the fermentation rooms.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.494-504
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• 2010

The effect of the addition of the fresh medium, volume of under solid medium in double layer culture as well as the medium change after pretreating microspores on the production of embryos in microspore culture of hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) has been studied. When cultured after heat pre-treatment, changing pretreatment media with fresh culture media proved to be more effective for embryo production rather than supplementing additional culture media. Heat-pretreating for 3 days turned out more effective for embryo production than pretreating for 1 or 2 days. In the case of anther pretreatment, the addition of fresh medium after culture was not effective for embryo production. In pretreating microspores, however, supplementing additional fresh culture media greatly improved embryo yield and quality. The best time point of media addition was 4 days after culture commenced, and the most effective number of times of media addition was one time addition. Moreover, the effective volume of added medium in double layer culture for embryo production was 1.5 ml. The addition of media more than 1.5 ml reduced both embryo yield and quality. Double layer medium was more effective for embryo development than liquid medium. When the volume of under solid medium increased ranging from 3 ml to 7 ml, more cotyledonary embryos were produced in either 5 ml or 7 ml compared to 3 ml, even though the total number of embryos were highest in 3 ml. These results can be used as an important data for establishing an efficient microspore culture system for producing high frequency of normal embryos in hot pepper.

• Clinical and Experimental Emergency Medicine
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.175-180
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• 2016

Objective Combination of ${\beta}_1-adrenergic$ receptor (AR) blockade and ${\beta}_2-AR$ activation might be a potential novel therapy for treating heart failure. However, use of ${\beta}-AR$ agonists and/or antagonists in the clinical setting is controversial because of the lack of information on cardiac inotropic or chronotropic regulation by AR signaling. Methods In this study, we performed hemodynamic evaluation by examining force frequency response (FFR), Frank-Starling relationship, and response to a non-selective ${\beta}-AR$ agonist (isoproterenol) in hearts isolated from 6-month-old transgenic (TG) mice overexpressing ${\beta}_1-$ and ${\beta}_2-ARs$ (${\beta}_1-$ and ${\beta}_2-AR$ TG mice, respectively). Results Cardiac physiologic consequences of ${\beta}_1-$ and ${\beta}_2-AR$ overexpression resulted in similar maximal response to isoproterenol and faster temporary decline of positive inotropic response in ${\beta}_2-AR$ TG mice. ${\beta}_1-AR$ TG mice showed a pronounced negative limb of FFR, whereas ${\beta}_2-AR$ TG mice showed high stimulation frequencies with low contractile depression during FFR. In contrast, Frank-Starling relationship was equally enhanced in both ${\beta}_1-$ and ${\beta}_2-AR$ TG mice. Conclusion Hemodynamic evaluation performed in the present showed a difference in ${\beta}_1-$ and ${\beta}_2-AR$ signaling, which may be due to the difference in the desensitization of ${\beta}_1-$ and ${\beta}_2-ARs$.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.782-785
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• 1995

In this paper, $Mn^{2+}$ ion was doped in Y-Ba-Cu-O as an EPR probe. The following samples were prepared by conventional solid-state reaction method : $YBa_{2}Cu_{2.96}Mn_{0.04}O_{7-\delta}$ (MN-I), annealed $YBa_{2}Cu_{2.96}Mn_{0.04}O_{7-\delta}$ (AMN) and $YBa_{2}Cu_{2.94}Mn_{0.06}O_{7-\delta}$ (MN-II). AMN sample was obtained from MN-I by annealing for 1 hr under the Ar gas atmosphere at $600^{\circ}C$. X-band (~9.05 GHz) EPR spectra were measured from 103 K to room temperature by employing a JES-RE3X spectroscopy with a $TE_{0.11}$ cylindrical cavity and 100 kHz modulation frequency. In MN-I we have observed only the $Cu^{2+}$ signal. The fact that no $Mn^{2+}$ signal was observed, in spite of $Mn^{2+}$ being a very sensitive EPR probe, indicates that most likely isolated $Mn^{2+}$ ions don't exist in the MN-I sample. Most probably $Mn^{2+}$ ions in the MN-I sample interact antiferromagnetically and hence are EPR silent. The AMN spectra of at room temperature and 103 K indicate not only the $Cu^{2+}$ signal but also an extra signal, which increases with decreasing temperature. It is suggested that the extra signal originates from Mn ions that were antiferromagnetically coupled before the annealing process. In MN-II, from 103 K to room temperature, also, the extra signal was observed together with the $Cu^{2+}$ signal. The extra signal in MN-II, however, decreases with decreasing temperature and nearly disappears at 103 K. The signal originates from Mn ions in impurity phases that include $Mn^{2+}$ ions. We suppose that there exist at least two $Mn^{2+}$ doped phases in Y-Ba-Cu-O. The $Mn^{2+}$ signal of one phase is undectable at all temperature and that of another phase decreases with decreasing temperature and disappears around 103 K.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.438-446
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• 2020

Meju and nuruk (respectively soybean and malt) are traditional Korean fermentation starters that are vulnerable to contamination by harmful microorganisms such as aflatoxigenic fungi and their associated aflatoxins (AFs). In this study, Aspergillus spp. were isolated and identified from a total of 57 meju and 18 nuruk samples collected from Korean markets. Their potential aflatoxigenicity was investigated by examining the presence of three aflatoxin biosynthetic genes (aflO, aflP, and aflR) using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) assays. Thereafter, aflatoxin production of isolates and the natural occurrence of AFs in meju and nuruk samples were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A total of 177 Aspergillus isolates were identified and 130 isolates were obtained from meju samples. Of these, 25 isolates (19.2%) contained all three aflatoxin biosynthetic genes, and five (20%) of these isolates produced aflatoxins. Forty-seven of the Aspergillus isolates were obtained from nuruk samples, five of which (10.6%) expressed all three AF biosynthetic genes; however, none of these strains produced AFs. HPLC analysis showed that 88% (51/58) of the meju samples and 39% (7/18) of nuruk samples were not contaminated with AFs (below limit of detection). Among the isolates isolated from meju and nuruk, there were aflatoxigenic strains containing all three aflatoxin biosynthetic genes or producing aflatoxin in medium, but the frequency of aflatoxin contamination was low in the meju and nuruk samples.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.115-121
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• 2002

To develop a new method of conjugation and to determine the distribution of R plasimds, we isolated multi-drug resistant strains from fish pathogenic bacteria in the farms of south and east seacoasts of Korea. Out of the 134 isolates examined, 10 showed resistance to chloramphenicol, tetracycline, streptomycin, ampicillin, colistin, nalidixic acid, oxolinic acid and kanamycin. One out of 10 multi-drug resistance bacteria, Vibfio damsela JE1 (V. damsela JE1), contained transferable R plasmid of chlorarnphenicol- tetracycline resistance genes and other nucleic acids encoding ampicillin and kanamycin resistance. The presence of the R plasmid was confirmed by conjugation using the chromocult medium (CC) as a selective and differential medium for transconiugants with identification based on the growth or colors of the colonies. The frequency of R plasmid transfer with filter mating method was come out much higher than that of broth mating method and appeared to be dependent upon the mating time and temperature. The optimum conditions for filter mating method were found to be 30$^{\circ}C$ and 24hrs as mating temperature and period, respectively, Moreover, donor cells with R plasmid, both isolate and standard bacteria, were shown to have an ability to transfer the plasmid against Escherichia coli K-12 HB101 (E. coli HB101) and Edwardsiella tarda (E. tarda) RE14 at fairly high frequencies, finally, we isolated 3 isolates of Sphingomonas sp., carrying R plasmid from 12 multi-drug resistant bacteria in normal microflora of the flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) group used for the isolation of V emsela JE1 four months before. The same size and gene transfer chayateristics of R plasimds with those of V damsela JE1 confirmed that normal microflora have the reservoir activity for R plasmid in natural aquatic environment.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.59-68
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• 1989

Ceftizoxime sodium is a new synthetic ${\beta}$-lactam antibiotic combining potent antibacterial activity with high stability to a wide range of bacterial ${\beta}$-lactamase. This experiment was achieved to evaluate the antibacterial activities of ceftizoxime sodium againist Gram negative enteric bacteria isolated from in outpatient visiting Yeungnam university hospital and to study the emergence of drug induced bacterial varients which resist to ceftizoxime in vitro. The antibacterial activity of the ceftizoxime was compared with that of antibiotics and its effect on population of normal intestinal flora in mice was observed. The results are summarized as follows : 1. Highly effective antibacterial activity of ceftizoxime against Gram negative enteric bacilli was demonstrated and this antibacterial activity was superior to that of ampicillin. 2. Several test strains shows multiple antibiotic resistence. Among 15 strains of Escherichia coli, 1 strain was resistent to ampicillin, cefadroxyl, gentamicin, tetracycline, and 2 strains were resistent to ampicillin, cefadroxyl, tetracycline, five strains of Escherichia coli and Enterobacter cloacae was resistent to amplicillin, tetracycline and Shigella dysenteria was resistent to ampicillin, gentamicin, tetracycline. 3. The frequency of in vitro emergence of resistent varients among ceftizoxime sensitive bacteria in the presence of increasing concentrations of the compound was found to be low. 4. Plasmid was isolated in 6 of 9 strains (6 strains of Escherichia coli, Shigella dysenteriae, Enterobacter cloaceae and Salmonella typhi) That showed different antibiotic resistance. They were 5 strains of Escherichia coli and 1 strain of Shigella dysenteriae. However, plasmid could not be considered as a hallmark for antibiotic resistance by this. Further studies with curing experiment are to be accomplished for this purpose. 5. Changes in the bacterial count of normal intestinal flora following 25mg/kg/day administration of ceftizoxime over S consecutive days were not significant. In conclusion, ceftizoxime appeared to be a drug of choice in the treatment of Gram negative enteric bacilli infection.