• Integrative Medicine Research
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.149-155
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• 2017

Background: Naringenin (NRG) is a common dietary polyphenolic constituent of fruits. NRG has diverse pharmacological activities, and is used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases including gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) are pacemaker cells of the GI tract. In this study, the authors investigated the effects of NRG on ICCs and on GI motility in vitro and in vivo. Methods: ICCs were dissociated from mouse small intestines by enzymatic digestion. The whole-cell patch clamp configuration was used to record pacemaker potentials in cultured ICC clusters. The effects of NRG on GI motility were investigated by calculating percent intestinal transit rates (ITR) using Evans blue in normal mice. Results: NRG inhibited ICC pacemaker potentials in a dose-dependent manner. In the presence of tetraethylammonium chloride or iberiotoxin, NRG had no effect on pacemaker potentials, but it continued to block pacemaker potentials in the presence of glibenclamide. Preincubation with SQ-22536 had no effect on pacemaker potentials or on their inhibition by NRG. However, 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one blocked pacemaker potential inhibition by NRG. In addition, L-NG-nitroarginine methyl ester blocked pacemaker potential inhibition by NRG. Furthermore, NRG significantly suppressed murine ITR enhancement by neostigmine in vivo. Conclusion: This study shows NRG dose-dependently inhibits ICC pacemaker potentials via a cyclic guanosine monophosphate/nitric oxide-dependent pathway and $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^+$ channels in vitro. In addition, NRG suppressed neostigmine enhancement of ITR in vivo.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.8-15
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• 2021

Transparent, photocatalytic, and self-cleaning TiO2 thin film is developed by TiO2 sol-gel coating on glass and polycarbonate (PC) substrates. Acetyl acetone (AcAc) suppresses the precipitation of TiO2 by forming a yellowish (complex) transparent sol-gel. XPS analysis confirms the presence of Ti2p and O1s in the thin films on glass and PC substrates. The TiO2-sol is prepared by stabilizing titanium (IV) isopropoxide (TTIP) with diethylamine and methyl alcohol. The addition of AcAcsilane coupling solution to the TiO2-sol instantaneously turns to yellowish color owing to the complexing of titanium with AcAc. The AcAc solution substantially improves the photocatalytic property of the TiO2 coating layer in MB solutions. The coated TiO2 film exhibits super hydrophilicity without and with light irradiation. The TiO2 thin film stabilized by adding 8.7 wt% AcAc shows the highest photo-degradation for methylene blue (MB) solution under UV light irradiation. Also, the optimum photocatalytic activity is obtained for the 8.7 wt% AcAc-stabilized TiO2 coating layer calcined at 450 ℃. The thin-films on glass exhibit fast self-cleaning from oleic acid contamination within 45 min of UV-light irradiation. The appropriate curing time at 140 ℃ improves the anti-fogging and thermal stability of the TiO2 film coated on PC substrate. The watermark-free PC substrate is particularly beneficial to combat fogging problems of transparent substrates.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.202-213
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• 2022

Antibiotic resistant Escherichia coli cases are increasing high especially in Southeast Asia. Illegal use of the antibiotic in the aquaculture farming may become the culprit of the outbreak and spread into environmental source. A study was conducted to: 1) detect the chloramphenicol (CAL)-resistant gene in E. coli isolated from three aquaculture farms and six rivers of northwestern Borneo and 2) investigate the correlation between cat gene with five common antibiotics used. Isolation of E. coli was done on Eosin methylene blue agar and characterized using indole, methyl red, Voges-Proskauer, citrate tests. E. coli isolates were subsequently tested for their susceptibility to five antibiotics commonly used in aqua-farming. The CAL-resistant E. coli were further analyzed for the presence of resistant genes (cat I, cat II, cat III, cat IV) using multiplex polymerase chain reaction. 42 bacterial colonies were isolated from a total of 80 individual water samples, 34 of which were identified as E. coli. Result showed 85.3% of the E. coli isolates were resistant to amoxicillin, 35.3% were resistant to tetracycline, 29.4% were resistant to CAL, 17.6% were resistant to nitrofurantoin and 8.8% were resistant to nalidixic acid. All of the 10 CAL resistant E. coli isolateswere detected with cat II genes; five isolates detected with cat IV genes; three isolates detected with cat III genes; and another two detected with cat I genes. Pearson correlation coefficient shows highly significant relationship between resistance pattern of CAL with amoxicillin; and CAL with tetracycline. Our findings provide the supplementary information of the CAL resistance gene distribution, thereby improving our understanding of the potential risk of antibiotic resistance underlying within this microbial ecosystem.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.275-282
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• 2024

In this work, we investigated the photo-degradation performance of MnO₂-SiC fiber-TiO₂ (MnO₂-SiC-TiO₂) ternary nanocomposite according to visible light excitation utilizing methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) as standard dyes. The photocatalytic physicochemical characteristics of this ternary nanocomposite were described by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), tunneling electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), photocurrent and cyclic voltammogram (CV) test. Photolysis studies of the synthesized MnO₂-SiC-TiO₂ composite were conducted using standard dyes of MB and MO under UV light irradiation. The experiments revealed that the MnO₂-SiC-TiO₂ exhibits the greatest photocatalytic dye degradation performance of around 20 % with MB, and of around 10 % with MO, respectively, within 120 min. Furthermore, MnO₂-SiC-TiO₂ showed good stability against photocatalytic degradation. The photocatalytic efficiency of the nanocomposite was indicated by the adequate photocatalytic reaction process. These research results show the practical application potential of SiC fibers and the performance of a photocatalyst composite that combines these fibers with metal oxides.

• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.128-135
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• 1985

Responses to the 14 fungicides added in PSA of penicillium expansum isolated froms the four major apple growing areas in Korea were examined. Degrees of the fungal tolerance were various with little difference by area and with great difference by kind and concentration of fungicide. Fall isolates of the fungus grew at higher fungicide concentration than did the spring isolates. $ED_{50}$ and MIC to mycelial growth of genomyl, garbenda, polydong, polyoxin and thiophanate methyl were $0.1{\mu}g-41.7{\mu}g/ml\;and\;100{\mu}g-2,250{\mu}g/ml,$, respectively, indicating high fungicide effects on the fungus isolated from decayed apples in storages and infected apples in orchards with low fungal tolerance; of captafol, captan, iprodione and mancozeb were $2.6{\mu}g - 750{\mu}g/ml\;and\;638{\mu}g-40,500{\mu}g/ml$, respectively, indicating medium degree of both fungicidal effects and fungal tolerance; and of chlorothalonil, folpet, oxidong, propineb and triademefon were $27.8{\mu}g-8,354{\mu}g/ml\;and\;2,625{\mu}g-150,357{\mu}g/ml$, respectively, indicating low fungicide effects and high fungal tolerance. Fungicidal inhibitory effects on conidia formation exhibited a similar trend as on mycelial growth whereas those on conidia germination showed an opposite trend to the mycelial growth with the exception of polyoxin and triademefon.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1693-1697
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• 2012

Objective: To explore the effect on radiosensitivity of arsenic trioxide ($As_20_3$) in conjunction with hyperthermia on the esophageal carcinoma EC-1 cell line. Method: Inhibition of EC-1 cell proliferation at different concentrations of $As_20_3$ was assessed using the methyl thiazolyl blue colorimetric method (MTT method), with calculation of $IC_{50}$ value and choice of 20% of the $IC_{50}$ as the experimental drug concentration. Blank control, $As_20_3$, hyperthermia, radiotherapy group, $As_20_3$ + hyperthermia, $As_20_3$ + radiotherapy, hyperthermia + radiotherapy and $As_20_3$ + hyperthermia + radiotherapy groups were established, and the cell survival fraction (SF) was calculated from flat panel colony forming analysis, and fitted by the 'multitarget click mathematical model'. Flow cytometry (FCM) was used to detect changes in cell apoptosis and the cell cycle. Results: $As_20_3$ exerted inhibitory effects on proliferation of esophageal carcinoma EC-1 cells, with an $IC_{50}$ of 18.7 ${\mu}mol/L$. After joint therapy of $As_20_3$ + hyperthermia + radiotherapy, the results of FCM showed that cells could be arrested in the $G_2$/M phase, and as the ratio of cells in $G_0/G_1$ and S phases decreased, cell death became more pronounced. Conclusion: $As_20_3$ and hyperthermia exert radiosensitivity effects on esophageal carcinoma EC-1 cells, with synergy in combination. Mechanistically, $As_20_3$ and hyperthermia mainly influence the cell cycle distribution of EC-1 esophageal carcinoma cells, decreasing the repair of sublethal damage and inducing apoptosis, thereby enhancing the killing effects of radioactive rays.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 1995

This experiment was carried out to investigate occurrence ecology and control of soil-flakes in flood-direct seeded rice field. The occurrence of soil-flakes were inhibited in blue light of 450nm wave length and promoted in red light of 660nm wave length. The diatoms of Pinnularia spp. largely occurred in low fertilizer level and which much more increased when nitrogen was mixed with thinly soil depth. The diatoms of Pinnularia spp. were effectively controlled by carbamate and triazine herbicides when treated in pre-emergence of soil-flakes. Beside, triazine herbicides, simetryne, dimethametryn, prometryne 5g ai/10a showed high control effect in pre and post-emergence of soil-flakes. Expecially, In water-direct seeded rice pyrazosulfuron-methyl molinate simetryne 5.37% GR and dimepiperate bensulfuron dimethametryn 7.643% GR showed high control effect on the soil-flakes when treated at 10 days after seeding and didn't showed rice injury.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.326-332
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• 2013

Geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB) are volatile organic compounds responsible for the majority of unpleasant taste and odor events in drinking water. Geosmin and 2-MIB are byproducts of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) with musty and earthy odors. These compounds have odor threshold concentration at ng/L levels. It is needed to develop a sensitive method for determination of geosmin and 2-MIB to control the quality of drinking water. In this study, geosmin and 2-MIB in water samples were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SMPE). The detection limits of this method were 1.072 ng/L and 1.021 ng/L for geosmin and 2-MIB, respectively. Good accuracy and precision was also obtained by this method. Concentrations of the two compounds were measured in raw waters from Nakdong River in the cyanobacterial blooming season. Water bloom formed by cyanobacteria has been occurred currently in Nakdong River. It is needed to investigate the concentrations of geosmin and 2-MIB to control the quality of drinking water from Nakdong River. Both geosmin and 2-MIB were detected in raw waters from Nakdong River at concentrations ranging from 4 to 24 ng/L and 6 to 16 ng/L, respectively.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.196-201
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• 2000

Effects of ginsenosides on NaCN-induced neuronal cell death were studied in cultured rat cerebellar granule cells. NaCN produced a concentration-dependent (1-10 mM) reduction of cell viability (measured by frypan blue exclusion test), that was blocked by N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist (MK-801) and L-type Ca$\^$2+/ channel blocker (verapamil). Pretreatment with ginsenosides (Rb$_1$, Rc, Re, Rf and Rg$_1$) significantly decreased the neuronal cell death in a concentration range of 0.5∼5$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml. Ginsenosides Rb$_1$ and Rc (5 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml) inhibited glutamate release into medium induced by NaCN (5 mM). NaCN (1 mM)-induced increase of [Ca$\^$2+/], was significantly inhibited by the pretreatment of Rb$_1$ and Rc (5 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml). Other ginsenosides caused relatively little inhibition on the elevation of glutamate release and of (Ca$\^$2+/). These results suggest that the NaCN-induced neurotoxicity was related to a series of cell responses consisting of glutamate release and [Ca$\^$2+/]i elevation via glutamate (NMDA and kainate) receptors and resultant cell death, and that ginsenosides, especially Rb$_1$ and Rc, prevented the neuronal cell death by the blockade of the NaCN-induced Ca$\^$2+/influx.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.780-788
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• 1995

The purpose of this study was to compare the apical seal following root canal shaping by different methods. From fourty extracted mandibular 1st and 2nd molars, fourty mesial roots whose canals have some degree of curvature were selected. The mesiobuccal root portion including mesiobuccal portion of a crown was sectioned in each molar. After access cavity preparation for the mesiobuccal canal, working length was determined with # 10 K-file. The sectioned roots were implanted in acrylic resin block and randomly divided into four groups. The canals of group I were shaped by step-down/balanced force, group II by stepdown/step-back, group III by step-back and group IV by conventional method. All of the shaped canals were obturated by Thermafil method and access cavities were filled with IRM. The roots were removed from acrylic resin block and placed in 100 % humidity for 7days. Except the root surfaces of apical 2mm, the root surfaces were nail-varnished 3 times. After the roots were placed in 700 torr vacuum pressure for 15 minutes, they were immersed in 2% methylene blue solution for 4 days. Nail varnishes were removed with acetone. After that, the roots were decalcified in 5 % nitric acid and dehydrated with alcohol series. Transparent specimens were made by methyl salicylate and the quality of apical seal was assessed by measuring the leakage linearly. The results were as follows. 1. The leakage in canals shaped by step-down/balanced force method was significantly less than that in canals shaped by step-back method(P<0.05) and was less but not statistically than that in canals shaped by step-down/step-back method (P>0.05). 2. The leakage in canals shaped by step-down/step-back method was less than that in canals shaped by step-back method, but there was no statistical significance(P>0.05). 3. The leakage in canals shaped by conventional method was significantly more than that in canals shaped by step-down/balanced force, step-down/step-back and step-back method (P<0.05).