• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.381-385
• /
• 2000

The effect and interaction of Ca and B on exopolysaccharide (EPS) synthesis in the diazotrophically growing cyanobacterium. Nostoc spongiaeforme, was investigated. The absence of B inhibited EPS synthesis 1.56-fold ($16\mu\textrm{g}$ glucose equivalent/mg dry weight, 16 d) over the control cells ($25\mu\textrm{g}$ glucose equivalent) grown in medium containing 0.5 mM Ca and $8{\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ B. When B concentration was raised to $40{\mu}{\textrm}{m}$, EPS production was stimulated 1.8-fold. Reduction of Ca concentraion to one-half (0.25 mM) resulted in increased B demand (16$\muM$) by the cells for EPS production at par with the normal sets. However, without Ca, EPS production also increased as B increased. Addition of B to a Ca-free medium stimulated cyanobacterial diazotrophic growth as well as synthesis of Chl a and phycocyanin (0-8 d). The data suggest B-dependent diazotrophic growth during Ca-deficiency and point to and important interactive role of Ca and B in regulation of cyanobacterial EPS synthesis.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.6 no.3
• /
• pp.176-179
• /
• 2001

The present study was designed to investigate the hypoglycemic activity and lipid metabolism of ethanol (EtOH) extract from the aleurone layer of anthocyanin-pigmented (AP) rice in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Sprague-Dawley male rats weighing 210~240 g were divided into 4 groups, normal, diabetic control, and two experimental groups, and diabetes in rats was induced by injection of STZ (45 mg/kg, body weight) into tail vein. The EtOH extract of the powdered aleurone layer of AP rice was administered orally in diabetic rats for 14 days. In order to find the hypoglycemic effects in the animal model, the body weight, plasma glucose levels, cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), free fatty acid (FFA), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine amino- transferase activities (ALT) were determined. Oral administration of 1.0 81kg on the EtOH extract for 14 days resulted in a significant reduction in blood glucose, ALT, TG and FFA. However, in the case of 2.0 g/kg, the hypo-glycemic effects were not considerable. This results suggest that the EtOH extract might induce hypoglycemic effects in STZ-induced diabetic rats due to some photochemical components in the aleurone layer of AP rice.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.375-384
• /
• 2008

Objective : This study was carried out to investigate the effects of oral administration of Hyeungbangjihwang-tang (HBJHT) on the liver cirrhosis of rats induced by Carbon tetrachloride for 10 weeks. Method : The histopathological changes were observed. The HBJHT extracts were daily dosed at 50, 100 and 200mg/kg for 12 weeks. Results : Severe hepatocellular necrosis and ballooning, hyperplasia of connective tissue, subdued reduction of hepatic lobule, and hyperplasia of bile duct in portal triad were dramatically decreased in the HBJHT-treated group compared to that of the Carbon tetrachloride-treated control group in histopathological observation. The diameter of hepatic lobules was significantly enlarged in the HBJHT-treated group compared to that of the Carbon tetrachloride-treated control group, and the amounts of connective tissue, degenerative cells and bile ducts were significantly and dose-dependently decreased. Conclusion : It is concluded that HBJHT has a significant recovering effect on the liver of rats induced by carbon tetrachloride.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.95-101
• /
• 2009

In this study, we assessed the effects of Se-methylselenocysteine (MSC) pretreatment on the antioxidant system in the pancreas and the development of alloxan-induced diabetes in rats. The rats were treated with MSC at a dose of 0.75 mg/rat/day for 2 weeks. The MSC-treated rats evidenced significantly increased glutathione content, GSH/GSSG ratio, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GRd) activities in the pancreas. Diabetes was induced via alloxan injection. The alloxan-diabetic rats evidenced significantly reduced glutathione content and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity and increased catalase activity in the pancreas, when measured 3 days after the alloxan injection. 2-week MSC pretreatment was shown to prevent the alloxan-induced hyperglycemia as well as changes in glutathione content, G6PD activity, and catalase activity. The results of this study indicate that the prevention of alloxan-diabetes by MSC pretreatment is associated with its effects on antioxidants in the pancreas, namely, the increase in cellular content and the reduction of glutathione by the facilitation of glutathione recycling induced via increased GPx, GRd, and G6PD activities.

• Carbon letters
• /
• v.22
• /
• pp.60-69
• /
• 2017

Nitrogen-doped carbon nanosheets with a developed porous structure were prepared from polyurethane foams by hydrothermal carbonization following $ZnCl_2$ chemical activation. Scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, solid state $^{13}C$ nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to characterize the nitrogen-doped carbon nanosheet structure and composition. The removal of Cr(VI) by the N-doped carbon nanosheets was investigated. The results showed that the maximum removal capacity for chromium of 188 mg/g was found at pH=2.0 with PHC-Z-3. pH had an important effect on Cr(VI) removal and the optimal pH was 2.0. Moreover, amino groups and carboxyl groups in the nitrogen-doped carbon nanosheet played important roles in Cr(VI) removal, and promoted the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III).

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.274-281
• /
• 2017

This paper describes the simple fabrication of an electrode modified with electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ERGO) for the simultaneous electrocatalytic detection of dopamine (DA), ascorbic acid (AA), and uric acid (UA). ERGO was formed on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode by the reduction of graphene oxide (GO) using linear sweep voltammetry. The ERGO/GC electrode was formed by subjecting a GO solution ($1mg\;mL^{-1}$ in 0.25 M NaCl) to a linear scan from 0 V to -1.4 V at a scan rate of $20mVs^{-1}$. The ERGO/GC electrode was characterized by Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, contact angle measurements, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. The electrochemical performance of the ERGO/GC electrode with respect to the detection of DA, AA, and UA in 0.1 M PBS (pH 7.4) was investigated by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and amperometry. The ERGO/GC electrode exhibited three well-separated voltammetric peaks and increased oxidation currents during the DPV measurements, thus allowing for the simultaneous and individual detection of DA, AA, and UA. The detection limits for DA, AA, and UA were found to be 0.46, 77, and $0.31{\mu}M$ respectively, using the amperometric i-t curve technique, with the S/N ratio being 3.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.156-167
• /
• 2002

The present study was carried out to determine if Scutellaria balicalensis Georgi. extract (SBGE) exerts beneficial effect against the renal failure in rabbits. Rabbits were pretreated with SBGE orally for 7 days, followed by cisplatin injection (5 mg/kg, i.p.), cisplatin injection caused an increase in serum creatinine level, which was accompanied by a reduction in GFR. The fractional excretion of Na+, K+, glucose, and phosphate increased in cisplatin-treated animals, which was prevented by SBGE pretreatment. The uptake of p-aminohippurate, an organic anion, in renal cortical slices was inhibited by the administration of cisplatin, and the effect was prevented by SBGE. cisplatin injection increased lipid peroxidation, which was prevented by SBGE pretreatment. These results indicate that lipid peroxidation plays a critical role in cisplatin-induced acute renal failure. SBGE exerts the protective effect against acute renal failure induced by cisplatin, and its effect may be attributed to an antioxidant action.

• Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.92-98
• /
• 2018

Suitability of aluminium-based water treatment sludge (WTS), a waste product from water treatment facilities, was assessed for removal of heavy metals from an electroplating wastewater which had high concentrations of copper and chromium along with other heavy metals. Batch tests with simulated wastewater in single- and multi-metal solutions indicated the influence of initial pH and WTS dose on removal of six metals namely Cu(II), Co(II), Cr(VI), Hg(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II). In general, removal of cationic metals such as Pb(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) increased with increase in pH while that of anionic Cr(VI) showed a reduction with increased pH values. Tests with multi-metal solution showed that the influence of competition was more pronounced at lower WTS dosages. Column test with diluted (100 times) real electroplating wastewater showed complete removal of copper up to 100 bed volumes while chromium removal ranged between 78-92%. Other metals which were present in lower concentrations were also effectively removed. Mass balance for copper and chromium showed that the WTS media had Cu(II) and Cr(VI) sorption capacities of about 1.7 and 3.5 mg/g of dried sludge, respectively. The study thus indicates that WTS has the potential to be used as a filtration/adsorption medium for removal of metals from metal-bearing wastewaters.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.215-222
• /
• 2006

From experiment results on pharmacetical characteristics and analysis of Glycyrrhizin extract, some conclusions are obtained as follows. From results on extract experiment of Glycyrrhizin, it appeared about 8%-extraction ratio as semi-solid state, and after dried in freezing from Glycyrrhizin extract of semi-solid state, it obtained about 70%-Glycyrrhizin extract as solid state of yellow gold color. From results on antimicrobial experiment of Glycyrrhizin extract, number of S-typhimurium and Fungus in microbe decreased more and more according to time passage. This phenomenon shows that Glycyrrhizin extract keeps antimicrobial effect. From results on antioxidation experiment of Glycyrrhizin extract, DPPH scavenging activity of free radical shows that Glycyrrhizin extract appears more remarkable reduction ability than reference samples. This phenomenon means that antioxidation of Glycyrrhizin extract appears higher than Vitamin-C and BHA. From results on instrument analysis, the fatty and aromatic components of 2-pentanone, cyclohexasiloxane, tetrasiloxane, benzoquinoline-2-carboxylic acid etcs from Glycyrrhizin extract was detected with GC/MS and inorganic components of Ca, Mg, Ti, Zn, Fe etcs from Glycyrrhizin extract was detected with ICP/OES.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.127-132
• /
• 2009

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the stability of a decoction using three herbal plants and their major components according to the storage conditions and periods. Materials and Methods: A three-herb mixture (1:1:1) of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer, Artemisia capillaris Thunberg, and Poncirus trifoliata Rafinesqui was decocted and kept at room temperature ($25{\pm}2^{\circ}C$) or cold temperature ($4^{\circ}C$) for 0, 2, 4 or 8 weeks in liquid form in a plastic pack under dark conditions. At time points given, they were lyophilized. 200 mg of powdered samples were dissolved in 1 mL of 90% methanol and then applied to a high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) with glycyrrhizin, 6,7-dimethoxycoumarin or poncirin for quantitative or qualitative analysis. Results: There were no gross changes in HPTLC-based compositional band-patterns of the three herbal mixture according to the storage conditions and period. The major components of each herb, glycyrrhizin, 6,7-dimethoxycoumarin and poncirin, showed slight time-dependent reduction in their contents both at room and cold temperature for 8 weeks. Conclusion: We could conclude that the current herbal decoction is generally safe for the stability at both RT or CT for at least 8 weeks. Nevertheless, we proposed that further advanced studies are required for more multiple herbal mixtures and longer storage periods.