• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.989-996
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• 2007

In this study, abiotic transformation of 1-naphthol(1-NP) via oxidative-coupling reaction and its reaction products were investigated in the presence of Mn oxides. The reaction products were characterized for their relative polarity using solvent extraction experiment and reverse-phase HPLC, and for structure using CCMS and LC/MS, and for absorption characteristics using UV-Vis spectrometry. The reaction products present in aqueous phase were more polar than parent naphthol and comprised of 1,4-naphthoquinon(1,4-NPQ) and oligomers such as dimers and trimers. Hydrophilic component present in water phase after solvent$(CH_2Cl_2)$ extractions was identified as naphthol polymerized products having molecular weight(m/z) ranging from 400 to 2,000, and showed similar UV-Vis. absorption characteristics to that of foil fulvic acid. Transformation of 1,4-NPQ, which is non-reactive to Mn oxide, to the polymerized products via cross-coupling reaction in the presence of 1-NP was also verified. In this experimental conditions(20.5 mg/L, 1-NP, 2.5 g/L $MnO_2$, pH 5), the transformation of 1-NP into the oligomers and polymerized products were about 83% of initial 1-NP concentrations, and more than 30% of the reaction products was estimated to be water insoluble fractions, not extracted by $H_2O$ methanol. Results from this study suggest that Mn oxide-mediated treatment of naphthol contaminated soils can achieve risk reduction through the formation of oligomers md polymer precipitation.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.1463-1469
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• 2013

Portland cement used as binding material in combination of ferrous iron for reductive dechlorination of chlorinated organics is already widely studied topic by several researchers. However there is no clear evidence about the component solely responsible in cement for trichloroethylene (TCE) dechlorination. Many researchers suspect that the ettringite, monosulfate phases associated with hydration of cement are responsible active agents for TCE dechlorination. This study deals with synthesizing different pure crystalline minerals like ettringite and monosulfate phases of cement hydration and check individual phase's TCE dechlorinating capacity in combination with ferrous iron. The results indicated that the synthesized minerals showed no reduction capacity for TCE. The findings in the present study is significant as it shows that ettringite and monosulfate phases which were suspected minerals by previous researchers for TCE dechlorination are not reactive. Hence it is suspected that some other mineral or mineral form in cement phase could be responsible for TCE degradation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.513-521
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• 2020

B-cell-specific Moloney murine leukemia virus integration site 1 (Bmi1) is a polycomb group protein and a core component of polycomb repressive complex 1. Initial research into Bmi1 has focused on its role in tumorigenesis, and it is generally accepted that it is important for the proliferation and survival of cancer cells. However, more recent studies have revealed that Bmi1 is downregulated in brains with neurodegenerative disease and that it regulates the function of mitochondria and reactive oxygen species levels. In this study, we tested the therapeutic potential of Bmi1 in pilocarpine-induced seizures in Bmi1-knockout mice. Bmi1 expression transiently increased in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 and the dentate gyrus following pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE). In terms of seizure behavior, SE induction was 43.14% and 53.57% for Bmi1^+/+ and Bmi1^+/- mice, respectively. However, there was no significant difference in mortality or hippocampal damage between the two groups. Two months after SE induction, the frequency of epileptic seizures in the Bmi1^+/- mice was 50% lower than in the control group, although the difference was not statistically significant. In addition, mossy fiber outgrowth in the Bmi1^+/- mice was significantly higher than in their wild-type littermates. Taken together, these data indicate that reduced Bmi1 activity increases pilocarpine-induced seizure probability and mossy fiber outgrowth.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.242-247
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• 2012

Chondrocyte apoptosis has been recognized as an important factor in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$), which produces reactive oxygen species, reportedly induces apoptosis in chondrocytes. The ginsenoside $Rb_1$ (G-$Rb_1$) is the principal component in ginseng and has been shown to have a variety of biological activities, such as anti-arthritis, anti-inflammation, and anti-tumor activities. In this study, we evaluated the effects of G-$Rb_1$ on the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) and caspase-3 activity of chondrocyte apoptosis induced by $H_2O_2$. Cultured rat articular chondrocytes were exposed to $H_2O_2$ with or without G-$Rb_1$ and assessed for viability, MPT, Bcl-xL/Bax expression, caspase-3 activity, and apoptosis. The co-treatment with G-$Rb_1$ showed an inhibition of MPT, caspase-3 activity, and cell death. Additionally, the levels of the apoptotic protein Bax were significantly lower and the levels of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-xL were higher compared with $H_2O_2$ treatment alone. The results of this study demonstrate that G-$Rb_1$ protects chondrocytes against $H_2O_2$-induced apoptosis, at least in part via the inhibition of MPT and caspase-3 activity. These results demonstrate that G-$Rb_1$ is a potentially useful drug for the treatment of OA patients.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.493-501
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• 2008

The objectives of this study were to investigate the antihyperglycemic and hypolipidmic effects of sea oak(Eisenia bicyclis, EB) in the diabetic state and to examine the appropriateness of formulated EB pill for the effects. The various test materials obtained from EB were included in the experimental diets with 15% fat/0.5% cholesterol and fed to streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice weighing $35.0{\pm}0.7$ g for three weeks but not in the control diet having the same composition. The test materials were EB dry powder, water and ethanol extracts, viscozyme-treated EB water extract(EB enzyme-TR) and formulated pill containing dry powders of the EB, two kinds of seaweed, black soybean, sesame, onion and garlic. BG was measured during feeding period and serum insulin, lipids and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances(TBARS) and intestinal disaccharidase activities were measured at the end of the three weeks of the feeding. BG increase was lower in the EB enzyme-TR group after 10 days of the experimental diet but lower in EB pill group after 15 days compared with the control group. Serum insulin levels were higher in the EB enzyme-TR and EB pill groups. Intestinal maltase but not sucrase activity was higher in EB enzyme-TR fed group than the control group. Serum levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride were reduced by the EB enzyme-TR and EB pill compared with the control diet. HDL-/total cholesterol was increased by all EB test materials. Serum TBARS levels were lower in the EB ethanol extract and EB pill groups than in the control group and tended to be lower in the other EB groups. It is concluded that the EB enzyme-TR is the best among the EB preparations to be utilized as a functional component for improving blood glucose and lipid profile in diabetic subjects in the future. However, the pill containing low level of the EB powder is also regarded as effective and readily usable when formulated with the several other ingredients of the proper composition.(Supported by the RIC Program of MOCIE, Korea).

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.480-494
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• 2013

Globally branded culture festival in the region as a key component to the originality and distinction and with local residents and visitors to share experience and has succeeded in branding through Mind. Than mimics festivals in competitive and differentiated cultures containing festivals create a unique festival brand, and through the cultural and economic competitiveness, as well as the phase of the World Festival and preserve local culture and identity. Developing The best areas will be an asset. In order to build this world-class festival brand differentiation strategy above all, must be a top priority, Discrimination discovery and development of the local culture and sensibility in the age of the most powerful marketing tool that is being presented through storytelling brand assets to be passed on to visitors should. Thus the creation of storytelling festivals. Sensitivity of the festival right direction and in an era of paradigm key drivers of the local economy, such as image enhancement, and building long-term regional development and differentiation based on quality of life by creating a local culture can improve will Region's cultural and economic areas, the most important resource for the success of the festival is uniformly short-term planning and configuration, tube-driven operating as a one-sided non-participation. Sharing. Communication with an emphasis on the application of storytelling that is essential is considered.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.607-614
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• 2015

Cancers are the largest cause of mortality and morbidity all over the world. Cordycepin, an adenosine analog, is a major functional component of the Cordyceps species, which has been widely used in traditional Oriental medicine. Over the last decade, this compound has been reported to possess many pharmacological properties, such as an ability to enhance immune function, as well as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-cancer effects. Recently, numerous studies have reported interesting properties of cordycepin as a chemopreventive agent as well. There is an accumulating body of experimental evidences suggesting that cordycepin impedes cancer progression by promoting apoptosis, inducing cell cycle arrest, modulating intracellular signaling pathways, and inhibiting invasion and metastasis of cancer cells. In many cancer cell lines, cordycepin inhibits growth and cell cycle progression by inducing arrest of the G2/M phase, resulting from the inhibition of retinoblastoma protein phosphorylation and induction of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors. To induce apoptosis, cordycepin activates the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways, which promotes reactive oxygen species generation and the downstream activation of kinase cascades. Cordycepin also can activate alternative pathways to cell death such autophagy. In addition, cordycepin can inhibit the pro-metastatic processes of cancer cell detachment, migration, and invasion through a variety of mechanisms, including the nuclear factor-kappa B and activated protein-1 signaling pathways. In this review, we summarized the variety of action mechanisms by which cordycepin may mediate chemopreventive effects on cancer and discussed the potential of this natural product as a promising therapeutic inhibitor of cancer development.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.266-273
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• 2014

Purpose: We previously reported that human serum significantly reduces the invasion of various oral bacterial species into gingival epithelial cells in vitro. The aims of the present study were to characterize the serum component(s) responsible for the inhibition of bacterial invasion of epithelial cells and to examine their effect on periodontitis induced in mice. Methods: Immortalized human gingival epithelial (HOK-16B) cells were infected with various 5- (and 6-) carboxy-fluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester-labeled oral bacteria, including Fusobacterium nucleatum, Provetella intermedia, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Treponiema denticola, in the absence or presence of three major serum components (human serum albumin [HSA], pooled human IgG [phIgG] and ${\alpha}1$-antitrypsin). Bacterial adhesion and invasion were determined by flow cytometry. The levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activation of small GTPases were examined. Experimental periodontitis was induced by oral inoculation of P. gingivalis and T. denticola in Balb/c mice. Results: HSA and phIgG, but not ${\alpha}1$-antitrypsin, efficiently inhibited the invasion of various oral bacterial species into HOK-16B cells. HSA but not phIgG decreased the adhesion of F. nucleatum onto host cells and the levels of intracellular ROS in HOK-16B cells. N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), a ROS scavenger, decreased both the levels of intracellular ROS and invasion of F. nucleatum into HOK-16B cells, confirming the role of ROS in bacterial invasion. Infection with F. nucleatum activated Rac1, a regulator of actin cytoskeleton dynamics. Not only HSA and NAC but also phIgG decreased the F. nucleatum-induced activation of Rac1. Furthermore, both HSA plus phIgG and NAC significantly reduced the alveolar bone loss in the experimental periodontitis induced by P. gingivalis and T. denticola in mice. Conclusions: NAC and the serum components HSA and phIgG, which inhibit bacterial invasion of oral epithelial cells in vitro, can successfully prevent experimental periodontitis.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.219-228
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• 2015

Excessive microglial activation and subsequent neuroinflammation lead to synaptic loss and dysfunction as well as neuronal cell death, which are involved in the pathogenesis and progression of several neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, the regulation of microglial activation has been evaluated as effective therapeutic strategies. Although dieckol (DEK), one of the phlorotannins isolated from marine brown alga Ecklonia cava, has been previously reported to inhibit microglial activation, the molecular mechanism is still unclear. Therefore, we investigated here molecular mechanism of DEK via extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), Akt and nicotinamide adenine dinuclelotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase-mediated pathways. In addition, the neuroprotective mechanism of DEK was investigated in microglia-mediated neurotoxicity models such as neuron-microglia co-culture and microglial conditioned media system. Our results demonstrated that treatment of anti-oxidant DEK potently suppressed phosphorylation of ERK in lipopolysaccharide (LPS, $1{\mu}g/ml$)-stimulated BV-2 microglia. In addition, DEK markedly attenuated Akt phosphorylation and increased expression of $gp91^{phox}$, which is the catalytic component of NADPH oxidase complex responsible for microglial reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Finally, DEK significantly attenuated neuronal cell death that is induced by treatment of microglial conditioned media containing neurotoxic secretary molecules. These neuroprotective effects of DEK were also confirmed in a neuron-microglia co-culture system using enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-transfected B35 neuroblastoma cell line. Taken together, these results suggest that DEK suppresses excessive microglial activation and microglia-mediated neuronal cell death via downregulation of ERK, Akt and NADPH oxidase-mediated pathways.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 2012

The abnormal maturation and ossification of articular chondrocytes play a central role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Inhibiting the enzymatic degradation of the extracellular matrix and maintaining the cellular phenotype are two of the major goals of interest in managing OA. Ginseng is frequently taken orally, as a crude substance, as a traditional medicine in Asian countries. Ginsenoside $Rb_1$, a major component of ginseng that contains an aglycone with a dammarane skeleton, has been reported to exhibit various biological activities, including anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. However, a chondroprotective effect of ginsenoside $Rb_1$ related to OA has not yet been reported. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the chondroprotective effect of ginsenoside $Rb_1$ on the regulation of pro-inflammatory factors and chondrogenic genes. Cultured rat articular chondrocytes were treated with 100 ${\mu}M$ ginsenoside $Rb_1$ and/or 500 ${\mu}M$ hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) and assessed for viability, reactive oxygen species production, nitric oxide (NO) release, and chondrogenic gene expression. Ginsenoside $Rb_1$ treatment resulted in reductions in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine and NO in $H_2O_2$-treated chondrocytes. The expression levels of chondrogenic genes, such as type II collagen and SOX9, were increased in the presence of ginsenoside $Rb_1$, whereas the expression levels of inflammatory genes related to chondrocytes, such as MMP1 and MMP13, were reduced by approximately 50%. These results suggest that ginsenoside $Rb_1$ has potential for use as a therapeutic agent in OA patients.