• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.175-181
• /
• 1985

Agrobacterium tumefaciens induces cancerous growths called crown galls at wound sites on dicotyledonous plants. A large plasmid called Ti plasmid is responsible for virulence. Upon tumor induction, part of the plasmid, termed T-DNA, becomes integrated into plant genome and its genetic sequences are expressed. These properties allow Ti plasmids to be used as gene vectors in plants. Several in vitro methods for the transfer of Ti plasmid into plant cell have been developed. One of them is the treatment of bacterial spheroplasts and plant protoplasts mixture with polyethylene glycol that is generally used as fusogen in cell-to-cell fusion. Several workers investigated the interaction of bacterial spheroplasts with plant protoplasts in the presence of polyethylene glycol and suggested that the interaction is not fusion but endocytosis. In this report we observed the interaction of Agrobacterium tumefaciens spheroplasts with Nicotiana tabacum protoplasts by electron microscope. Agrobacterium tumefaciens spheroplasts and Nicotiana tabacum protoplasts were prepared and mixed in the presence of polyethylene glycol and high pH-high $Ca^{2+}$ buffer. Then the interaction of the spheroplasts with the protoplasts was examined by transmission electron microscope. After the treatment of polyethylene glycol the spheroplasts adhered to the surface of the protoplasts and then they were engulfed by the protoplasts. After the high pH-high $Ca^{2+}$ buffer treatment the engulfed spheroplasts lost their cell integrity. No fusion process was observed. Thus all these observations suggest that the introduction process of Agrobacterium tumefaciens spheroplasts into Nicotiana tabacum protoplasts with the aid of polyethylene glycol is endocytosis.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.104-109
• /
• 2000

Three different white cast irons alloyed with Cr, V, Mo and W were prepared in order to study their abrasion wear behavior in as-cast and heat-treated conditions. The specimens were produced using a 15㎏-capacity high frequency induction furnace. Melts were super-heated to $1600^{\circ}C$, and poured at $1550^{\circ}C$ into Y-block pepset molds. Three combinations of the alloying elements were selected so as to obtain the different types of carbides : 3%C-10%Cr-5%Mo-5%W(alloy No. 1: $M_7C_3$ and $M_6C$), 3%C -10%V-5%Mo-5%W(alloy No. 2: MC and $M_2C$) and 3%C-17%Cr-3%V(alloy No. 3: $M_7C_3$ only). A scratching type abrasion test was carried out in the states of as-cast(AS), homogenizing(AH), air-hardening(AHF) and tempering(AHFT). First of all, the as-cast specimens were homogenized at $950^{\circ}C$ for 5h under the vacuum atmosphere. Then, they were austenitized at $1050^{\circ}C$ for 2h and followed by air-hardening in air. The air-hardened specimens were tempered at $300^{\circ}C$ for 3h. 1 ㎏ load was applied in order to contact the specimen with abrading wheel which was wound by 120 mesh SiC paper. The wear loss of the test piece(dimension: $50{\times}50{\times}5$ mm) was measured after one cycle of wear test and this procedure was repeated up to 8 cycles. In all the specimens, the abrasion wear loss was found to decrease in the order of AH, AS, AHFT and AHF states. Abrasion wear loss was lowest in the alloy No.2 and highest in the alloy No.1 except for the as-cast and homogenized condition in which the alloy No.3 showed the highest abrasion wear loss. The lowest abrasion wear loss of the alloy No.2 could be attributed to the fact that it contained primary and eutectic MC carbides, and eutectic $M_2C$ carbide with extremely high hardness. The matrix of each specimen was fully pearlitic in the as-cast state but it was transformed to martensite, tempered martensite and austenite depending upon the type of heat-treatment. From these results, it becomes clear that MC carbide is a significant phase to improve the abrasion wear resistance.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.48 no.4
• /
• pp.381-388
• /
• 2020

Bioluminescence refers to the production and emission of light in living organisms. This phenomenon arises from luciferase-catalyzed oxidation reaction of luciferin. Bioluminescence is widely observed in marine vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as in some microorganisms and fungi. To date, approximately 80 species of fungi have been reported to be luminous. One such example is Omphalotus japonicus, which is a luminous fungus found in Korea. In this study, we examined the bioluminescence of Omphalotus japonicus mycelia. Light emission was detected at the edges of mycelia grown on solid agar medium. Notably, the intensity of bioluminescence was found to be significantly enhanced following wound induction. The increase in light intensity peaked at 3 h after mechanical damage. We also investigated the effects of extreme temperatures on bioluminescence. Unlike mechanical damage, high and low temperatures repressed the light emission from mycelia. Further investigations are required to reveal the physiological and ecological properties of fungal bioluminescent responses to environmental stresses.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.44 no.3
• /
• pp.402-417
• /
• 2023

Objective: Liver fibrosis is a highly conserved wound-healing response and the final common pathway of chronic inflammatory injury. This study aimed to evaluate the potential anti-fibrotic effect of the combination of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma water extract (RW) and silymarin in a thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver fibrosis model. Methods: The liver fibrosis mouse model was established through the intraperitoneal injection of TAA (1 week 100 mg/kg, 2-3 weeks 200 mg/kg, 4-8 weeks 400 mg/kg) three times per week for eight weeks. Animal experiments were conducted in five groups; Normal, Control (TAA-induced liver fibrosis mice), Sily (silymarin 50 mg/kg), RSL (RW 50 mg/kg+silymarin 50 mg/kg), and RSH (RW 100 mg/kg+silymarin 50 mg/kg). Biochemical analyses were measured in serum, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), malondialdehyde (MDA), and ammonia levels. Liver inflammatory cytokines and fibrous biomarkers were measured by Western blot analysis, and liver histopathology was evaluated through tissue staining. Results: A significant decrease in the liver function markers AST and ALT and a reduction in ammonia and total bilirubin were observed in the group treated with RSL and RSH. Measurement of reactive oxygen species and MDA revealed a significant decrease in the RSL and RSH administration group compared to the TAA induction group. The expression of extracellular matrix-related proteins, such as transforming growth factor β1, α-smooth muscle actin, and collagen type I alpha 1, was likewise significantly decreased. All drug-administered groups had increased matrix metalloproteinase-9 but a decreasing tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1. RSL and RSH exerted a significant upregulation of NADPH oxidase 2, p22^phox, and p47^phox, which are oxidative stress-related factors. Furthermore, pro-inflammatory proteins such as cyclooxygenase 2 and interleukin-1β were markedly suppressed through the inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B activation. Conclusions: The administration of RW and silymarin suppressed the NADPH oxidase factor protein level and showed a tendency to reduce inflammation-related enzymes. These results suggest that the combined administration of RW and silymarin improves acute liver injury induced by TAA.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.27-33
• /
• 1997

Retrograde myocardial protection is widely accepted in CABG operation because of the limitations of the antegrade method in the coronary arterial stenosis lesions. We analyzed 76 c ses of retrograde myocardial protection among 96 cases of CABG operation performed between April 1994 and August 1995, There were 48 males and 25 females, and the mean age was 58.2 $\pm$ 8.3 years. 53 patients (70%) were operated for unstable angina, 14 (18%) for stable angina, 6 (8%) for post-infarct angina, 1 (1%) for acute myocardial infarction, and 2()%) for failed PTCA. Preoperative coronary angiography revealed 3-vessel disease in 42 cases, 2-vessel disease in 11, 1-vessel disease in 10, and left main disease in 13 cases. We used SVG(63 cases), LIMA(69 cases), RIMA(11 cases), radial artery(6 cases), and gastroepiploic artery(1 case) for the grafts. Mean anastomosis was 3.2 $\pm$ 1.1. We protected the myocardium with antegrade induction and retrograde maintenance in all the cases except a case of retrograde induction and maintenance. During the aortic cross-clamping, blood cardioplegia was administered intermittently in 19 cases, and continuously in 57 In 39 cases, we used retrograde ardioplegia and antegrade perfusion of RCA graft simultaneously. We had no operative motality. Perioperative complications were arrhythmia in 15 cases, perioperatve myocardial infarction in 10, low cardiac output syndrome In 8, transient neurologic problem in 7, transient psychiatric problem in 6, ARF in 3, bleeding in 2, pneumonia in 2, wound infection in 1, and duodenal ulcer perforation in 1 . In this report, we experienced 76 cases of CABG operation with retrograde myocardial protection under the acceptable operative risk without operative mortality.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.237-242
• /
• 2002

Loaves, stems, cotyledons, and roots of Hovenia dulcis Thunb grown in test tube were cultured on media containing different concentrations of single or combined growth regulators. In MS media containing 2mg/ι BA, the shoot formation rate was 95.5% and it was the highest frequency of shoot formation. MS media showed most efficiency in the shoot formation at 0.01mg/ι TDZ for the callus formation, but the color of callus changed to brown at a higher concentration of TDZ. Callus formation was 89.% at 0.5mg/ 2.4-D, but IAA, IBA, and NAA were not effective on the formation of callus. Calli were formed only on wound area when IAA, IBA, and NAA were added into MS media. Combined growth regulators (BA + auxin) were more effective in roots and nodes than leaves and cotyledons on the formation of shoot. More than 97％ of shoot formation was obtained on MS media containing BA and auxin. For the production of multiple shoot, nodes of Hovenia dulcis were used and effect of growth regulators on the formation of multiple shoot was evaluated on MS media. Highest shoots (5.3) of Hovenia dulcis were induced on MS media supplied with 0.1mg/ι BA and 0.1mg/ι NAA, and an average of 6.4 shoots per explant were obtained in 1/2 MS media containing same concentration and growth regulators. An average of 7 shoots per explant after 4 weeks of culture from nodes of Hovenia dulcis was produced on a woody plant medium(WPM) containing 0.1mg/ι BA and 0.1mg/ι NAA. Shoot length was 6.0 cm in average.