• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.25 no.5
• /
• pp.625-633
• /
• 2016

This study was conducted to investigate the influence of hydrophilic polymer (HP) mixture ratio (Control, 1.0%, 2.5%, 5.0%, and 10.0%) on growth of eggplant (Solanum melongena) for lower maintenance urban agriculture via green roofs. Although it was not statistically significant (p > 0.05), substrate temperature was decreased as hydrophilic polymer mixture ratio were increased. High substrate water content (95%) was found consistently in growing media under elevated hydrophilic polymer mixture ratio at over 5% during the entire growing period. Substrate electronic conductivity was increased as hydrophilic polymer mixture ratio were increased. Growth index was decreased as hydrophilic polymer mixture ratio was increased. It was reduced about 1/3 and 1/5 compared to that of Control in HP5.0 and HP10.0 treatment plants, respectively. Number of leaves, leaf length, and leaf width were decreased in following order: Control> HP1.0> HP2.5> HP5.0> HP10.0 treatments. There numbers were significantly lower in HP5.0 and HP10.0 treatment plants. Dry weight of shoot and root were decreased as hydrophilic polymer mixture ratio was increased. They were reduced by 1/4 compared to those of Control treatment plants. In addition, visual value was decreased as hydrophilic polymer mixture ratio was increased. Plants grown in HP1.0, HP2.5, and HP5.0 treatments all survived. However, plants grown in the HP10.0 treatment had the lowest survival rate (56%) after 3 months of growing. These results indicate that the advantage of adding hydrophilic polymer to green roof growing media may greater during dry periods. However, the proper mixture proportion of hydrophilic polymer should be determined according to different characteristics of growing media and plant species.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.859-866
• /
• 1995

This study was done to investigate the effects of chronic ethanol feeding on hepatic microsomal cytochrome system, lipid peroxidation and peroxide metabolizing enzyme activities in 2-acetylaminofluorene(2-AAF) treated rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 120~125g, were pair-fed liquid diets containing 35% of total calories either as ethanol or isocaloric carbohydrates for 6 weeks. After 4 weeks of experimental diet feeding, 2-AAF(100mg/kg body weight) was injected twice a week intraperitoneally. Both weight and percent liver weight per body weight were significantly changed by ethanol feeding. Hepatic microsomal lipid peroxide value and the activities of glutathione(GSH) peroxidase and GSH reductase were not changed by either ethanol or 2-AAF treatment. However the analysis of cytochrome systems showed that both ethanol and 2-AAF increased cytochrome P-450 and bs contents although cytochrome P-450 content was moe affected by 2-AAF while cytochrome b5 content by ethanol. Cytosolic GSH S-transferase activity, which is often elevated during chemical carcinogenesis, also significantly increased by either ethanol feeding or 2-AAF treatment. Overall values for the cytochrome contents and GSH S-transferase activities were highest in 2-AAF treated rats fed ethanol. These results might support the hypothesis that the increase in liver cancer risk associated with chronic ethanol consumption might be due to, at least in part, enhancement of carcinogen bioactivation by ethanol.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.25 no.5
• /
• pp.429-436
• /
• 2010

Keratinase is widely used in certain industrial applications. The present study sought to improve the culture conditions of Bacillus subtilis SMMJ-2 to facilitate mass production of keratinase. Strain SMMJ-2 was irradiated by ultraviolet light and the resulting isolates were tested for keratinase activity. Isolates displaying elevated keratinase activity were selected and used to determine the optimum temperature (24, 30, 37, 45, $55^{\circ}C$) for bacterial keratinase production during a 4 day incubation period. The highest enzyme activity (55 units/mL/min), from a Bacillus subtilis SMMJ-2 mutant (mutant No. 2) was demonstrated following incubation at $30^{\circ}C$. The effects of carbon and nitrogen sources on keratinase production were confirmed by measuring the enzyme activity from the culture broth of the mutant strain cultured in various media containing different carbon source and nitrogen sources during a 4 day period. The optimal medium composition for producing keratinase consisted of 1% glucose, 0.7% $K_2HPO_4$, 0.2% $K_2HPO_4$, and 1.2% soybean meal. Optimal initial pH and temperature for producing keratinase were 7.0 and $30^{\circ}C$, respectively. Keratinases produced by B. subtilis SMMJ-2 and the mutant No. 2 were purified from the culture broth which used soybean meal as a nitrogen source. Membrane ultrafiltration, DEAE-sephacel ion exchange and Sephadex G-100 gel chromatography were used to purify the enzymes. The purified keratinases from both B. subtilis SMMJ-2 and the mutant No. 2 showed single bands and their molecular weights were estimated as 28 kDa and 42 kDa, respectively on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.21-25
• /
• 2004

The electrochemical behaviors of dissolved hydrogen and hydrogen peroxide at a platinum disk electrode were investigated in boric acid solution by potentiostatic polarization method at the temperature of 25 and $200^{\circ}C$. The oxidation of dissolved hydrogen at $25^{\circ}C$ was kinetically controlled reaction, the rate of which depends upon the electron transfer on the electrode surface. As temperature was raised, however, the electrochemical characteristics of dissolved hydrogen were changed from a kinetically controlled reaction to a diffusion controlled one. One notable feature, with dissolved hydrogen at high temperature, is that an abnormal potential range was observed, where the oxidation rate of dissolved hydrogen rapidly decreased just before starting potential of water oxidation. We think it is caused by the deactivation of the electrode that results from the adsorption of hydroxyl ion on the surface of the platinum disk. On the contrary, a definite change with temperature was not identified in the case of the hydrogen peroxide except for the increase in current density that was due to the increasing diffusion coefcient with an increase of temperature.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.99-129
• /
• 2014

This research estimates the impact of population aging on energy use and carbon emissions by energy sources and by industrial sectors in Korea until 2035. For the estimation, the structural change in household consumption expenditure identified by the age-specific consumption pattern was analyzed in conjunction with energy and environment input-output tables. The estimation result presents that, despite the population aging, energy use and carbon emissions induced by household consumption continue to increase until 2026, and then that elevated levels of energy use and carbon emissions will be maintained for a considerable period of time. According to the estimation by energy sources, the use of natural gas will show substantial increase while the use of crude oil will switch to a downturn at a relatively early period. According to the estimation by industrial sectors, carbon emissions in the sectors with relatively high consumption share of old households such as medical health, dwelling, lighting, heating, air-conditioning, and food will have substantial increase, whereas those in the sectors associated with education, transport, catering, and accommodation services will turn downward relatively early. In addition, the study analyzes through policy simulation the impact of aging-related policy similar to the basic pension system, which is recently being discussed for legislation, on energy use and carbon emissions.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.103 no.1
• /
• pp.80-86
• /
• 2014

$^{210}Pb$ dating was conducted to examine the influence of land use changes in the forest catchment on lake sedimentation. The Kushiro River, into which Lake Takkobu drains under regular flow conditions, contributed to an increased sedimentation rate in sampling point at the lake outflow because turbid water from the Kushiro River flows back into Lake Takkobu during floods. The elevated sediment flux from the catchment dilutes the $^{210}Pb$ concentration in sampling points at the inflow of the Takkobu River and the lake outflow, which causes fluctuations in the $^{210}Pb$ concentrations in sediment cores. The $^{210}Pb$ dating was estimated using the CRS (Constant rate of Supply) model. The dates by the CRS model in Lake Takkobu profiles were in good agreement with the dates by $^{137}Cs$. Sedimentation rates reconstructed for the past 100-150 years suggested that sedimentation rates increased drastically following land use changes. While a natural sedimentation rate of $0.01-0.03g/cm^2/year$ is observed until the 1880s, whereas lake sedimentation accelerated to $0.03-0.09g/cm^2/year$ following land use changes such as deforestation and channelization, between the 1880s and 1940s. In particular, the sedimentation rates have been associated with deforestation, channelization, agricultural development and road construction, since the 1980s, and these rates were about 9-28 times higher than those under natural conditions, leading to accelerated lake shallowing.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.45 no.11
• /
• pp.1571-1579
• /
• 2016

We investigated the effect of peanut sprout extract (PSE) on andropause symptoms. PSE was evaluated for impotency and benign prostatic hyperplasia via phosphodiesterase (PDE) or 5-alpha reductase II inhibition assay. Inhibition of PDE and 5-alpha reductase II activities in PSE was significantly higher than that of the non-treated control. To investigate the effects of testosterone levels by PSE, we performed cell media test using TM3 cells. Production of testosterone in TM3 cells was elevated by PSE. These results indicate that PSE was able to alleviate andropause symptoms.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.45 no.11
• /
• pp.1580-1588
• /
• 2016

The 70% ethanol extract from Adenophora triphylla showed a strong antioxidant effect and reduced cytotoxicity of $H_2O_2$ in SK-N-SH cells. The chloroform fraction from A. triphylla extract (AT-CH) among the six fractions showed strong DPPH radical and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger effects and the highest protective effect against $H_2O_2$-induced SK-N-SH cell death. Bioactivity compounds were purified from AT-CH, and the chemical structures of the compounds were determined as ${\beta}$-sitosterol and daucosterol on the basis of $^1H-NMR$, $^{13}C-NMR$, and EI mass spectra. ${\beta}$-Sitosterol and daucosterol also had protective effects against oxidative stress in SK-N-SH cells. Phospho-p38 MAPK levels were elevated by $H_2O_2$ but were inhibited by treatment with AT-CH and phytosterols (${\beta}$-sitosterol and daucosterol) isolated from AT-CH. These results suggest that AT-CH has brain neuroprotective effects against oxidative stress ($H_2O_2$) by inhibiting activation of p38 pathways and scavenging intracellular ROS.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.81-87
• /
• 2012

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to assess the association between the pre-operative plasma fibrinogen level and the adjacent organ involvement in advanced gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: A total of 923 pre-operative plasma samples were obtained from 923 patients diagnosed clinically as having advanced gastric cancer, and fibrinogen levels were measured by immunoassay. Associations between fibrinogen levels and clinicopathologic findings (depth of tumor, adjacent organ involvement, and lymph node metastasis), along with survival were examined by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Tumor size, tumor depth, and the presence of lymph node metastasis were found to be positively correlated with the preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels (P<0.001). Fifty (5.4%) patients had adjacent organ involvement. Lymphatic invasion (P<0.001), tumor size (P<0.001), clinical T (depth of invasion) stage (P<0.001), and clinical nodal stage (P=0.018) were found to be associated with adjacent organ involvement. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses showed that a preoperatively elevated plasma fibrinogen level was associated with adjacent organ involvement (P<0.001, 0.028), and Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that it was associated with poorer survival (P<0.001). Conclusions: Plasma fibrinogen was found to be a clinically useful marker of adjacent organ involvement and overall survival. When a high fibrinogen level is encountered, preoperatively, adjacent organ involvement should be suspected in clinically advanced gastric cancer.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.23 no.6
• /
• pp.1341-1348
• /
• 2009

Hoechunyanggyeok-san (HYS) is a traditional oriental herbal medicine widely used for treating inflammatory disorders. Although there are numerous clinical results of HYS reported in the literature of oriental hebal medicine, it has been rarely conducted to evaluate the immuno-biological activity. The present study was conducted to examine the anti-inflammatory effects of HYS extract (HYSE) in vivo and in vitro. To determine the cytotoxic concentration of HYSE, cell viability was tested by MTT assay. All four doses of HYSE (0.01, 0.03, 0.10 and 0.30 mg/ml) had no significant cytotoxicity during the entire experimental period. In order to measure NO levels in culture medium, the cells were treated with $1\;{\mu}g/ml$ of LPS 1h before adding HYSE for 24 h and then culture medium were reacted with Griess reagent. Increased NO production and iNOS expression were detected in LPS-activated cells compared to control. However, these increases were dose-dependently attenuated by treatment with HYSE. LPS plays a key role in leading to the massive production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-$\alpha$, IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-6 in macrophages. Thus, we next determined the levels of these cytokines. HYSE reduced the elevated production of TNF-$\alpha$, IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-6 by LPS. Moreover, the effects of HYSE were in a dose-dependent manner. In vivo, histopathological study, HYSE effectively inheefed the increases of hind paw skin thicknesses and inflammatory cell infiltrations induced by carrageenan treatment. It, therefore, considered that HYSE will be favorably inheefed the acute edematous inanner. In s. These findings showed that HYSE could have anti-inflammatory effects through the reduction of NO and inflammatory cytokines in macrophage. Furthermore, the reduction of carrageenan-induced paw oedema by HYSE helps to understand its actions on inflammatory conditions.