• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.1357-1362
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• 1999

For the study of human intestinal environments with the intestinal bacteria producing ${\beta}-glucuronidase\;and \;7{\alpha}-dehydroxylase$, genus Clostridium, known as the producer, were isolated from the fecal microflora. Through screening twice for one person, fecal microflora without major bacterial group seemed to be changed, which indicated the microflora would be changeable by the diet factors. With using Neomycin-Nagler selective medium during the screening, 14 Clostridium spp. were isolated and then the harmful enzyme activities were determined. Isolate-11 among them produced strongly ${\beta}-glucuronidase$ and its activity was 0.021 unit/mg Protein. However, the strain producing $7{\alpha}-dehydroxylase$ was not isolated. The Isolate-11 was tentatively identified as Clostridium scatologenes through cultural and physiological characteristic.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.597-602
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• 2017

A method is proposed to secure the reliability of the antibacterial test method for textile materials used in the military. Antibacterial activity refers to the inhibition of bacterial growth and removal of harmful bacteria. Through KS K 0693 'Antibacterial Test Method for Textile Material', it is considered that there is a high possibility of error due to the human eye measurement. Therefore, the measurement reliability is improved by applying the image processing. As a result of the measurement, the proposed method showed a difference of about 0.9% compared with the results by conventional test method. The proposed method has the merits that the reliability can be secured by eliminating the error of the measurer, and the measurement time can be reduced.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.101-119
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• 2021

The demand for clean water is virtually present in all modern human societies even as our society has developed increasingly more advanced and sophisticated technologies to improve human life. However, as global climate change begins to show more dramatic effects in many regions in the world, the demand for a cheap, effective way to treat wastewater or to remove harmful bacteria, microbes, viruses, and other solvents detrimental to human health has continued to remain present and remains as important as ever. Well-established synthetic membranes composed of polyaniline (PANI), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and others have been extensively studied to gather information regarding the characteristics and performance of the membrane, but recent studies have shown that making these synthetic membranes conductive to electrical current by doping the membrane with another material or incorporating conductive materials onto the surface of the membrane, such as allotropes of carbon, have shown to increase the performance of these membranes by allowing the adjustability of pore size, improving antifouling and making the antibacterial property better. In this review, modern electrically conductive membranes are compared to conventional membranes and their performance improvements under electric fields are discussed, as well as their potential in water filtration and wastewater treatment applications.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.282-289
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• 2022

Background: Airborne fungi are ubiquitous in the air and exposure to an airborne fungus can be a significant risk factor. The composition of fungi has been potentially important for human health, especially for respiratory diseases like asthma and atopic dermatitis. Therefore, we attempted to ascertain what kind of airborne fungi affect human health at a nationwide level. Objectives: This study was carried out to provide information on indoor fungi distribution at multi-use facilities throughout South Korea. Methods: We classified our data by region and public facility after collection, cultivation, and identification via the sequencing of the ITS (internal transcribed spacer) region. We investigated whether or not the proliferation of HaCaT cells was affected by the identified airborne fungi. Results: In our data, the most isolated airborne fungi by region were Penicillium spp (Seoul, Daegu), Periconia sp (Gyeonggi-do), Iprex sp (Gangwon-do), Phanerochaete sp (Busan), Bjerkandera sp (Gwangju), and Aspergillus sp (Jeju-do). In the public facilities, the most detected fungi were Cladosporium sp (public transport), Penicillium sp (apartment house, retail market, financial institution, karaoke room), Bjerokandera sp (underground parking lot, public toilet, medical institution), Periconia sp (retail store), and Fusarium sp (general restaurant). Next, we selected twenty airborne fungi to examine their cytotoxicity and proliferation of human skin cells. In this experiment, the proliferation of the cells was influenced by most of the identified fungi. In case of the cytotoxicity test, most genera except for Rhodotorula sp and Moesziomyces sp showed cytotoxicity in HaCaT cells. Conclusions: The distribution of mold in the indoor air in multi-use facilities in South Korea differs from region to region, and this is an indicator that should be considered in future health impact studies. In addition, as a result of culturing about 20 types of bacteria dominant in indoor air, it was found that most (90%) inhibit the growth of skin cells, which can be harmful to health. An in-depth study of the health effects of floating fungi is needed.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.757-761
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• 2014

Olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) is an important aquaculture fish species in Jeju Island, South Korea. Due to the intensification of flounder fish farming, huge amounts of chemical antibiotics are used against several fish diseases. This has many harmful side effects on fish, as well as human consumers. Hence, an alternative to chemical antibiotic agents is needed for disease control. In this study, three strains of rhizobacteria (BRH433-2, TRH415-2, and THJ609-3) were isolated from the rhizosphere of plants. Assays of their antibacterial activity against fish pathogens, such as S. iniae, S. parauberis, V. anguillarum, and E. tarda, were performed with untreated broth culture (without cell separation), supernatant, and precipitated pellets separated by centrifugation. Among these, the cell suspension prepared from the precipitated pellet showed significant antimicrobial activity when compared with that of the untreated broth culture and centrifugal supernatant. These results indicate that the three isolated rhizobacterial strains exhibit antibacterial activity. Analysis of the 16S rDNA sequences of the BRH-433-2, THJ609-3, and TRH415-2 strains showed the highest similarity to Burkholderia gladioli (99.5%), Pseudomonas baetica (97.7%), and P. koreensis and P. baetica (98.4%), respectively. We suggest that the strains hold promise in disease management of fish.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.116-131
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• 2017

Purpose: The entry of bacteria or harmful substances through the epithelial seal of human gingival keratinocytes (HGKs) in the junctional epithelium (JE) is blocked by specialized intercellular junctions such as E-cadherin junctions (ECJs). However, the influence of roughened substrates, which may occur due to apical migration of the JE, root planing, or peri-implantitis, on the development of the ECJs of HGKs remains largely unknown. Methods: HGKs were cultured on substrates with varying levels of roughness, which were prepared by rubbing hydrophobic polystyrene dishes with silicon carbide papers. The activity of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) was inhibited with SP600125 or by transfection with JNK short hairpin RNA. The development of intercellular junctions was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy or confocal laser scanning microscopy after immunohistochemical staining of the cells for E-cadherin. The expression level of phospho-JNK was assessed by immunoblotting. Results: HGKs developed tight intercellular junctions devoid of wide intercellular gaps on smooth substrates and on rough substrates with low-nanometer dimensions (average roughness $[Ra]=121.3{\pm}13.4nm$), although the ECJs of HGKs on rough substrates with low-nanometer dimensions developed later than those of HGKs on smooth substrates. In contrast, HGKs developed short intercellular junctions with wide intercellular gaps on rough substrates with mid- or high-nanometer dimensions ($Ra=505.3{\pm}115.3nm$, $867.0{\pm}168.6nm$). Notably, the stability of the ECJs was low on the rough substrates, as demonstrated by the rapid destruction of the cell junction following calcium depletion. Inhibition of JNK activity promoted ECJ development in HGKs. JNK was closely associated with cortical actin in the regulation of ECJs in HGKs. Conclusions: These results indicate that on rough substrates with nanometer dimensions, the ECJs of HGKs develop slowly or defectively, and that this effect can be reversed by inhibiting JNK.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.283-292
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• 2005

This study investigated the effects of naringin, and chitosan in rabbits' corneas. Naringin, a glycone of naringenin, is a widely distributed bioflavonoid in the grapefruit and citrus peel, and it has already been reported as an antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer agent. It has been used as a food preservatives and cosmetics. One of the natural preservatives, chitosan has also used in food preservatives, health drinks, and teas. Chitosan is distributed in the epithelium of crustacea, insects, and fungi. Naringin and chitosan have no harmful effects of cytotoxicity in the human body and they are recognized as an antibacterial for various forms of bacteria. The purpose of this study is to search for the ideal percentage of natural products to substitute the chemical preservatives occuring within the cornea and conjunctiva cytotoxicity and inflammations as wearing on soft contact lens. The present study compared the morphology of corneal epithelium and endothelium observed by light microscopy (LM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In vivo methods, We investigated the effects of natural preservatives on soft contact lens. We inserted 3-4 drops of the naringin and chitosan, directly on rabbits' corneas 4 times per a day during one week. After enucleation of cornea, morphorgical damages of the epithelium and endothelium were observed by LM and TEM. In view of ultrastructure, chitosan caused siginficant damage on the epithelium and endothelium of cornea. The damage of cells was higher in chitosan treated cornea than 0.01, 0.1, and 1% of naringin. The 1% of naringin also expressed cell damage seriously. The results suggest that the most important thing is to use the reasonable percentage of preservatives for contact lens solutions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.54-59
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• 1997

After extracting Caridina denticulata denticulata, the raw material of salt-fermented Toha, with the use of water, ether, acetone and methanol in order, we had the antimicrobial activity test for nine strains of bacteria which are harmful to the human body and food. It is as follows; solvent extract yield of the powder of vacuum freeze dried Caridina denticulata denticulata was 52% of water fraction, 7.4% of ether fraction, 1.0% of acetone fraction and 0.8% of methanol fraction. The result of solvent extract antimicrobial search of Caridina denticulata denticulata said that with the sample of 20$\mu\textrm{g}$/disk, ether fraction resulted in clear one of 8~12mm, acetone fraction 8~12mm, methanol fraction 7~9mm and water fraction didn't have antimicrobial effect. The minimal inhibitory concentration of solvent extract of Caridina denticulata denticulata per area was that ether fraction was 250~500$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$, acetone fraction 125~500$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ and methanol fraction 250~500$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$. The minimal bactericidal concentration of solvent extract per area of Caridina denticulata denticulata showed that ether fraction was 2, 500~10, 000$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$, acetone fraction 1, 250~10, 000$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ and methanol fraction 5, 000~10, 000$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.500-508
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• 2024

Recently, there has been increasing interest in enhancing the indoor air quality, particularly in response to the growing utilization of public facilities. The focus of this study was on assessing the efficacy and safety of an air sterilizer equipped with electrolytic salt catalysts. To that end, we evaluated the antimicrobial activity of the vapor spraying from the air sterilizer and its cytotoxicity in condensed form on human cell lines (HaCaT, BEAS-2B, and THP-1). Against the test organisms, which comprised five bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium) and one fungal strain (Candida albicans), the air sterilizer exhibited relatively high antimicrobial activities ranging from 10.89 to 73.98% following 1 and 3 hr of vapor spraying, which were notably time-dependent. Importantly, cytotoxicity assessments on human cells indicated no significant harmful effect even at a 1.0% concentration. Comprehensive safety evaluations included morphological observations, gene expression (Bcl-2, Bax) tests, and FACS analysis of intracellular ROS levels. Consistent with previous cytotoxicity findings, these estimates demonstrated no significant changes, highlighting the air sterilizer's safety and antimicrobial activities. In a simulated 20-hr operation within an indoor environment, the air sterilizer not only showed an 89.4% removal of total bacteria but also a 100.0% removal of Escherichia sp. and fungi. This research outlines the potential of the developed electrolytic salt catalyst air sterilizer to effectively remove indoor microbial pollutants without compromising human safety, underscoring the solution that it offers for improving indoor air quality.