• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.295-304
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• 2021

Background: Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a hematopoietic malignancy driven by promyelocytic leukemia-retinoic acid receptor A (PML-RARA) fusion gene. The therapeutic drugs currently used to treat APL have adverse effects. 20(S)-ginsenoside Rh2 (GRh2) is an anticancer medicine with high effectiveness and low toxicity. However, the underlying anticancer mechanisms of GRh2-induced PML-RARA degradation and apoptosis in human APL cell line (NB4 cells) remain unclear. Methods: Apoptosis-related indicators and PML-RARA expression were determined to investigate the effect of GRh2 on NB4 cells. Z-VAD-FMK, LY294002, and C 87, as inhibitors of caspase, and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) pathways were used to clarify the relationship between GRh2-induced apoptosis and PML-RARA degradation. Results: GRh2 dose- and time-dependently decreased NB4 cell viability. GRh2-induced apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and caspase3, caspase8, and caspase9 activation in NB4 cells after a 12-hour treatment. GRh2-induced apoptosis in NB4 cells was accompanied by massive production of reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial damage and upregulated Bax/Bcl-2 expression. GRh2 also induced PML/PML-RARA degradation, PML nuclear bodies formation, and activation of the downstream p53 pathway in NB4 cells. Z-VAD-FMK inhibited caspase activation and significantly reversed GRh2-induced apoptosis and PML-RARA degradation. GRh2 also upregulated TNF-α expression and inhibited Akt phosphorylation. LY294002, an inhibitor of the PI3K pathway, enhanced the antitumor effects of GRh2, and C 87, an inhibitor of the TNF-α pathway, reversed NB4 cell viability, and GRh2-mediated apoptosis in a caspase-8-dependent manner. Conclusion: GRh2 induced caspase-dependent PML-RARA degradation and apoptosis in NB4 cells via the Akt/Bax/caspase9 and TNF-α/caspase8 pathways.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.8-16
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• 2021

Purpose: This study was conducted to analyze the social factors influencing the 'authenticity of suicidal ideation' based post-suicidal care programs in emergency departments (EDs). Methods: This retrospective study was an analysis using the data of patients who had attempted suicide and visited the ED in tertiary urban hospitals from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2018. The variables examined included gender, age, history of previous psychiatric disease, suicide method, and the number of previous attempts. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors influencing the registration rate for the community-based post-suicide care program. Results: Overall,1,460 suicides were analyzed, 177 (1.16%) showed a high authenticity of suicide. The social factors influencing the authenticity of suicide intent were the unmarried status of men and women, joblessness, history of mental illnesses, more than two previous suicide attempts, the influence of alcohol, and an attempt to commit suicide after midnight more specifically between 24:00 to 6:00 hours in the morning (p<.05). The factors influencing the severity of the condition of high authenticity suicide patients were low Glasgow coma scores (12 points or less), lactate levels, and oxygen saturation observed in the patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit for treatment and died (p<.05). Conclusion: The need for evidence-based preventive measures and early assessment tools at the emergency medicine level is emphasized to reduce the rate of suicide attempts. If the results of this study are used in the management of suicide prevention, the evaluation of the authenticity of suicide intent will be more likely to be made at the emergency medicine level, allowing the severity to be assessed earlier.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.163-168
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• 2021

A 6-year-old, spayed female, Maltese dog with tachypnea and dry cough was presented to Gyeongsang National University Veterinary Medical Teaching hospital. On physical examination, its respiration rate was 132 per minute. Decreased partial pressure of oxygen, partial pressure of carbon dioxide, and hyperlactatemia were found on arterial blood gas analysis. Its diastolic blood pressure was 80 mmHg. Auscultation revealed arrhythmia. Electrocardiogram revealed P pulmonale, P mitrale, and ventricular premature complexes. Thoracic radiographs revealed mild enlargement of both atrium and moderate enlargement of the left ventricular. There was also a moderate alveolar pattern in the right and caudal part of the left cranial lung lobe. Two-dimensional echocardiography showed enlargement of generalized four chambers without remarkable findings of valvular degeneration. M-mode echocardiography showed decreased left ventricular fractional shortening and enlarged left ventricular internal diameter at both end-systolic and end-diastolic. Color-flow Doppler imaging revealed eccentric turbulent flow starting below the left ventricular outflow tract and extending into the left atrium during systole. Spectral Doppler recordings revealed a high velocity flow through the mitral, tricuspid, aorta, and pulmonic regurgitation. Restrictive transmitral flow revealed high E-wave velocity, short E-wave deceleration time, and reduced A-wave velocity. There was also low ejection velocity thorough left ventricular out tract flow. Based on echocardiographic examination, dilated cardiomyopathy was the tentative diagnosis. The dog was medicated with inotropes, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, and diuretics. At the 10-day following-up, the dog died suddenly. This report describes echocardiographic diagnosis and prognosis of dilated cardiomyopathy rarely reported in small breed dogs.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.60-66
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• 2021

As the concentration of nitrogen in the sewage flowing into the sewage treatment plant increases due to urbanization and industrialization, the degree of adverse effects such as eutrophication and toxicity to the aquatic ecosystem is also increasing. In order to treat sewage containing high concentration of nitrogen, various studies on the biological nitrogen removal process are being conducted. Existing biological nitrogen removal processes require significant costs for supplying oxygen and supplementing external carbon sources. In this respect, as a high-level nitrogen removal process with economic improvement is required, an anaerobic ammonium oxidation process (ANAMMOX), which is more efficient and economical than the existing nitrification and denitrification processes, has been proposed. The purpose of this study is to confirm the stability of the ANAMMOX process in the water treatment process and to derive the ratio of ammonia nitrogen (NH4+) to nitrite nitrogen (NO2-) for the implementation of the mainstream ANAMMOX process. A laboratory-scale Mainstream ANAMMOX reactor was operated by applying the ratio calculated based on the substrate ratio suggested in the previous study. In the initial range, the removal efficiency of NH4+ was 58~86%, and the average removal efficiency was 70%. In the advanced range, the removal efficiency of NH4+ was 94~99%, and the average removal efficiency was 95%. As a result of the study, as the NH4+/NO2- ratio increased, the stability of the mainstream ANAMMOX process was secured, and it was confirmed that the NH4+ removal efficiency and the total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency increased. As a result, the results of this study are expected to be used as basic data in the application of the ANAMMOX process in the mainstream.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.108-114
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• 2022

In this study, the antioxidant effect of black sea ginseng containing a large amount of eicosapentaenoic acid, a natural physiologically active substance, was investigated, and its superiority as a functional cosmetic raw material was presented. The ability of the sea cucumber extract to remove active oxygen was evaluated for the inhibitory effect on intracellular nitric oxide (NO) production. The physiologically active substances of sea cucumber have an antioxidant effect that removes free radicals, and as a result of evaluation, it was confirmed that excellent NO production was suppressed. Studies have shown that bioactive substances are involved in antioxidant effects, immune and inflammatory response regulation by showing high antioxidant efficacy even at low concentrations. It is thought that the antioxidant removal ability of sea cucumber greatly contributes to the antioxidant efficacy of phenolic components containing EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) of the sea cucumber extract. It was found to be similar to the report that the antioxidant component of sea cucumber works. In addition, it is excellent for wound healing with the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) component contained in a large amount of sea cucumber extract, which has been proven to be involved in the inhibitory effect of inflammatory activity. As a result of this study, it was confirmed that the effect of the phenol component contained in the sea cucumber extract had a close causal relationship with the antioxidant activity.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.699-707
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• 2021

Hwajinpo Lagoon, located on the eastern coast of Korea, is a unique environment where freshwater and saltwater are mixed. Systematic management of the lagoon is required because it is a biodiversity-rich and area of high conservation value. The existing environment of the lagoon was evaluated by identifying the distribution of the groundwater level and groundwater flow characteristics. In addition, hydrogeochemical fluctuations were analyzed to determine the effect of seawater intrusion into the aquifer. The results demonstrate that the freshwater-saltwater interface is distributed throughout the aquifer and rises when water of the lagoon evaporates due to prolonged periods of low rainfall and high temperature, thereby increasing the possibility of seawater inflow through groundwater. As for the ionic delta properties (difference between the measured and theoretical concentration of mixed waters), it was estimated that the cation-exchange and precipitation reactions occurred in the aquifer due to seawater intrusion. The ratio of seawater mixed at each point was calculated, using oxygen isotopes and chloride as tracers, resulting in an average of 0.3 and a maximum of 0.87. The overall seawater mixing ratio appears to be distributed according to the distance from the coast. However, some of the results were deviated from the theoretical expectations and reflected the characteristics of the nearby aquifers. Further research on seasonal changes and simulation of seawater intrusion mechanisms is required for specific analysis.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.198-203
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• 2022

As negative regulators of cytokine signaling pathways, suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins have been reported to possess both pro-tumor and anti-tumor functions. Our recent studies have demonstrated suppressive effects of SOCS1 on epithelial to mesenchymal signaling in colorectal cancer cells in response to fractionated ionizing radiation or oxidative stress. The objective of the present study was to determine the radiosensitizing action of SOCS1 as an anti-tumor mechanism in colorectal cancer cell model. In HCT116 cells exposed to ionizing radiation, SOCS1 over-expression shifted cell cycle arrest from G2/M to G1 and promoted radiation-induced apoptosis in a p53-dependent manner with down-regulation of cyclin B and up-regulation of p21. On the other hand, SOCS1 knock-down resulted in a reduced apoptosis with a decrease in G1 arrest. The regulatory action of SOCS1 on the radiation response was mediated by inhibition of radiation-induced Jak3/STAT3 and Erk activities, thereby blocking G1 to S transition. Radiation-induced early ROS signal was responsible for the activation of Jak3/Erk/STAT3 that led to cell survival response. Our data collectively indicate that SOCS1 can promote radiosensitivity of colorectal cancer cells by counteracting ROS-mediated survival signal, thereby blocking cell cycle progression from G1 to S. The resulting increase in G1 arrest with p53 activation then contributes to the promotion of apoptotic response upon radiation. Thus, induction of SOCS1 expression may increase therapeutic efficacy of radiation in tumors with low SOCS1 levels.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.15-24
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• 2021

For the aquaculture industrialization of surf clam (Tresus keenae), it is important to basic data on the marine environment of the habitat of surf clam (T. keenae). In this study, we investigated the marine environment of habitat of surf clam (T. keenae) and sought to basic data for the preparation of surf clam (T. keenae) for artificial seed production. The water temperature of the habitat of surf clam (T. keenae) was the lowest in winter and appeared high in summer. The salt concentration showed it range from 31.2 to 33.9 psu. The pH showed it range from 7.69 to 8.70, with high pH in winter and low pH in summer. The dissolved oxygen(DO) was showed it range from 6.20 to 10.24 mg / L and the autumn was relatively higher than the spring and winter. The species composition of phytoplankton was about 30 to 40 species, and most of them were diatoms. The abundance of seasonal phytoplankton showed it range from 23.5 to 61.3 cells / ml, showing seasonal differences. The expression of dominant species also showed a difference depending on the season. As for the particle size composition of the sediment, sandy silt was the most distributed. Flow velocities appeared at 50-80 cm / s in the southeast direction at ebb tide and at 60-100 cm / s in the northwest direction at flood tide. The results of this study can be used as basic data for providing knowledge about the habitat and marine environment of surf clam (T. keenae) and for studying shellfish that inhabit the sedimentary layer.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.610-619
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• 2022

Hydrogen is emerging as an alternative fuel for eco-friendly ships because it reacts with oxygen to produce electrical energy and only water as a by-product. However, unlike regular fossil fuels, hydrogen has a material with a high risk of explosion due to its low ignition point and high flammability range. In order to safely use hydrogen in ships, it is an essential task to study the flow characteristics of hydrogen leakage and diffusion need to be studied. In this study, a numerical analysis was performed on the effect of leakage, ventilation, etc. on ventilation performance when hydrogen leaks in an enclosed space such as inside a ship. ANSYS CFX ver 18.1, a commercial CFD software, was used for numerical analysis. The leakage rate was changed to 1 q, 2 q, and 3 q at 1 q = 1 g/s, the ventilation rate was changed to 1 Q, 2 Q and 3 Q at 1 Q = 0.91 m/s, and the ventilation method was changed to type I, type II, type III to analyze the ventilation performance was analyzed. As the amount of leakage increased from 1 q to 3 q, the HMF in the storage room was about 2.4 to 3.0 times higher. Furthermore, the amount of ventilation to reduce the risk of explosion should be at least 2 Q, and it was established that type III was the most suitable method for the formation of negative pressure inside the hydrogen tank storage room.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.260-275
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• 2021

Aquaponics is a cultivation system that combines aquaculture and agricultural hydroponics. This study investigated the productivity of leafy vegetables cultivated in the hybrid biofloc technology-aquaponics (HBFT-AP) using Japanese eel fed two kinds of diets (Mash, commercial powdered feed and extruded pellet [EP]) and hydroponics (HP).The mash was fed to the fish in a type of a dough mixed with water for 6 weeks (Exp1) and switched to the EP containing 2.7% monobasic potassium phosphate (MKP) for subsequent 6 weeks (Exp2). Leafy vegetables of 8 cultivar were employed in the experiment and water quality [dissolved oxygen (DO, mg/L), pH, water temperature (℃), electrical conductivity (EC; ㎲/cm), turbidity (NTU), TAN (NH₃ + NH₄⁺) (mg /L), NO₂-N (mg/L), NO₃-N (mg/L) and PO₄-P (mg/L)] was measured 6 times a week. Leafy vegetable productivity (HBFT-AP vs HP) was compared in respective experiment, which was similar or somewhat higher in HBFT-AP. During the 12-week feeding trial, concentrations of nitrite (NO₂-N) and phosphorus (PO₄-P) were kept low in variability while total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) and NO₃-N levels increased with time in HBFT-AP. At the end of two feeding trials, values of weight gain (WG, %), feed efficiency (FE, %), specific growth rate (SGR, %) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) were higher in Exp2 than in Exp1. As well, higher values in hematocrit (PCV, %), plasma K (mEq/L) and inorganic phosphorus (mg/dL) were found (p < 0.05) in Exp2 where fish were fed the EP (EP: 38.60%, 2.80 mEq/L and 7.04 g/dL; Mash: 33.20%, 1.95 mEq/L and 5.50 g/dL). Leafy vegetables in HBFT-AP using Japanese eel fed the EP with MKP 2.7% had a productivity similar (4 kinds of cultivar) or somewhat higher (4 kinds of cultivar) compared to those in HP. Also, Japanese eel fed the EP showed higher values of Pi (m/dL) and K (mEq/L) in plasma compared to those fed commercial powder diet.