• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.649-663
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• 2014

In past few years, the use of bacterial calcium carbonate precipitation (biocementation) has become popular as a ground improvement technique for sandy soil. However, this technique was not applied to organic soil. This study focused on bacterial calcium carbonate precipitation and its effect on permeability in organic soil. A special injection system was prepared for inducing bacterial solution to the samples. The bacterial solution supplied to the samples by gravity for 4 days in specific molds designed for this work. Calcite precipitation was observed by monitoring pH value and measuring amount of calcium carbonate. Change in the permeability was measured before and after biocementation. The test results showed that the pH values indicates that the treatment medium is appropriate for calcite precipitation, and amount of precipitated calcium carbonate in organic soil increased about 20% from untreated one. It was also found that the biocementation can be considered as an effective method for reducing permeability of organic soil. The results were supported by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis and energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) analysis.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.1-17
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• 2004

Objective : To compare and examine how adjustment of pH and electrolyte can affect the efficacy of cultivated wild ginseng distilled herbal acupuncture, we've administered pure cultivated wild ginseng distilled herbal acupuncture and pH and electrolyte adjusted cultivated wild ginseng distilled herbal acupuncture on A549 human lung cancer lines. Then mRNA and proteins which take parts in apoptosis were examined. Methods : Pure cultivated wild ginseng distilled herbal acupuncture treated group was set as the control group and pH and electrolyte adjusted cultivated wild ginseng distilled herbal acupuncture groups were administered on A549 human lung cancer lines. Cell toxicity was carefully examined and from the analysis of DNA fragmentation, RT-PCR, and Western blot, manifestation of mRNA and proteins which are associated with apoptosis were inspected. Results : The following results were obtained on apoptosis of A549 human lung cancer lines after administering pH and electrolyte adjusted cultivated wild ginseng distilled herbal acupuncture. 1. Measuring cell toxicity of lung cancer cells, higher cell toxicity was detected at pH and electrolyte adjusted groups and the results were concentration dependent. 2. Through DNA fragmentation, we were able to confirm cell destruction in all groups. 3. Experiment groups treated with cultivated wild ginseng distilled herbal acupuncture showed inhibition of Bcl-2 and COX-2 at mRNA and Protein level, whileas increase of Bax was shown. 4. Manifestation of p21, p53, Cyclin E, and Cyclin D1 were confirmed in all groups. 5. Extrication of Cytochrome C was detected at all groups, as well as increased activity of the enzyme caspase-3 and caspase-9, and PARP fragmentation were confirmed. Conclusions : From the above results, we can carefully deduce cell destruction of A549 human lung cancer lines were induced by Apoptosis. At the same concentration level, cell destruction efficacy was better with adjusted pH and electrolyte. Cultivated wild ginseng distilled herbal acupuncture also showed decrease of Bcl-2 and COX-2, as well as increase of Bax. Since cultivated wild ginseng distilled herbal acupuncture increases manifestation of p21, p53, Cyclin E, and Cyclin D1, it affects cellular cycle and through these phenomena, we can consider extrication of Cytochrome C, increase of caspase, and PARP fragmentation are the results.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.331-337
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• 2009

Interleukin-13 (IL-13) has been proposed as a therapeutic target for bronchial asthma as it plays crucial roles in the pathogenesis of the disease. We developed an in vitro test system measuring transcriptional downregulatory activities on IL-13 as a primary screening method to select drug candidates from natural products. The promoter region of IL-13 (-2,048 to +1) was cloned into the upstream of a luciferase gene in the plasmid pGL4.14 containing the hygromycin resistance gene as a selection marker, generating pGL4.14-IL-13. The EL-4 thymoma and RBL-2H3 mast cells transiently expressing this plasmid highly produced the luciferase activities by responding to PI (PMA and ionomycin) stimulation up to 8-fold and 13-fold compared with the control, respectively, whereas cyclosporin A, a well-known antiasthmatic agent, significantly downregulated the activities. The BF1 clone of RBL-2H3 cells constitutively expressing pGL4.14-IL-13 was established by selecting surviving cells under a constant lethal dose of hygromycin treatment. The feasibility of this system was evaluated by measuring the downregulatory activities of 354 natural products on the IL-13 promoter using the BF1 clone. An extract from Morus bombycis (named TBRC 156) significantly inhibited PI-induced luciferase activities and IL-13 mRNA expression, but not the protein expression. Fisetin (named TBRC 353) inhibited not only PI-induced luciferase activities and mRNA expression, but also the IL-13 protein secretion, whereas myricetin (named TBRC 354) could not suppress the IL-13 expression at all. Our data indicated that this in vitro test system is able to discriminate the effects on IL-13 expression, and furthermore, that it might be suitable as a simple and time-saving primary screening system to select antiasthmatic agents by measuring transcriptional activities of the IL-13 promoter.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.98 no.6
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• pp.712-718
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• 2009

To look into the degree of the long distance movement of the air pollution within Mt. Kyebang, Hongcheon, one of the clean regions, major ions, components of collected wet precipitation, were analyzed by using the ion chromatography after measuring pH and electrical conductivity. The quality assurance of chemical composition data was checked by considering the ion balance and electrical conductivity. Also, the pH of precipitation showed in the pH5.0~5.5 range, less than the pH5.6 in which the standards of the acid precipitation. On the whole, the more precipitation got, the less ion concentration became.: It could showed what it influenced on the fluctuation of the precipitation pH according to fluctuation and neutralization of the according materials. In the meantime, as composition ratios of wet deposition, ${SO_4}^{2-}$ and $nss-{SO_4}^{2-}$, ${NH_4}^+$ and $nss-Ca^{2+}$ accounted for high percentage. Especially, as the concentration of ${SO_4}^{2-}$, the artificial pollutant, and $Ca^{2+}$, the soil substance, showed high, Mt. Kyebang, Hongcheon having barely fixed air-pollutants sources was most likely to be influenced by the pollutants moved from long distances.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2009

A zwitterionic surfactant shows not only detergency but also mildness effect since it shows characteristics of a nonionic or an anionic surfactant above an isoelectric point, while showing characteristics of a cationic surfactant below an isoelectric point. Therefore, a zwitterionic surfactant can serve as a dual function surfactant by a single molecule through the interconversion of cleaning and softening effects depending on pH variations of the aqueous solution. In this study, physical properties of betaine surfactant such as CMC, surface tension, interfacial tension, contact angle and viscosity were measured and phase behavior study was performed. Also dual function characteristics of betaine zwitterionic surfactant were investigated by measuring an isoelectric point using QCM(quartz crystal microbalance) and zeta potential measurement. The CMC of betaine surfactant was near $10^{-4}mol/L$ and the surface tension at CMC was about 32 mN/m. The interfacial tension between 1 wt% aqueous solution and n-decane measured by spinning drop tensiometer at pH 2~10 resulted in an increase in interfacial tension until pH 5 and a decrease with pH after 5 and equilibration time showed the similar trend with an increase in pH. The isoelectric point of betaine surfactant measured by QCM experiment was found to exist between 3.0 and 3.3, which is the same as the result determined by zeta potential measurement.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.313-318
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• 2013

A study was conducted to determine if subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) induced by feeding high level of non-structural carbohydrates results in increases in lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of peripheral blood in dairy cattle. In this experiment four Holstein steers, two of which having ruminal canulae with indwelling probes placed for measuring long term pH changes, were alloted into two dietary treatments in a cross-over design, where an acidogenic diet (AD) was formulated by including high amount of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) based on corn silage and corn flake as TMR ingredients. Data for ruminal pH change and plasma LPS concentration were compared against normal diet (ND) which contained grass hay as forage and low NSC ingredients. Feeding AD for more than 14 days to animals brought about a pH change as low as less than 5.8 for more than 4 hours, which made good contrast to ND fed animals. Decreased ruminal pH also had an effect on LPS concentrations which showed significantly higher level for AD compared with ND. Therefore, plasma LPS concentration may be used as an effective indicator to verify acidosis whether it is acute or chronic. Na-bentonite and Propylene glycol, which are frequently included in dairy TMR as additives, helped decrease ruminal pH by buffering and then ultimately alleviates SARA. Therefore, it could also be helpful to lower the occurrence of laminitis which is often caused by increased blood endotoxin (LPS) concentration.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.92-101
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• 2006

Objectives : This study was done with intend to investigate whether two oriental medical prescriptions, daecheongryong-tang (DCRT) and prescription A (P-A) significantly affect mucin release from cultured hamster tracheal surface epithelial (HTSE) cells. Methods : Confluent HTSE cells were metabolically radiolabeled with $^3H$-glucosamine for 24 hrs and chased for 30 min in the presence of DCRT or P-A to assess the effect of each agent on $^3H$-mucin release. Possible cytotoxicities of each agent were assessed by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. Also, the effects of DCRT and P-A on contractility of isolated tracheal smooth muscle were investigated. Results were as follows : 1. DCRT significantly inhibited mucin release from cultured HTSE cells, with significant cytotoxicity. 2. P-A significantly increased mucin release from cultured HTSE cells, with significant cytotoxicity. 3. DCRT inhibited Ach-induced contraction of isolated tracheal smooth muscle. 4. P-A also inhibited Ach-induced contraction of isolated tracheal smooth muscle. Conclusion: Results suggest that DCRT and P-A have regulating effects on mucin secretion from goblet cells. Further investigation is needed, because of the value in finding novel agents to this purpose, and these oriental medical prescriptions have potential for this role.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.895-904
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• 2006

Objectives : In the present study, the author intended to investigate whether two oriental medical prescriptions named Socheongryongtang-ga-seoggo (SCTS) and Prescription D (P-D) significantly affect mucin release from cultured hamster tracheal surface epithelial (HTSE) cells. Materials and Methods : Confluent HTSE cells were metabolically radiolabeled with 3H-glucosamine for 24 hrs and chased for 30 min in the presence of SCTS or P-D to assess the effect of each agent on 3H-mucin release. Possible cytotoxicities of each agent were assessed by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. Also, the effects of SCTS and P-D on contractility of isolated tracheal smooth muscle were investigated. Results : SCTS did not affect mucin release from cultured HTSE cells, without cytotoxicity. However, P-D significantly increased mucin release from cultured HTSE cells. with significant cytotoxicity. SCTS inhibited Ach-induced contraction of isolated tracheal smooth muscle. P-D also inhibited Ach-induced contraction of isolated tracheal smooth muscle. Conclusions : The author suggests that the effects of SCTS and P-D with their components should be further investigated and it is valuable to find, from oriental medical prescriptions, novel agents which might regulate mucin secretion from airway goblet cells.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.618-625
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• 2009

The objective of this work was to study the direct effects of daidzein on steroidogenesis in cultured mouse Leydig cells. Adult mouse Leydig cells were purified by Percoll gradient centrifugation, and the cell purity was determined using a $3{\beta}$-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase ($3{\beta}$-HSD) staining method. The purified Leydig cells were exposed to different concentrations ($10^{-7}$ M to $10^{-4}$ M) of daidzein for 24 h under basal and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)-stimulated conditions. The cell viability and testosterone production were determined, and the related mechanisms of daidzein action were also evaluated using the estrogen receptor antagonist ICI 182,780 and measuring the mRNA levels of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc), and $3{\beta}$-HSD-1 involved in testosterone biosynthesis. The results revealed that daidzein did not influence cell viability. Daidzein increased both basal and hCG-stimulated testosterone production in a dose-dependent manner, and this effect was statistically significant at concentrations of $10^{-5}$ M and $10^{-4}$ M daidzein (p<0.05). ICI 182,780 had no influence on daidzein action. RTPCR results revealed that $10^{-5}$ M and $10^{-4}$ M daidzein did not exert any obvious influence on the mRNA level of P450scc in Leydig cells. However, in the presence of hCG, these concentrations of daidzein significantly increased the StAR and $3{\beta}$-HSD-1 mRNA levels (p<0.05), but in the absence of hCG, only $10^{-5}$ M and $10^{-4}$ M daidzein up-regulated the StAR and $3{\beta}$-HSD-1 mRNA expression (p<0.05), respectively. These results suggest that daidzein has direct effect on Leydig cells. Daidzein-induced increase of testosterone production is probably not mediated by the estrogen receptor but correlates with the increased mRNA levels of StAR and $3{\beta}$-HSD-1.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.48-53
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• 2001

Bovine serum albumin(BSA) was solubilized into the reverse micellar phase consisting of sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate(AOT) and isooctane using the phase transfer method. Of particular interest in this study were the effects of pH and the added salt type and concentration on the solubilization efficiency. When univalent or divalent salts such as KCl, NaCl, $MgCl_2$, or $CaCl_2$ were added to the aqueous phase at a concentration of 0.1 M, maximum solubilization efficiency was attained at a pH ranging from 5 to 7, depending on the added salt type. Increased salt concentration up to 1 M resulted in an increased solubilization efficiency for $CaCl_2$ and NaCl, while the addition of $MgCl_2$ beyond 0.1 M showed an anomalous trend. Further, it was noteworthy that too a large extent the protein precipitated in the interface between the organic and aqueous phases at lower pHs and lower salt concentrations. The size of the reverse micelle water pool was estimated by measuring the molar ratio of the surfactant to the water, $W_0$. Irrespective of pH in the aqueous phase, the resulting value of $W_0$ was almost constant, eg., 20 for $MgCl_2$ . However, the value of $W_0$ decreased with increased salt concentration in the cases of KCl and $CaCl_2$.