• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.245-248
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• 1996

Thermal stability of the major color component, cyanidin 3-glucoside, isolated from Korean pigmented rice (Oryza sativa var. Suwon 415) were investigated to explore possible application of value-added natural colors as food additives. The anthocyanin showed red and blue color with maximum absorption peaks at 511 nm and 572 nm in acidic (pH 2.0) and alkaline (pH 9.0) buffer solutions, respectively, and the thermal degradation reactions were carried out with different temperature ranges at $50{\sim}95^{\circ}C$. Degree of degradation was determined with UV/Vis spectra which indicate characteristic absorption patterns with sharp isosbestic points at 350 nm (pH 2.0), and 275, 310, and 405 nm (pH 9.0). Thus the reaction follows simple first-order kinetics. The anthocyanin was very stable against heat at acidic pH and relatively stable at alkaline pH with half-life values of 50.3 hr and 0.6 hr at $70^{\circ}C$, respectively. The activation energies and Arrhenius frequency factors of the pigment were 26.9 kcal $mol^{-1}\;and\;6.0{\times}10^{11}\;s^{-1}$, at pH 2.0, and 15.2 kcal $mol^{-1}\;and\;1.4{\times}10^{6}\;s^{-1}$, pH 9.0, and respectively.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.537-541
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• 2008

White adipose tissue is now recognized as an important endocrine organ which secretes various signal factors and proteins termed 'adipokine'. Haptoglobin (Hp), which has been known as an acute phase protein, belongs to the adipokine. However, the function of Hp in adipose tissue remains unclear. To verify the role of Hp in preadipocytes, in this study, 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells were stably transfected with human Hp gene and Hp-overexpressing cells were made. The Hp had no effect on cell growth of preadipocytes. By RT-PCR and Western blot analysis, the Hp inhibited gene expression of IL-6 and COX-2 and enhanced HO-1 synthesis in preadipocytes. Moreover, invasion assay showed the Hp suppressed migration of monocytes to preadipocytes. These findings suggest that the Hp may inhibit an inflammatory reaction in adipose tissue by regulating the expressions of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators, and by repressing monocytes/macrophages infiltration.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.527-535
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• 2017

Heat management is one of the most critical issues in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) installed inside the fuel cell power pack of a fuel cell battery hybrid UPS. If the heat generated by the chemical reaction in the fuel cell is not rapidly removed, the durability and performance of the fuel cell may be affected, which may shorten its lifetime. Therefore, the objective of this study is to select and propose a proper cooling method for the fuel cells used in the fuel cell power pack of a UPS. In order to find the most appropriate cooling method, the various design factors affecting the cooling performance were studied. The numerical analysis was performed by a commercial program, i.e., COMSOL Multiphysics. Firstly, the surface temperature of the 1 kW class fuel cell stack with the cooling fans placed at the top was compared with the one with the cooling fans placed at the bottom. Various rotation speeds of the cooling fan, viz. 2,500, 3,000, 3,500, and 4,000 RPM, were tested to determine the proper cooling fan speed. In addition, the influence of the inhaled air flow rate was investigated by changing the porous area of the grille, which is the entrance of the air flowing from the outside to the inside of the power pack. As a result, it was found that for the operating conditions of the 1 kW class PEMFC to be acceptable, the cooling fan was required to have a minimum rotating speed of 3500 RPM to maintain the fuel cell surface temperature within an acceptable range. The results of this study can be effectively applied to the development of thermal management technology for the fuel cells inside the fuel cell power pack of a UPS.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.606-614
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• 2019

A mixing ratio of the oil in water (O/W) emulsion of palm oil and the non-ionic surfactant (Tween-Span type) possessing different hydrophile-lipophilie balance (HLB) values was evaluated in this work. An optimum condition was determined through analysis of main and interaction effects of each quantitative factor using central composite design model-response surface methodology (CCD-RSM). Quantitative factors used by CCD-RSM were an emulsification time, emulsification speed, HLB value and amount of surfactant. On the other hand, the reaction parameters were the viscosity and mean droplet size of O/W emersion. Optimized conditions obtained from CCD-RSM were the emulsification time of 12.7 min, emulsification speed of 5,551 rpm, HLB value of 8.0 and amount of surfactant of 5.7 wt.%. Ideal experimental results under the optimized experimental condition were the viscosity of 1,551 cP and mean droplet size of 432 nm which satisfy the targeted values. The average error value from our actual experiment for verifying the conclusions was below to 2.5%. Therefore, a high favorable level could be obtained when the CCD-RSM was applied to the optimized palm oil to water emulsification.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.279-286
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• 2005

Objective: Although several genetic factors have been associated with defects in human spermatogenesis, the unambiguous causative genes have not been elucidated. The male infertility by haploinsufficiency of PRM1 or PRM2 has been reported in mouse model. The aim of this study was to identify the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of PRM1 and PRM2, related to the genotype of Korean infertile men. Methods: Genomic DNAs were extracted from peripheral bloods of infertile men with oligozoospermia or azoospermia, and analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequencing. We carried out the direct sequencing analysis of amplified fragments in PRM1 (557 nucleotides from -42 to 515) and PRM2 (599 nucleotides from 49 to 648) genes, respectively. Results: Three SNPs of coding region in the PRM1 gene was found in the analysis of 130 infertile men. However, the SNPs at a133g (aa 96.9%, ag 3.1% and gg 0.0%), c160a (cc 99.2%, ca 0.8% and aa 0.0%) and c321a (cc 56.9%, ca 35.4% and aa 7.7%) coded the same amino acids, in terms of silence phenotypes. On the other hand, as results of the PRM2 gene sequencing in 164 infertile men, only two SNPs, g398c (gg 62.2%, gc 31.1% and ga 6.7%) and a473c (aa 63.4%, ac 29.9% and cc 6.7%), were identified in the intron of the PRM2 gene. Conclusions: There was no mutation and significant SNPs on PRM1 and PRM2 gene in Korean infertile men. These results suggest that the PRM1 and PRM2 genes are highly conserved and essential for normal fertility of men.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.125-134
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• 2019

Background: Excessive stress causes varied physiological and psychological disorders including male reproductive problems. Here, we attempted to investigate the protective effects of Korean Red Ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer; KRG) against sub-acute immobilization stress-induced testicular damage in experimental rats. Methods: Male rats (age, 4 wk; weight, 60-70 g) were divided into four groups (n = 8 in each group): normal control group, immobilization control group, immobilization group treated with 100 mg/kg of KRG daily, and immobilization group treated with 200 mg/kg of KRG daily. Normal control and immobilization control groups received vehicle only. KRG (100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg) was mixed in the standard diet powder and fed daily for 6 mo. Parameters such as organ weight, blood chemistry, sperm kinematic values, and expression levels of testicular-related molecules were measured using commercially available kits, Western blotting, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: Data revealed that KRG restored the altered testis and epididymis weight in immobilization stress-induced rats significantly (p < 0.05). Further, KRG ameliorated the altered blood chemistry and sperm kinematic values when compared with the immobilization control group and attenuated the altered expression levels of spermatogenesis-related proteins (nectin-2, cAMP responsive element binding protein 1, and inhibin-${\alpha}$), sex hormone receptors (androgen receptor, luteinizing hormone receptor, and follicle-stimulating hormone receptor), and antioxidant-related enzymes (glutathione S-transferase m5, peroxiredoxin-4, and glutathione peroxidase 4) significantly in the testes of immobilization stress-induced rats. Conclusion: KRG protected immobilization stress-induced testicular damage and fertility factors in rats, thereby indicating its potential in the treatment of stress-related male sterility.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.138-147
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• 2019

Purpose: Several studies have shown that the oral cavity is a secondary location for Helicobacter pylori colonization and that H. pylori is associated with the severity of periodontitis. This study investigated whether H. pylori had an effect on the periodontium. We established an invasion model of a standard strain of H. pylori in human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (hPDLFs), and evaluated the effects of H. pylori on cell proliferation and cell cycle progression. Methods: Different concentrations of H. pylori were used to infect hPDLFs, with 6 hours of co-culture. The multiplicity of infection in the low- and high-concentration groups was 10:1 and 100:1, respectively. The Cell Counting Kit-8 method and Ki-67 immunofluorescence were used to detect cell proliferation. Flow cytometry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and western blots were used to detect cell cycle progression. In the high-concentration group, the invasion of H. pylori was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Results: It was found that H. pylori invaded the fibroblasts, with cytoplasmic localization. Analyses of cell proliferation and flow cytometry showed that H. pylori inhibited the proliferation of periodontal fibroblasts by causing G2 phase arrest. The inhibition of proliferation and G2 phase arrest were more obvious in the high-concentration group. In the low-concentration group, the G2 phase regulatory factors cyclin dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) and cell division cycle 25C (Cdc25C) were upregulated, while cyclin B1 was inhibited. However, in the high-concentration group, cyclin B1 was upregulated and CDK1 was inhibited. Furthermore, the deactivated states of tyrosine phosphorylation of CDK1 (CDK1-Y15) and serine phosphorylation of Cdc25C (Cdc25C-S216) were upregulated after H. pylori infection. Conclusions: In our model, H. pylori inhibited the proliferation of hPDLFs and exerted an invasive effect, causing G2 phase arrest via the Cdc25C/CDK1/cyclin B1 signaling cascade. Its inhibitory effect on proliferation was stronger in the high-concentration group.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.303-308
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• 2019

Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan parasite that can cause toxoplasmosis in a wide range of warm-blooded animals including humans. In this study, we analyzed seroprevalence of T. gondii among 467 school children living in the rural areas of Pyin Oo Lwin and Naung Cho, Myanmar. The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii among school children was 23.5%; 22.5% of children were positive for T. gondii IgG, 0.4% of children were positive for T. gondii IgM, and 0.6% of children were positive for both T. gondii IgG and IgM. Geographical factors did not significantly affect the seroprevalence frequency between Pyin Oo Lwin and Naung Cho, Myanmar. No significant difference was found between males (22.2%) and females (25.0%). The overall seroprevalence among school children differed by ages (10 years old [13.6%], 11-12 years old [19.8%], 13-14 years old [24.6%], and 15-16 years old [28.0%]), however, the result was not significant. Polymerase chain reaction analysis for T. gondii B1 gene for IgG-positive and IgM-positive blood samples were negative, indicating no direct evidence of active infection. These results collectively suggest that T. gondii infection among school children in Myanmar was relatively high. Integrated and improved strategies including reinforced education on toxoplasmosis should be implemented to prevent and control T. gondii infection among school children in Myanmar.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.679-686
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• 2019

Characteristics of adsorption equilibrium, kinetic and thermodynamic of aniline blue onto activated carbon from aqueous solution were investigated as function of initial concentration, contact time and temperature. Adsorption isotherm of aniline blue was analyzed by Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich-Peterson, Temkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich models. Langmuir isotherm model fit better with isothermal data than other isotherm models. Estmated Langmuir separation factors ($R_L=0.036{\sim}0.068$) indicated that adsorption process of aniline blue by activated carbon could be an effective treatment method. Adsorption kinetic data were fitted to pseudo first order model, pseudo second order model and intraparticle diffusion models. The kinetic results showed that the adsorption of aniline blue onto activated carbon well followed pseudo second-order model. Adsorption mechanism was evaluated in two steps, film diffusion and intraparticle diffusion, by intraparticle diffusion model. Thermodynamic parameters such as Gibbs free energy, enthalpy and entropy for adsorption process were estimated. Enthalpy change (48.49 kJ/mol) indicated that this adsorption process was physical adsorption and endothermic. Since Gibbs free energy decreased with increasing temperature, the adsorption reaction became more spontaneously with increasing temperature. The isosteric heat of adsorption indicated that there is interaction between the adsorbent and the adsorbate because the energy heterogeneity of the adsorbent surface.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.257-264
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• 2019

Objective: Dairy cattle nutrient requirement systems acknowledge amino acid (AAs) requirements in aggregate as metabolizable protein (MP) and assume fixed efficiencies of MP used for milk protein. Regulation of mammary protein synthesis may be associated with AA input and milk protein output. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nanoemulsified methionine and cysteine on the in-vitro expression of milk protein (casein) in bovine mammary epithelial cells (MAC-T cells). Methods: Methionine and cysteine were nonionized using Lipoid S 75 by high-speed homogenizer. The nanoemulsified AA particle size and polydispersity index were determined by dynamic light scattering correlation spectroscopy using a high-performance particle sizer instrument. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was performed to determine the cytotoxicity effect of AAs with and without nanoionization at various concentrations (100 to $500{\mu}g/mL$) in mammary epithelial cells. MAC-T cells were subjected to 100% of free AA and nanoemulsified AA concentration in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium/nutrient mixture F-12 (DMEM/F12) for the analysis of milk protein (casein) expression by the quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction method. Results: The AA-treated cells showed that cell viability tended to decrease (80%) in proportion to the concentration before nanogenesis, but cell viability increased as much as 90% after nanogenesis. The analysis of the expression of genetic markers related to milk protein indicated that; ${\alpha}_{s2}$-casein increased 2-fold, ${\kappa}$-casein increased 5-fold, and the amount of unchanged ${\beta}$-casein expression was nearly doubled in the nanoemulsified methionine-treated group when compared with the free-nanoemulsified methionine-supplemented group. On the contrary, the non-emulsified cysteine-administered group showed higher expression of genetic markers related to milk protein ${\alpha}_{s2}$-casein, ${\kappa}$-casein, and ${\beta}$-casein, but all the genetic markers related to milk protein decreased significantly after nanoemulsification. Conclusion: Detailed knowledge of factors, such nanogenesis of methionine, associated with increasing cysteine and decreasing production of genetic markers related to milk protein (casein) will help guide future recommendations to producers for maximizing milk yield with a high level of milk protein casein.