• Animal cells and systems
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.211-218
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• 2011

Fragmentation in human pre-implantation embryos has been suggested as the process of apoptosis. We have previously demonstrated a direct relationship between the increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis in human pre-implantation embryos. ROS is known to suppress the function of mitochondria in which steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) are presented. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the expression of StAR and PBR in human pre-implantation embryos and to evaluate whether reduction of these proteins is associated with apoptosis. Apoptosis was detected by annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and mitochondrial membrane potential was measured by 5,5',6,6'-tetrachloro-1,1',3,3'-tetraethyl-benzimidazolyl-carbocyanine iodide (JC-1). Immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting were applied to examine the expression of StAR and PBR in the embryos. Lipid droplets in the embryos were stained with Oil Red O. The fragmented pre-implantation embryos were stained with annexin V-FITC, but not the normal ones. The mitochondria with active membrane potential were present less in the fragmented embryos compared with the non-fragmented embryos. We also confirmed that both StAR and PBR were expressed in the embryos and their expression levels were lower in the fragmented ones. In addition, the number and size of lipid droplets were increased in the fragmented embryos. The present study provides evidence that reduction of StAR and PBR in human pre-implantation embryos is associated with an increase in the lipid droplets leading to apoptosis.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.125-133
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• 2021

Objectives : Thymus quinquecistatus var. japonica (H.Hara) is a member of the genus Thymus of perennial aromatic herb, and it's designated as a natural monument of South Korea. It has traditionally been known to have protective or therapeutic effects on various human disease including cerebrovascular and neurological disease. Recently it was suggested that essential oil extracted from thyme has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial effect. The aim of this study is to investigate anti-inflammatory effect of Thymus quinquecistatus var. japonica in Raw 264.7 macrophage cell line. Methods : The cytotoxic effects of water and 70% ethanol extracts from Thymus quinquecistatus var. japonica, was tested using MTT assay. Inhibitory effects of the extracts to nitric oxide production and mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines were examined by RT-PCR. Also, MitoSOX-red assay and JC-1 assay were performed to determine if the extracts can inhibit mitochondrial ROS accumulation and maintain mitochondrial membrane potential. Results : In LPS-induced inflammatory response, the extracts efficiently reduced nitric oxide NO production through inhibiting mRNA expression of iNOS enzyme. In addition, expression of the proinflammatory cytokines, IL-1𝛽 and IL-6, was also down-regulated by the extract treatments. Excessive accumulation of mitochondrial ROS induced by LPS was inhibited in the extract treated cells, which finally protected mitochondrial membrane potential. Conclusions : These results showed that water and 70% ethanol extracts from Thymus quinquecistatus var. japonica have anti-inflammatory effect through down regulation of IL-1𝛽, IL-6, and iNOS, and also have antioxidative effect against mitochondrial ROS accumulation that promote inflammatory response.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.217-225
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• 2021

This study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of 1-methoxylespeflorin G11 (MLG), a pterocarpan, against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in neuronal HT22 hippocampal cells. The protective effects of MLG were evaluated using MTT assay and microscopic analysis. The extent of apoptosis was studied using flow cytometric analysis performed on the damaged cells probed with annexin V/propidium iodide. Moreover, mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) were assessed using flow cytometry through MitoSOXTM Red staining. To determine mitochondrial membrane potential, staining with tetramethylrhodamine and JC-1 was performed followed by flow cytometry. The results demonstrated that MLG attenuates glutamate-induced apoptosis in HT22 cells by inhibiting intracellular ROS generation and mitochondrial dysfunction. Additionally, MLG prevented glutamate-induced apoptotic pathway in HT22 cells through upregulation of Bcl-2 and downregulation of cleaved PARP-1, AIF, and phosphorylated MAPK cascades. In addition, MLG treatment induced HO-1 expression in HT22 cells. These results suggested that MLG exhibits neuroprotective effects against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in neuronal HT22 cells by inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.344-353
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• 2017

Cambodia is a typical country that a very famous tourist destination in South Asian regions, but water has some serious problems. As a public hygiene point of view, water problems in Cambodia can be roughly classified into two categories. A numbers of the report revealed that thermotolerant coliform(TTC) bacteria and arsenic(As) pollution representative species as a representative pollutant for surface water and ground water problems, respectively. In recent years, home water purifier systems for various filter systems including BSF(Bio-Sand Filter), MF and RO have been spread and adopted in rural areas. However, BSF and composite membrane processes are recognized as an undesirable and representative method due to unreliable efficiency, high cost and maintenance issues. In order to develop a small-scale ceramic filter as a home water purifier, the applicability of two types of gravity ceramic filter using clay and red soil in the part of the Northwest was made and compared in this research.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.273-278
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• 2015

The induction of angiogenesis is a crucial step in tumor progression, and therefore, efficient inhibition of angiogenesis is considered a powerful strategy for the treatment of cancer. In the present study, we report that the lipophilic antimicrobial peptides from EML-CAP3, a new endophytic bacterial strain isolated from red pepper leaf (Capsicum annuum L.), exhibit potent antiangiogenic activity both in vitro and in vivo. The newly obtained antimicrobial peptides effectively inhibited the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells at subtoxic doses. Furthermore, the peptides suppressed the in vitro characteristics of angiogenesis such as endothelial cell invasion and tube formation stimulated by vascular endothelial growth factor, as well as neovascularization of the chorioallantoic membrane of growing chick embryos in vivo without showing cytotoxicity. Notably, the angiostatic peptides blocked tumor cell-induced angiogenesis by suppressing the expression levels of hypoxia-inducible $factor-1{\alpha}$ and its target gene, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). To our knowledge, our findings demonstrate for the first time that the antimicrobial peptides from EML-CAP3 possess antiangiogenic potential and may thus be used for the treatment of hypervascularized tumors.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.215-219
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• 2009

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia in children, with a peak incidence at 5-14 years. Extrapulmonary manifestations occur in 20-25% of patients with M. pneumoniae infection. Most auto-antibodies that cause immune hemolytic anemia in humans are cold agglutinins. The formation of cold agglutinins is frequently observed during M. pneumoniae infections, and cold agglutinin disease usually occurs during M. pneumoniae infections. Nevertheless, severe hemolysis is exceptional. If a patient has any underlying disease related to hemolysis, it is possible to accelerate hemolysis. Hereditary spherocytosis is a common cause of hereditary hemolytic anemia resulting from red blood cell membrane defects. Hemolysis of red cells may result from corpuscular abnormalities or extracorpuscular abnormalities, such as immune or non-immune mechanisms. We report a case of hereditary spherocytosis associated with severe hemolytic anemia due to Mycoplasma pneumonia.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2015

The micro device, coil, and channel for the biosensor integrated with the GMR-SV device based on the antiferromagnetic IrMn layer was fabricated by the light lithography process. When RBCs coupled with several magnetic beads with a diameter of $1{\mu}m$ passed on the micro channel, the movement of $RBC+{\mu}Beads$ is controlled by the electrical AC input signal. The $RBC+{\mu}Beads$ having a micro-magnetic field captured above the GMR-SV device is changed as the output signals for detection status. From these results, the GMR-SV device having the width magnitude of a few micron size can be applied as the biosensor for the analysis of a new magnetic property as the membrane's deformation of RBC coupled to magnetic beads.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.170-174
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• 1997

In order to design a novel synthetic peptide with improved fungicidal activity but low hemolytic activity, a hybrid peptide, cecropin A(l-8)-magainin 2(1-12), and its analogue peptides were synthesized by the solid phase method. Antifungal and hemolytic activities of the synthetic peptides were assessed by the growth inhibition against Trichosporon beigelii and the cell membrane lysis against human red hlood cells, respectively. Analogue 2 in which Lys at position 12 in cecropin A(1-8)-magainin 2(1-12) was substituted with Ala showed most potent antifungal activity (MIC: 2.5.$\mu$g/ml) with minimal hemolytic activity (0.5% hemolysis at the (200.$\mu$g/ml peptide). This peptide (A2), therefore, could be useful as a model for further designing potent antifungal peptides without cytotoxicity.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.28-32
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• 2009

The bacterial toxin, tolaasin, causes brown blotch disease on the cultivated mushrooms by collapsing fungal and fruiting body structure of mushroom. Cytotoxicity of tolaasin was evaluated by measuring hemolytic activity because tolaasins form membrane pores on the red blood cells and destroy cell structure. While we investigated the inhibitions of hemolytic activity of tolaasin by $Zn^{2+}$ and $Cd^{2+}$, we found that $Ni^{2+}$ is another antagonist to block the toxicity of tolaasin. $Ni^{2+}$ inhibited the tolaasin-induced hemolysis in a dose-dependent manner and its Ki value was $\sim10$ mM, implying that the inhibitory effect of $Ni^{2+}$ is stronger than that of $Cd^{2+}$. The hemolytic activity was completely inhibited by $Ni^{2+}$ at the concentration higher than 50 mM. The effect of $Ni^{2+}$ was reversible since it was removed by the addition of EDTA. When the tolaasin-induced hemolysis was suppressed by the addition of 20 mM $Ni^{2+}$, the subsequent addition of EDIA immediately initiated the hemolysis. Although the mechanism of $Ni^{2+}$ -induced inhibition on tolaasin toxicity is not known, $Ni^{2+}$ could inhibit any of fallowing processes of tolaasin action, membrane binding, molecular multimerization, pore formation, and massive ion transport through the membrane pore. Our results indicate that $Ni^{2+}$ inhibits the pore activity of tolaasin, the last step of the toxic process.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1485-1491
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• 2015

There are two treatment processes that are currently applied to ships are the biological treatment process using the activated sludge and the electrochemical treatment. However, neither of them are able to remove both nitrogen and phosphorus due to their limited ability to remove organic matters, which are main causes of the red tide. This study was conducted to identify the characteristics of nitrogen removal factors from manure wastewater by replacing the final settling tank in SBR (Sequencing Batch Reactor) process and applying immersion type hollow fiber membrane. SBR process is known to have an advantage of the least land requirement in special environment such as in ship and the immersion type hollow fiber membrane is more stable in water quality change. As the result, the average in the cases of DO (Dissolved Oxygen) is 2.9(0. 6~3.9) mg/L which was determined to be the denitrifying microorganism activity in anaerobic conditions. The average in the cases of ORP (Oxidation Reduction Potential) is 98.4~237.3 mV which was determined to be the termination of nitrification since the inflection point was formed on the ORP curve due to decrease in the stirring treatment after the aeration, same as in the cases of DO. Little or no variation in the pH was determined to have positive effect on the nitrification. T-N (Total Nitrigen) removal efficiencies of the finally treated water were 71.4%, 72.3% and 66.5% in relatively average figures, thus was not a distinct prominence. In being applied in ships in the future, the operating conditions and structure improvements are deemed necessary since the MEPC (Marine Environment Protection Committee). 227(64) ship sewage nitrogen is less than the standard of 20 Qi/Qe mg/L or the removal rate of 70%.