• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.135-140
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• 1996

Ion-selective poly(vinyl chloride)(PVC) membrane electrodes for the determination of the calcium antagonist verapamil and its pharmaceutical preparations were described. Verapam il-superchrome garnet Y(SGY), lumogallion(LG), acid red 97(AR97), Dragendorff(DD) and Meyer reagent ion pairs were inverstigated as an electroactive compound for membrane electrode. Stable potentiometric response was obtained with azo dye at pH 6.5-4.0 and with DD, and Meyer reagent at pH 6.5-3.0. The best plasticizer was 49w/w% 2-nitrophenyl octyl ether for azo dye, and 65.3w/w% tri(n-butyl) citrate for DD and Meyer reagent. Potentiometric response slopes of optimized membrane electrodes based on SGY, LG, AR97, DD, and Meyer complex for verapamil were 52.49, 54.88, 50.81, 54.13 and 49.31 mV/dec., respectively. Lower limits of linear range were $1.0{\times}10^6M$ for SGY, LG, and AR97, while those for DD and Meyer reagent were $4{\times}10^{-6}M$. Detection limits for all these electrodes were $1{\times}10^{-5}M,\;4{\times}10^{-6}M,\;1.8{\times}10^{-6}M,\;8{\times}10^{-7}M,\;and\;1{\times}10^{-6}M$ with relative standard deviation of 2.56, 3.6, 3.96, 2.56, 3.20%, respectively.

• BMB Reports
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.499-503
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• 1995

In our previous studies (Chae et al., 1990; Chae et a1., 1993), we found that a phytochrome signal was clearly connected with the change in cytosolic free $Ca^{2+}$ concentration ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) in oat cells. It was determined that the $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ change occured both by mobilization out of the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ store and by influx from the medium. The specific aim of this work is to elucidate the processes connecting $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization and influx. The cells treated with thapsigargin (increasing $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ by inhibition of the $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase in the calcium pool) in the presence of external $Ca^{2+}$ showed the same increasing pattern (sustained increasing shape) of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ as that measured in animal cells. Red light irradiation after thapsigargin treatment did not increase $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ These results suggest that thapsigargin also acts specifically in the processes of mobilization and influx of $Ca^{2+}$ in oat cells. When the cells were treated with TEA ($K^+$ channel blocker), changes in $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ were drastically reduced in comparison with that measured in the absence of TEA. The results suggest that the change in $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ due to red light irradiation is somehow related with $K^+$ channel opening to change membrane potential. The membrane potential change due to $K^+$ influx might be the critical factor in opening a voltage-dependent calcium channel for $Ca^{2+}$ influx.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.357-365
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• 2011

This study was conducted to compare biological activity of browning compounds from fresh, red and black garlic. Water soluble browning compounds were separated from fresh, red and black garlic by dialysis membrane. Antioxidation and other biological activities of freeze dried inner and outer parts from garlics were compared. pH of fresh and red garlic dialysis solutions were higher in inner part of membrane, but black garlic dialysis solution showed reverse tendency. Browning intensities of all tested samples were higher in outer part of dialysis solutions. In inner part dialysis solutions, contents of total phenol compounds were the lowest in red garlic while their contents were the highest in black garlic and thereafter, were the highest in inner part of dialysis solution made from red garlic. Flavonoids content was the highest in inner part of red garlic dialysis solution. Total pyruvate content was higher in outer part of fresh and red garlic dialysis solution which showed the opposite results in black garlic. Total thiosulfate content was the highest in black garlic, red garlic and fresh garlic in order. Antioxidant activities have some similarities among garlic products. DPPH radical scavenging activity was higher in inner part of fresh and black garlic and outer part of red garlic. Tyrosinase inhibition activity was higher in browning compounds of red garlic than fresh and black garlic. $\alpha$-glucosidase inhibition activity of tested samples were higher in inner part of dialysis solution than outer part, and showed higher activity in red garlic than fresh garlic at low sample concentrations.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.259-277
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• 2017

Adsorption is a widely used technique for the removal of dyes from wastewaters by variety of adsorbents. In this work, the main focus is on the potential assessment of anion exchange membrane for the removal of different dyes using batch system and investigation of experimental data by applying various kinetic and thermodynamic models. The removal of anionic dyes i.e., Eosin-B, Eriochrome Black-T and Congo Red by anion exchange membrane BII from aqueous solution was carried out and effect of various parameters such as contact time, membrane dosage, temperature and ionic strength on the percentage removal of anionic dyes was studied. The experimental data was assessed by kinetic models namely pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Elovich liquid film diffusion, Bangham and the modified Freundlich models equation have been used to analyze the experimental data. These results indicate that the adsorption of these anionic dyes on BII follows pseudo-second-order kinetics with maximum values of regression coefficient (0.992-0.998) for all the systems. The adsorption of dyes was more suitable to be controlled by a liquid film diffusion mechanism. The adsorptive removal of dye Eosin-B and Eriochrome Black-T were decreased with temperature and thermodynamic parameters such as free energy (${\Delta}G^o$), enthalpy (${\Delta}H^o$) and entropy (${\Delta}S^o$) for adsorption of dyes on membrane BII were calculated at 298 K, 308 K and 318 K. The values of enthalpy and entropy were negative for EB and EBT representing that the adsorption of these dyes on BII is physiosorptive and exothermic in nature. Whereas the positive values of enthalpy and entropy for CR adsorption on BII, indicating that its adsorption is endothermic and spontaneous in nature. It is evident from this study that anion exchange membrane has shown good potential for the removal of dyes from aqueous solution and it can be used as adsorbent for dues removal on commercial levels.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.395-404
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• 2017

Fungal cell walls and cell membranes are the main targets of antifungals. In this study, we report on the antifungal activity of an ethanol extract from Paeonia lactiflora against Candida albicans, showing that the antifungal activity is associated with the synergistic actions of preventing cell wall synthesis, enabling membrane depolarization, and compromising permeability. First, it was shown that the ethanol extract from P. lactiflora was involved in damaging the integrity of cell walls in C. albicans. In isotonic media, cell bursts of C. albicans by the P. lactiflora ethanol extract could be restored, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the P. lactiflora ethanol extract against C. albicans cells increased 4-fold. In addition, synthesis of $(1,3)-{\beta}-{\small{D}}-glucan$ polymer was inhibited by 87% and 83% following treatment of C. albicans microsomes with the P. lactiflora ethanol extract at their $1{\times}MIC$ and $2{\times}MIC$, respectively. Second, the ethanol extract from P. lactiflora influenced the function of C. albicans cell membranes. C. albicans cells treated with the P. lactiflora ethanol extract formed red aggregates by staining with a membrane-impermeable dye, propidium iodide. Membrane depolarization manifested as increased fluorescence intensity by staining P. lactiflora-treated C. albicans cells with a membrane-potential marker, $DiBAC_4(3)$ ((bis-1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid) trimethine oxonol). Membrane permeability was assessed by crystal violet assay, and C. albicans cells treated with the P. lactiflora ethanol extract exhibited significant uptake of crystal violet in a concentration-dependent manner. The findings suggest that P. lactiflora ethanol extract is a viable and effective candidate for the development of new antifungal agents to treat Candida-associated diseases.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.7
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• pp.666-674
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• 2009

An electrochemical bioreactor (ECB) composed of a cathode compartment and an air anode was used in this study to characterize the ethanol fermentation of Zymomonas mobilis. The cathode and air anode were constructed of modified graphite felt with neutral red (NR) and a modified porous carbon plate with cellulose acetate and porous ceramic membrane, respectively. The air anode operates as a catalyst to generate protons and electrons from water. The growth and ethanol production of Z. mobilis were 50% higher in the ECB than were observed under anoxic nitrogen conditions. Ethanol production by growing cells and the crude enzyme of Z. mobilis were significantly lower under aerobic conditions than under other conditions. The growing cells and crude enzyme of Z. mobilis did not catalyze ethanol production from pyruvate and acetaldehyde. The membrane fraction of crude enzyme catalyzed ethanol production from glucose, but the soluble fraction did not. NADH was oxidized to $NAD^+$in association with $H_2O_2$reduction, via the catalysis of crude enzyme. Our results suggested that NADH/$NAD^+$balance may be a critical factor for ethanol production from glucose in the metabolism of Z. mobilis, and that the metabolic activity of both growing cells and crude enzyme for ethanol fermentation may be induced in the presence of glucose.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.360-367
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• 2014

Candida albicans is an opportunistic and the most prevalent fungal pathogen that can cause superficial and systemic infections in immunocompromised patients. C. albicans can promote the transition from budding yeast to filamentous form, generating biofilms. Infections associated with C. albicans biofilms are frequently resistant to conventional antifungal therapy. Therefore, the development of more effective antifungal drugs related with biofilm formation is required urgently. The roots of Rheum undulatum have been used for medicinal purposes in Korea and China traditionally. The aim of present study was to evaluate the effect of R. undulatum extract upon preformed biofilms of 12 clinical C. albicans isolates and the antifungal activities. Its effect on preformed biofilms was evaluated using XTT reduction assay, and metabolic activity of all tested strains was reduced significantly ($49.4{\pm}6.0%$) at 0.098 mg/ml R. undulatum. The R. undulatum extract blocked the adhesion of C. albicans biofilms to polystyrene surfaces, and damaged the cell membrane integrity of C. albicans which was analyzed by CFDA, AM, and propidium iodide double staining. It caused cell lysis which was observed by Confocal laser scanning and phase contrast microscope after propidium iodide and neutral red staining, respectively. Membrane permeability was changed as evidenced by crystal violet uptake. The data suggest that R. undulatum inhibits biofilm formation by C. albicans, which can be associated with the damage of the cell membrane integrity, the changes in the membrane permeability and the cell lysis of C. albicans.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.290-295
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• 1994

Micelle, liposome and polyethylene glycol(PEG) were employed to reduce the cell mem- brane toxicity of Amphotericin B(Amp. B). Cholesterol-sulfate which can form a mixed micelle with Amp. B molecules was found very effective for the reduction of Amp. B toxicity. 0.01% of cholesterol-sulfate could reduce the toxicity of 5X 10$^{-6}$ M Amp. B by 90%. The required concent- ration of cholesterol-sulfate for the toxicity reduction was proportionally increased with increasing Amp. B concentration. PEG was also effective on the reduction of Amp. B toxicity. 2% PEG was required for the reduction of toxicity by 50%, regardless of Amp. B concentration. The liposome system showed an effective reduction of Amp. B toxicity on RBC, maintaining the antibiotic effect on Candida albicans as free drugs. This seems to be due to the fact that liposome bilayer plays a role of buffer system between ergosterol of fungi cell membrane and cholesterol of red blood cell membrane, which leads the redistribution of Amp. B between them, as the result, the reduction of drug toxicity on cell membrane.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.23-34
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• 1989

Gentamicin (GM) is a polybasic, aminoglycoside antibiotic used frequently for the treatment of serious gram-negative infections. The major limiting factors in the clinical use of GM as well as other aminoglycoside antibiotics are their nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity. The primary mechanism of cell injury in aminoglycoside toxicity appears to be the disruption of normal membrane function and the inhibition of $Na^{+}-K^{+}$ ATPase activity. There are both indirect and direct evidences which suggests that the effect of aminoglycoside antibiotics on $Na^{+}-K^{+}$ ATPase may explain, or contribute to, their toxicity. It has been shown that aminoglycoside reduce total ATPase activity (Kaku et al., 1973) and $Na^{+}-K^{+}$ ATPase activity (linuma et al., 1967) in the stria vascularis and spiral ligament of the guinea-pig cochlea. Lipsky and Lietman (1980) reported that aminoglycoside antibitoics inhibited the activity of $Na^{+}-K^{+}$ ATPase in microsomal fractions of the cortex and medulla of the guinea-pig kidney, isolated rat renal tubule and human erythrocyte ghosts. The present invstigation was undertaken to elucidate the mechanism of GM on human erythrocytes by examining its effect on $Na^{+}-K^{+}$ ATPase activity, actives sodium and potassium transport across red blood cell and $^{3}H-ouabain$ binding to red blood cell membranes. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1) CM inhibited significantly both the activity of total ATPase and $Na^{+}-K^{+}$ ATPase at all concentrations tested. 2) GM inhibited active $^{22}Na$ efflux across red blood cell. When ouabain is present, the rate of $^{22}Na$ efflux was completely inhibited. When both GM and ouabain were added, the inhibitory effect of active $^{22}Na$ efflux was more pronounced. 3) Active $^{86}Rb$ influx was inhibited significantly by GM. In the presence of ouabain, the rate of $^{86}Rb$ influx is markedly inhibited. But $^{86}Rb$ influx is not appreciably altered by the presence of both GM and ouabain. 4) In the presence of GM, $^{3}H-ouabain$ binding to red blood cell membrane increased. From the above results, it may be concluded that the inhibition of active sodium and potassium transport across red blood cell by gentamicin appears to be due to the inhibition of $Na^{+}-K^{+}$ ATPase activity and an increase in ouabain binding to red blood cell membranes.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.55-65
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• 1974

The effect of ginseng on the ATPase activity of rabbit ref cell membrane has been investigated. The experiments were also designed to determine whether the components of ginseng could be attributed to the effect on ATPase activity which dependent upon sodium plus potassium and is sensitive to ouabain. The following results were observed. 1. The activity of the $Na^{+}-K^{+}-ATPase$ from red cell membrane is stimulated by ginseng, and the concentration of ginseng for half-maximal activity is about 15 mg%. The pH optimum for the ginseng sensitive component is 7.6. 2. The portion of the enzyme activity stimulated by ginseng is completely abolished by ouabain. 3. The activating effect of ginseng on the ATPase, with a given concentration of sodium in the medium, is increased by raising the potassium concentration but activity ratio is decreased. 4. The activating effect of ginseng on the ATPase, with a given concentration of potassium in the medium, is increased by raising the sodium concentration but the activity ratio is decreased. 5. The ATPase activity is increased by small amounts of calcium but inhibited by larger amounts and the rate of activity by ginseng is constant. 6. The action of ginseng on the ATPase activity was not related to the sulfhydryl group of cysteine, the amino group of lysine, the imidazole group of histidine, the quanidinium group of arginine, the carboxyl group of aspartic acid, or the hydroxyl group of threonine. 7. The activating effect of ginseng on the ATPase activity may be not due to a saponin which is contained in ginseng.