• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.172-177
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• 2020

Influenza viruses cause respiratory diseases in humans and animals with high morbidity and mortality rates. Conventional anti-influenza drugs are reported to exert side effects and newly emerging viral strains tend to develop resistance to these commonly used agents. Fritillaria thunbergii (FT) is traditionally used as an expectorant for controlling airway inflammatory disorders. Here, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of FT extracts against influenza virus type A (H1N1) infection in vitro, in ovo, and in vivo. In the post-treatment assay, FT extracts showed high CC50 (7,500 ㎍/ml), indicating low toxicity, and exerted moderate antiviral effects compared to oseltamivir (SI 50.6 vs. 222) in vitro. Antiviral activity tests in ovo revealed strong inhibitory effects of both FT extract and oseltamivir against H1N1 replication in embryonated eggs. Notably, at a treatment concentration of 150 mg/kg, only half the group administered oseltamivir survived whereas the FT group showed 100% survival, clearly demonstrating the low toxicity of FT extracts. Consistent with these findings, FT-administered mice showed a higher survival rate with lower body weight reduction relative to the oseltamivir group upon treatment 24 h after viral infection. Our collective results suggest that FT extracts exert antiviral effects against influenza H1N1 virus without inducing toxicity in vitro, in ovo or in vivo, thereby supporting the potential utility of FT extract as a novel candidate therapeutic drug or supplement against influenza.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.423-435
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• 2014

Verifying the similarity of environmental characteristics between an artificial impact site and a preserved or reference site is necessary to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate the environmental impact of mining activity. Although an impact site (BIS station) and a preserved site (called KOMO station) that have been selected in the Korea manganese nodule contract area may share similar environmental characteristics, similarities in terms of the water column environment between both sites has not been investigated. In this study, we compared the chemical properties of the water columns and sinking particle fluxes between BIS and KOMO stations through two observations (August 2011 and September 2012). Additionally, we observed particle fluxes at the KOMO station for five years (July 2003~July 2008) to understand long-term natural variability. Vertical distributions of water column properties such as dissolved oxygen, inorganic nutrients (N, P, Si), total organic carbon below surface layer (within the depth range of 200 m) were not considerably different between the two sites. Especially, values of water column parameters in the abyssopelagic zone from 4000 m to bottom layer (~5000 m) were very similar between the BIS and KOMO sites. Sinking particle fluxes from the two sites also showed similar seasonality. However, natural variation of particle flux at the KOMO site varied from 3.5 to $129.9mg\;m^{-2}day^{-1}$, with a distinct temporal variation originating from ENSO events (almost forty times higher than a minimum value). These results could provide valuable information to more exactly evaluate the environmental impact of mining activity on water columns.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.131-138
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• 2014

In this study, we isolated two novel chitinase producing bacterial strains from yellow loess samples collected from Jullanamdo province. The chitinase producing bacteria were isolated based on the zone size of clearance in the chitin agar plates. Both of them were gram positive, rod ($2{\sim}3{\times}0.3{\sim}0.4{\mu}m$), spore-forming, and motility positive. They were facultative anaerobic, catalase positive and hydrolyzed starch, gelatin, and casein. From the 16s rRNA gene sequence analysis, the isolates were labeled as Bacillus licheniformis KYLS-CU01 and B. licheniformis KYLS-CU02. The isolates showed higher extracellular chitinase activities than B. licheniformis ATCC 14580 as a control. The optimum temperature and pH for chitinase production were $40^{\circ}C$ and pH 7.0, respectively. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the culture medium for efficient production of the chitinase. Under this optimal condition, 1.5 times higher chitinase activity of B. licheniformis KYLS-CU02 was obtained. Extracellular chitinases of the two isolates were purified through ammonium sulfate precipitation and anion-exchange DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. The specific activities of purified chitinase from B. licheniformis KYLS-CU01 and B. licheniformis KYLS-CU02 were 7.65 and 5.21 U/mg protein, respectively. The molecular weights of the two purified chitinases were 59 kDa. Further, the purified chitinase of B. licheniformis KYLS-CU01 showed high antifungal activity against Fusarium sp.. In conclusion, these two bacterial isolates can be used as a biopesticide to control pathogenic fungi.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.1520-1524
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Houttuynia cordata Thunb and Oriental Herb Mixture Extract (HCTM) through anti-oxidation against the hepatotoxicity-inducing lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in HCTM and LPS-treated rats. HCTM of 100 mg/kg concentration was intraperitoneally administered into rats at dose of 1.5 ml/kg for 20 days. On the day 21, 1.5 ml/kg of LPS was injected 5 hours before anesthetization. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was measured in mitochondrial fraction and malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were measured in liver homogenate. LPS-treatment markedly increased the levels of MDA and significantly decreased those of SOD, CAT and GPx. But HCTM pretreatment significantly increased those of SOD, CAT and GPx by 86.9%, 57.2% and 72.7% respectively. Moreover HCTM pretreatment decreased the levels of MDA. These results showed the HCTM had the effects against the hepatotoxicity-inducing LPS in the anti-oxidation. This suggested that HCTM could be used for functional beverage.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.888-897
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• 2015

The anti-inflammatory effect of alginate oligosaccharides on LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells was investigated at different time points (0-60 h). The alginate oligosaccharides were produced by an alginate-degrading enzyme from Shewanella oneidensis PKA1008. The alginate oligosaccharides decreased the production of nitric oxide and proinflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, and IL-6] in a dose-dependent manner. The alginate oligosaccharides showed peak anti-inflammatory activity after 36 h of incubation; at that time point, reduced protein expression of NF-${\kappa}B$ p65, iNOS, and COX-2 was detected. Furthermore, the alginate oligosaccharide treatment reduced the formation of ear edema at 36 h compared to samples examined at 0 h when the oligosaccharides were administered at 50 and 250 mg/kg body weight, as well as dermal thickness and mast cell numbers in a histological analysis. These results suggest that alginate oligosaccharides are a promising anti-inflammatory agent.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.60 no.2
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• pp.130-137
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• 2017

Objective : Autophagy is one of the key responses of cells to programmed cell death. Memantine, an approved anti-dementia drug, has an antiproliferative effect on cancer cells but the mechanism is poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to test the possibility of induction of autophagic cell death by memantine in glioma cell lines. Methods : Glioma cell lines (T-98 G and U-251 MG) were used for this study. Results : The antiproliferative effect of memantine was shown on T-98 G cells, which expressed N-methyl-D-aspartate 1 receptor (NMDAR1). Memantine increased the autophagic-related proteins as the conversion ratio of light chain protein 3-II (LC3-II)-/LC3-I and the expression of beclin-1. Memantine also increased formation of autophagic vacuoles observed under a transmission electron microscope. Transfection of small interfering RNA (siRNA) to knock down NMDAR1 in the glioma cells induced resistance to memantine and decreased the LC3-II/LC3-I ratio in T-98 G cells. Conclusion : Our study demonstrates that in glioma cells, memantine inhibits proliferation and induces autophagy mediated by NMDAR1.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.718-726
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• 2007

There are many varieties of asbestos: chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, tremolite, actinolite, and anthophylite. These are widely used in construction materials, brake lining, textile, and so on. Even though non-asbestos fibers such as glassfiber and rockwool have manufactured because asbestos causes asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, etc., some bad effects of non-asbestos have been also reported. PCM (phase contrast microscopy) and PLM (polarized light microscopy) have been used to qualitatively analyze asbestoses. These techniques have serious drawbacks when identifying and separating various asbestoses. Recently scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) has been known as an useful tool to analyze airborne particle since it provides physical and chemical information simultaneously. The purpose of the study was to classify both asbestos and non-asbestos fibers and finally to develop their source profiles by using the SEM/EDX. The source profiles characterized by 6 different types of asbestos fibers and 2 types of non-asbestos fibers had been developed by analyzing a total of 380 fibers. Analytical parameters used in this study were length, width, aspect ratio, and shape as physical information, and Na, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Cu as chemical information. All the parameters were intensively reviewed.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.619-619
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• 2009

Recently, silica nanostructures are widely used in various applicationary areas such as chemical sensors, biosensors, nano-fillers, markers, catalysts, and as a substrate for quantum dots etc, because of their excellent physical, chemical and optical properties. Additionally, these days, semiconductor silica and silicon with high purity is a key challenge because of their metallurgical grade silicon (MG-Si) exhibit purity of about 99% produced by an arc discharge method with high cast. Tremendous efforts are being paid towards this direction to reduce the cast of high purity silicon for generation of photovoltaic power as a solar cell. In this direction, which contains a small amount of impurities, which can be further purified by acid leaching process. In this regard, initially the low cast rice-husk was cultivated from local rice field and washed well with high purity distilled water and were treated with acid leaching process (1:10 HCl and $H_2O$) to remove the atmospheric dirt and impurity. The acid treated rice-husk was again washed with distilled water and dried in an oven at $60^{\circ}C$. The dried rice-husk was further annealed at different temperatures (620 and $900^{\circ}C$) for the formation of silica nanospheres. The confirmation of silica was observed by the X-ray diffraction pattern and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The morphology of obtained nanostructures were analyzed via Field-emission scanning electron microscope(FE-SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy(TEM) and it reveals that the size of each nanosphares is about 50-60nm. Using the Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS), Silica was analyzed for the amount of impurities.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.271-275
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• 2013

Cobalt (Co) compounds have been used for centuries to impart rich blue color to glass, glazes and ceramics. Cobalt monoxide (CoO), an oxide of Co, is an inorganic compound that has long been used as a coloring agent in the ceramic industry. Unlike other coloring agents, CoO can be used to develop colors other than blue, and several factors such as its concentration in the glaze and firing condition have been suggested as possible mechanisms. For example, CoO produces a typical blue color called "cobalt blue" at very low concentrations such as 1 wt% in both oxidation and reduction firing conditions; a higher concentration of CoO (5 wt%) develops a darker blue color under the same firing conditions. Interestingly, CoO also develops a purple color at high concentrations above 10 wt%. In this study, we examined the applicability and mechanism of a novel purple glaze containing cobalt(II, III) oxide, one of the well characterized cobalt oxides. Experimental results show that an Augite crystal isoform (Augite-Fe/Co) in which Fe was replaced with Co is the main component contributing to the formation of the purple color. Based on these results, we developed a glaze using chemically synthesized Augite-Fe/Co crystal as a color pigment. Purple color glaze was successfully developed by the addition of 6~15 wt% of $Co_3O_4$ to magnesia lime.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.283-288
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• 2015

In this study, we investigated anti-obesity effect of isoegomaketone (IK) isolated from leaves extract of Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt. cv. We verified differentiation and lipid accumulation by Oil Red O staining in 3T3-L1 cells after IK treatment with differentiation media. IK inhibited mRNA expression of adipocyte specific genes that were related with differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells. We confirmed the effects of IK on body weight and visceral fat mass in obese mice. Mice were randomly divided into three groups; normal diet group (ND), high-fat diet group (HFD) and high-fat diet with IK group (HFD-IK). The obesity mice were induced by feeding the 45% high-fat diet to the C57BL/6J mice during 4 weeks. After HFD-IK was orally administered 10 mg/kg of IK. As a result, the body weight of HFD and HFD-IK was increased 2.4 times and 1.7 times of ND, respectively. Also visceral fat mass of HFD was increased 24 times but in the case of HFD-IK was increased to 13 times in comparison with ND. Taken together, our findings suggest that IK reduced differentiation and adiogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells, decreased the body weight and visceral fat mass in obesity mice. These results suggest that IK may have a potential benefit as anti-obesity material.