• 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.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.138-148
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• 2004

Purpose: Regardless of the underlying diseases, the proteinuric condition demonstrates ultrastructural changes in podocytes with retraction and effacement of the highly specialized interdigitating foot processes. We examined the molecular basis for this alteration of the podocyte phenotypes, including quantitative and distributional changes of ZO-1 protein as a candidate contributing to the pathogenic changes in the barrier to protein filtration. Methods: To investigate whether high glucose and advanced glycosylation endproduct(AGE) induce podocyte cytoskeletal changes, we cultured rat GEpC under 1) normal glucose(5 mM=control) or 2) high glucose(30 mM) or 3) AGE-added or 4) high glucose plus AGE-added conditions. The distribution of ZO-1 was observed by confocal microscope and the change of ZO-1 expression was measured by Western blotting and RT-PCR. Results: By confocal microscopy, we observed that ZO-1 moves from peripheral cytoplasm to inner actin filaments complexes in both AGE-added and high glucose condition. In Western blotting, high glucose or AGE-added condition decreased the ZO-1 protein expression by 11.1%(P>0.05) and 2.3%(P>0.05), respectively compared to the normal glucose condition. High glucose plus AGE-added condition further decreased ZO-1 protein expression to statistically significant level(12%, P<0.05). No significant change was seen in the osmotic control. In RT-PCR, high glucose plus AGE-added condition significantly decreased the expression of ZO-1 mRNA by 12% compared to normal glucose condition. Conclusion: We suggest that both high glucose and AGE-added condition induce the cytoplasmic translocation and suppresses the production of ZO-1 at transcriptional level and these changes may explain the functional changes of podocytes in diabetic conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.9
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• pp.1071-1080
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• 2017

This study examined the adhesiveness of beneficial intestinal bacteria to whole-grains using confocal scanning laser microscopy (CLSM), to demonstrate the prebiotic effects of whole-grains, and to develop prebiotic puffed snacks with these whole-grains. CLSM has been used to observe the adhesiveness of Lactobacillus acidophilus, which belongs to beneficial intestinal bacteria, to whole-grain powders using optical sectioning techniques. The enhanced effects on the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria with the hot water grain extract were verified using an indirect count method. Finally, a puffed snack was produced with the prebiotic effect and the quality was evaluated by checking the chromaticity and degree of hardness. As a result, L. acidophilus exhibited adhesive ability to whole-grain powders and growth of selected beneficial intestinal bacteria were improved significantly. The Hunter L value of the developed puffed snack increased when seasoning was added. The hardness of the puffed snack with seasoning was higher than that of the control. The results of a sensory evaluation showed that the puffed snack with seasoning was highly rated in the overall preference compared to the control.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.79-86
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• 2004

Hydraulic conductivity along rock fracture is mainly dependent on fracture geometries such as orientation, aperture, roughness and connectivity. Therefore, it needs to consider fracture geometries sufficiently on a fracture model for a numerical analysis to calculate permeability coefficient in a fracture. This study performed new type of numerical analysis using a homogenization analysis method to calculate permeability coefficient accurately along single fractures with several fracture models that were considered fracture geometries as much as possible. First of all, fracture roughness and aperture variation due to normal stress applied on a fracture were directly measured under a confocal laser scaning microscope (CLSM). The acquired geometric data were used as input data to construct fracture models for the homogenization analysis (HA). Using the constructed fracture models, the homogenization analysis method can compute permeability coefficient with consideration of material properties both in microscale and in macroscale. The HA is a new type of perturbation theory developed to characterize the behavior of a micro inhomogeneous material with a periodic microstructure. It calculates micro scale permeability coefficient at homogeneous microscale, and then, computes a homogenized permeability coefficient (C-permeability coefficient) at macro scale. Therefore, it is possible to analyze accurate characteristics of permeability reflected with local effect of facture geometry. Several computations of the HA were conducted to prove validity of the HA results compared with the empirical equations of permeability in the previous studies using the constructed 2-D fracture models. The model can be classified into a parallel plate model that has fracture roughness and identical aperture along a fracture. According to the computation results, the conventional C-permeability coefficients have values in the range of the same order or difference of one order from the permeability coefficients calculated by an empirical equation. It means that the HA result is valid to calculate permeability coefficient along a fracture. However, it should be noted that C-permeability coefficient is more accurate result than the preexisting equations of permeability calculation, because the HA considers permeability characteristics of locally inhomogeneous fracture geometries and material properties both in microscale and macroscale.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.55-63
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the antimicrobial efficacy of an 810-nm infrared diode laser with indocyanine green (ICG) against Staphylococcus aureus on sandblasted, large grit, and acid-etched (SLA) titanium surfaces, comparing its effectiveness with alternative chemical decontamination modalities. Materials and Methods: Biofilms of S. aureus ATCC 25923 were cultured on SLA titanium disks for 48 hours. The biofilms were divided into five treatment groups: control, chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX), tetracycline (TC), ICG, and 810-nm infrared diode laser with ICG (ICG-PDT). After treatment, colony-forming units were quantified to assess surviving bacteria, and viability was confirmed through confocal laser-scanning microscope (CLSM) imaging. Results: All treated groups exhibited a statistically significant reduction in S. aureus (P < 0.05), with notable efficacy in the CHX, TC, and ICG-PDT groups (P < 0.01). While no statistical difference was observed between TC and CHX, the ICG-PDT group demonstrated superior bacterial reduction. CLSM images revealed a higher proportion of dead bacteria stained in red within the ICG-PDT groups. Conclusion: Within the limitations, ICG-PDT effectively reduced S. aureus biofilms on SLA titanium surfaces. Further investigations into alternative decontamination methods and the clinical impact of ICG-PDT on peri-implant diseases are warranted.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.451-461
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• 2000

The locus coeruleus(LG) is known to be observed a sexual dimorphism in rat CNS. LC is the largest collections of norepinephrine(NE)-containing neurons in the mammalian brain. Especially in rat, all LC neurons contained NE unlike other mammalians, so that specific reactions were found in the tyrosine-hydroxylase(TH) immunoreactive neurons. Sexual dimorphism of rat LC has affected by genes before sex hormone appeared, thereafter affected by sex hormones. In these day, many scientists founded morphological differences between male and female LC morphology, but differences of entire structure was not founded. Thus we investigated sex differences of the LC neuron's morphology in rat by three-dimensional(3-D) reconstruction using Confocal laser scanning microscopy(CLSM). We reported that neuron's shape was relatively-large multipolar neurons and neuron's processes in dorsal LC proceeded to ventral direction in the male and female rat. Male had a longer anterior-posterior length than female had in dorsal LC. In addition to middle-LC, male rat's LC had a more thicker posterior region but had not viewed in a previous study. In reverse, female rat's LC had a thicker anterior region like a previous study. This results using 3-D reconstruction by CLSM showed that the male's LC was more wide-ranging than female's relatively.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.5-12
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• 2008

Objective In this article, we report on the intradermal Alcian blue staining method for tracing the meridians of acupuncture. Methods 1% Alcian blue solution was injected into acupoints by using a 0.5mL insulin syringe with a 31-gauge needle, then the skin was incised and was observed under a stereoscopic microscope. The specimens were examined by using immunohistochemical methods and were observed under a confocal laser scanning microscope. Results A threadlike structure, which was visualized with Alcian blue, existed in dermis layer and proceeded to hypodermis. In this structure, characteristic alignments of rod- shaped nuclei and $1-2{\mu}m$ sized DNA granules were observed. Furthermore, abundant blood capillary plexuses, peripheral nerve endings, and a corpuscle-like structure(about $300{\mu}m$ in diameter) were visualized in the skin tissues of acupoints. Conclusion It was concluded that the specific threadlike and corpuscle-like structures corresponded to superficial Bonghan duct and corpuscle, respectively.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
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• v.43 no.6 s.312
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• pp.16-26
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• 2006

In this paper, we propose a 3D shape restoration system which measures height and surface shape of transparent ITO glass and delivers errors in focal length and incident angle of laser beam to femto-second laser micromachining. The proposed system is composed of a line scan laser, a high resolution camera, a linear motion guide synchronized to image capturing, and a control station. Also, we define the sensitivity indices that represent a relation between measurement error and a position of a camera and scan laser, and utilize it for optimum design. The results of the proposed system are compared with results of SPM(Scanning Probe Microscope) and prove the usefulness of the system.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.195-202
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• 1998

We demonstrated, for the first time, pronuclear formation and apposition in porcine ooc-ytes following intracytoplasmic injection of porcine, human, bovine and mouse spermatozoon. Microtubule organization and chromatin configuration were investigated in these oocytes during pronuclear apposition. Following intracytoplasmic injection of porcine spermatozoon, the microtubular aster was organized from the neck of spermatozoon, and filled the whole cytoplasm. This male derived microtubules appear to move both pronuclei to the center of oocytes. In contrast, following injection of spermatozoa from different species such as human, bovine and mouse, microtubules were organized from the cortex of the oocytes and concentrated to the pronuclei, which seems to move both male and female pronuclei to the center of oocyte. This organization is similar to what has been shown in the parthenogenetically activated por-cine oocytes. These results suggested that the porcine, human, bovine and mouse sperm chromatin can be formed pronucleus and apposited in the center of oocytes in the absence of male derived microtubule when they were injected into porcine oocytes.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.313-320
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to evaluate on the interfacial morphology between dentin and restorative materials. In this in vitro study, the cavity wall restorated with 3 different kinds of tooth colored restorative materials [resin-modified Glass Ionomer cement (Fuji II LC), composite resin (Z-100), compomer (Dyract)]. The thirty extracted human molar teeth without caries and/or restorations are used. The experimental teeth were randomly divided into three groups of ten teeth each. In each group, Wedge shaped cavities (width: 3mm, length: 2mm, depth: 1.5mm) were prepared at the cementoenamel junction on buccal and lingual surfaces. The adhesive of composite resin were mixed with rhodamine B. Primer of composite resin, Prime & Bond 2.1 of Dyract and liquid of Fuji II LC were mixed with fluorescein. In group 1, the cavity wall was treatment with dentin conditioner, and then restorated with Fuji II LC. In group 2, the cavity wall was treatment with Prime & Bond 2.1 and then restorated with Dyract. In group 3, the cavity wall was etching with 10% maleic acid, applied with primer and bonding agent and then restorated with Z-100. The interface between dentin and restorative materials was observed by fluoresence imaging with a confocal laser scanning microscope. The results were as follows : 1. In Glass ionomer group, adaptation of resin modified Glass-ionomer restoration against cavity wall is tight, but the crack formed inside of restoration were observed. 2. In Dyract group, the penetration of resin tag is shorter and the width of hybrid layer is narrower than composite resin group. 3. In Z-100 group, primer penetrated deeply through dentinal tubule. Also bonding agent was penetrated along the primer, but the penetration length is shorter than primer part, and in 3-D image, the resin tag is conical shape and lateral branch is observed.