• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.8
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• pp.886-893
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• 2005

Purpose : Kawasaki disease is the most common cause of systemic vasculitis in children less than 5 years of age. Recent immunohistochemistry findings suggest that many vascular growth factors play a role in the formation of the coronary artery lesions. Active remodeling of the coronary artery lesions in Kawasaki disease continues in the form of intimal proliferation and neoangiogenesis for several years after the onset of the disease. Intravenous immunoglobulin(IVIG) and corticosteroid have been used in the treatment of Kawasaki disease but the exact mechanism is not clear. We have investigated that IVIG and corticosteroid inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)-induced tube formation of endothelial cells in vitro on Matrigel assay. Methods : Human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs) were cultured and seeded on Matrigel coated 24 well plates in medium with or without the following agents : VEGF, VEGF plus IVIG, VEGF plus VEGF antibody, VEGF plus methylprednisolone, VEGF, IVIG plus methylprednisolone for 18 hours. The total length of tube structures in each photograph was quantified. Results : IVIG significantly inhibited the proliferation of HUVECs. The inhibitory effect of IVIG was also reversible. In the meantime, VEGF induced the differentiation of HUVECs into capillary like structures on Matrigel, which was inhibited by VEGF antibody in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, IVIG and methylprednisolone inhibited VEGF-induced tube formation of HUVECs. IVIG was more effective in inhibition than methylprednisolone alone. Conclusion : We revealed that VEGF induced the differentiation of HUVECs and this effect was inhibited by IVIG and methylprednisolone.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.435-441
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• 1998

Optimal conditions for the production of natural color, betacyanin were investigated by varying light intensity, C/N ratio, concentrations of phosphate and kinds of elicitors. Batch cultivation was employed to characterize cell growth and betacyanin production of 32 days. The maximum specific growth rate, ${\mu}$$\sub$max/, was 0.3 (1/day) for batch cultivation. The maximum specific production rate, q$\^$max/$\sub$p/, was enhanced 0.11 (mg/g-cell/day) at 3 klux. A light intensity of 3 klux was shown to the best for both cell growth and betacyanin production. The maximum specific production rate was 0.125 (mg/g-cell/day) at 0.242 (1/day), the maximum specific growth rate. The dependence of specific growth rate on the light lintensity is fit to the photoinhibition model. The correlation between ${\mu}$ and q$\sub$p/ showed that the product formation parameters, ${\alpha}$ and ${\beta}$$\sub$p/ were 0.3756 (mg/cell) and 0.001 (mg/g-cell/day), respectively. The betacyanin production was partially cell growth related process, which is different from the production of a typical product in plant cell cultures. In C/N ratio experiment, high carbon concentration, 42.1 (w/w) improved cell growth rate while lower concentration, 31.6 (w/w) increased the betacyanin production rate. The ${\mu}$$\sub$max/ and q$\^$max/$\sub$p/ were 0.26 (1/day) and 0.075 (mg/g-cell/day), respectively. Beta vulgaris L. cells under 1.25 mM phosphate concentration produced 10.15 mg/L betacyanin with 13.46 (g-dry wt./L) of maximum cell density. The production of betacyanin was elongated by adding 0.1 ${\mu}$M of kinetin. This also increased the cell growth. Optimum culture conditions of light intensity, C/N, phosphate concentration were obtained as 5.5 klux, 27 (w/w), 1.25 mM, respectively by the response surface methodology. The maximum cell density, X$\sub$max/, and maximum production, P$\sub$max/, in optimized conditions were 16 (g-dry wt./L), 12.5 (mg/L) which were higher than 8 (g-dry wt./L), 4.48 (mg/L) in normal conditions. The ${\mu}$$\sub$max/ and q$\^$max/$\sub$p/ were 0.376 (1/day) and 0.134 (mg/g-cell/day) at the optimal condition. The overall results may be useful in scaling up hairy root cell culture system for commercial production of betacyanin.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.107-113
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• 1994

Among the currently recognized pathogenic vibrios, V. vulnificus and V. cholerae non O1 are the most serious bacteria from the point of view of sea food hygiene in Korea. In this paper, the authors compared the hemolytic activities of the crude hemolysin produced by V. vulnificus and V. cholerae non O1 isolated from shellfish collected in Chungmoo, Korea. The authors also attempted to improve the purification method of V. vulnificus hemolysin(VVH) and tried to make antiserum with the purified hemolysin. VVH was produced in abundance in heart infusion broth containing $2\%$ NaCl in a shaking cultivation process(140rpm) at $37^{\circ}C$ for 15 hours. While hemolysin production patterns of V. cholerae non O1 were quite different by the strain during the culture times compared with the V. vulnificus. Hemolytic activity of the VVH on sheep erythrocytes was stronger than those of rabbit, but hemolytic activities of the hemolysin produced by V. cholerae non O1 on rabbit erythrocytes were as much as twice as strong as on those of sheep and horse. VVH was purified by two steps of hydrophobic column chromatography on Phenyl-Sepharose HP with Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography(FPLC). Purification fold and yield of VVH was much improved by changing the elution buffer's pH from 6.0 to 9.8 and adding $1\%$ CHAPS(a zwitter ionic detergent) and $50\%$ ethylene glycol to the 10mM glycine buffer during the repeated hydrophobic column chromatography. Homogeneity of the purified hemolysin was shown by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. According to the five times repeated purification results, the specific activity was increased 27500 times and the yield was improved by $23.4\%$ on average. About $250{\mu}g$ of purified hemolysin was harvested from the 2400ml of culture supernatant of V. vulnificus. Molecular weight of VVH was estimated to be 50KDa by the SDS-PAGE and the neutralization scores of the obtained antiserum acting against VVH were $2000{\sim}8500$.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.100-108
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• 1989

Thirty-six aromatic compound biodegraders; 10 strains for benzoate, 10 for salicylate, 6 for m-toluate, and 10 for DL-camphor were isolated and taxonomically characterized. A mutant Pseudomonas strain, Ben 6-2, derived from Ben 6 revealed remarkably improved ability to metabolize benzoate. Thus enhancement of the average substrate removal rate from 5.2 to 11.0mg/$\ell$/ hr was attained by the mutant. Both of strains Sal 7 and Tol 2, degraders of salicylate and m-toluate respectively, were classified as Pseudomonas sup. Both strains were found to be extremely effective in metabolizing each aromatic substrates. The average substrate degradation rates in minimal salt media containing 2,200mg/$\ell$ of the substrate were calculated to be 40.1 mg/$\ell$/ hr for strain Sal 7 and 33.0mg/$\ell$/ hr for Tol 2. Cam 10, a camphor degrading strain was demonstrated to be capable of mineralizing benzoate, phenol, toluene, octane, cyclohexane and xylene as well as camphor. Strain 1040 isolated from Cam 10 after repented adaptation to 1,000 mg/$\ell$ m-toluate gained the ability to utilize toluate as a sole carbon source. The mutant Brew actively at the expense of a mixture of car-bon sources; camphor, m-toluate, benzoate and phenol (each: 200 mg/$\ell$) and utilized the substances in the preferential order of camphor, phenol, benzoate, and m-toluate. Among the biodegraders examined Cam 1040 and Tol 2 were detected to harbor plasmid. The plasmid from Cam 1001 was determined to be about 98kb, and evidenced to encode the enzyme(s) for the degradation of camphor. For the further diversification of the metabolic potentials of Cam 1040, the NAH 2 plasmid of Pseudomonas putida NCIB 9816 was transferred to Cam 1040 by conjugation. The exconjugant obtained, Cam 1043, proved to gain an additional ability to metabolize salicylate and naphthalene.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.183-190
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• 2004

On May of 2002, the 34 isolates of Rhizoctonia solani were isolated from the symptom of damping-off on basal stems of 2-year-old to 6-year-old Panax ginseng which were cultivated in the 17 fields in Kyunggi-do, Chun­gcheungnam-do and Jeollabuk-do province in Korea. All isolates were identified as anastomosis group 2-1. Pre-emer­gence damping-off occurred on underground part of stem of 2-year-old ginseng in the pot trial with artificial inoculation. However, in the 4-year-old ginseng field with artificial inoculation, post-emergence damping-off occurred. The severe incidence of damping-off was found in the 6-year-old ginseng field in Kimje-si, Jeollabuk-do province on June 5 of 2003, the rate of which showed $18.6{\%}$ of area in the field by spread of the disease since 2-year-old. The sclerotia of R. solani, started to be formed after 7 days incubation on potato dextrose agar at $25^{\circ}C,$ were grayish brown, spherical to irregular and about $500{\mu}m$ in diameter, which became dark brown after 14 days incubation. The temperature range for the myce­lial growth of R. solani isolates was $5\~30^{\circ}C,$ and the optimal temperature was $25^{\circ}C,$ their growth were very poor at $5\;or\;30^{\circ}C$. The isolates grew at the range of pH $4.5\~8.1$ tested and optimal pH for growth was pH 4.5$\~5.8%, whereas their growth were very poor above the pH 7.2.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.596-603
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• 2003

Cells respond to an accumulation of unfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) by increasing transcription of genes encoding molecular chaperones and folding enzymes. The information is transmitted from the ER lumen to the nucleus by intracellular signaling pathway, called the unfolded protein response (UPR). To obtain genes related to UPR from B. mori, the cDNA library was constructed with mRNA isolated from Bm5 cell lines in which N-glycosylation was inhibited by tunicamycin treatment. From the cDNA library, we selected 40 clones that differentially expressed when cells were treated with tunicamycin. Among these clones, we have isolated ATFC gene showing similarity with Hac1p, encoding a bZIP transcription factor of 5. cerevisiae. Basic-leucine zipper (bZIP) domain in amino acid sequences of ATFC shared homology with yeast Hac1p. Also, ATFC is up-regulated by accumulation of unfolded proteins in the ER through the treatment of ER stress drugs. Therefore we suggest that ATFC represents a major component of the putative transcription factor responsible for the UPR leading to the induction of ER-localized stress proteins.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.210-219
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• 2017

This study was conducted to establish an efficient screening method for radish (Raphanus sativus) cultivars that are resistant to black spot, which is caused by Alternaria brassicicola. Seven A. brassicicola isolates were selected and investigated for their ability to produce spores and pathogenicity. Of these isolates, A. brassicicola KACC 40036 and 43923 produced abundant spores in V-8 juice agar medium and showed pathogenicity and strong virulence on radish seedlings. We examined the resistance of 61 commercial cultivars of radish to A. brassicicola KACC40036, and found that there are no highly resistant radish cultivars; however, some cultivars, such as 'Geumbong' and 'Searom', showed weak resistance to A. brassicicola. For further study, we selected four radish cultivars that showed different disease responses to A. brassicicola KACC40036. According to the growth stage of the radish seedlings, inoculum concentration, and incubation temperature of radish, development of black spot on four cultivars has been investigated. The results showed that younger seedlings were more sensitive to A. brassicicola than older seedlings, and the disease severity depended on the concentration of the spore suspension. The disease severity of plants incubated in humidity chamber at $25^{\circ}C$ was greater than that of plants grown at $20^{\circ}C$ or $30^{\circ}C$. Taken together, we suggest the following method for screening for radish plants that are resistant to A. brassicicola: 1) inoculate 16-day-old radish seedlings with an A. brassicicola spore suspension ($2.0{\times}10^5spores{\cdot}mL^{-1}$) using the spray method, 2) incubate the inoculated plants in a humidity chamber at $25^{\circ}C$ for 24 h and then transfer the plants to a growth chamber at $25^{\circ}C$ with 80% relative humidity under a 12 h light/dark cycle, and 3) assess the disease severity of the plants two days after inoculation.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.388-395
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• 1987

In order to obtain a regulatory mutant strain with high cellulase activity, a newly isolated Penicillium verrculosum, strain F-3 was used as parental strain since it was proved to be an efficient cellulase producer. A number of experiments were conducted to determine the optimum conditions to in-duce mutagenesis and isolate the desirable mutant strains. Out of several restriction compounds tested, 1.5% oxgall was found to be most effective to restrict the colony size by suppressing overgrowth. Derepression of catabolites was employed as a criterion in selecting mutant strains with high cellulase productivity. Production of cellulase by Penicillium venculosum F-3 was suppressed when cultured on the media with more than 1% of glucose or glycerol. It was found that either irradiation with UV light for 19 mins or treatment with nitrosoguanidine at 200$\mu\textrm{g}$/m1 for 60 mins, induced mutagenesis at desired level, when the survival rate of the spore was 0.2% and 48%, respectively. Three mutant strains of F-3, UV-9, UV-10, and NTG-3 that had the highest cellulase productivity were finally selected, based on filter paper degradation rate, size of clearing zone on the screening plate and cellulase activity in the medium containing cellulose powder. When the mutant strains were compared with parental strain F-3, on the KC-M-W medium containing cellulose powder, the filter paper activities of UV-9, UV-10, and NTG-3 were increased by 34%, 55%, and 41%, respectively. However, the assimilation of cellobiose octaacetate by UV-9 or NTG-3 was markedly reduced. When the mutant UV-10 was grown on cellobiose octaacetate medium (CCA-4) in shaking flasks, the cellulase activities of the mutant increased by 20 to 50% compared to the parental strain. Excreation of soluble protein from the mutant also elevated up to 30%. The mutant also constitutively produced both CMCase and $\beta$-glucosidase, though at relatively low level, in the presence of glucose or cellobiose as carbon sources.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.171-180
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• 2011

The researchers have tried to reduce ruminal methane gas ($CH_4$) and to convert it into beneficial nutrient for several decades. This study was conducted to screen the methane-reducing vegetables among lettuce, hot pepper, spring onion, onion, turmeric, sesame leaf, garlic, radish sprout, leek and ginger nutritiously on the in vitro ruminal fermentation. The heat-treated vegetables at the 10% of substrate (timothy) were used to reduce methane production on the in vitro anaerobic experiment of 0, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h incubation time. Total gas production, pH, ammonia, $H_2$, $CO_2$, $CH_4$, and volatile fatty acid (VFA) were measured as indicators of in vitro fermentation product containing methane gas. All treatments except garlic showed a tendency to increase in total gas production. The result of ammonia showed that garlic and hot pepper affected rumen bacteria concerned protein metabolism and that lettuce and spring onion increased ammonia production. Garlic decreased $CH_4$ production in inverse proportion to $H_2$. Lettuce, spring onion, onion, garlic, radish sprout, leek and ginger increased propionate of VFA. Garlic balanced the ruminal fermentation in the pH, $H_2$, $CH_4$, acetate and propionate. This results showed that methane production at in vitro study was inhibited by heat-treated garlic supplementation. In conclusion, this study suggests that ruminal fermentation covering methane production might be controled by proper vegetables.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.507-515
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• 1996

Background : Potassium channel opener (K-opener) opens ATP-sensitive K'-channel located at cell membrane and induces potassium efflux from cytosol, resulting in intracellular hyperpolarization. Newly synthesized K-opener is currently examined for pharmacologic potency by means of rubidium release test from smooth muscle strip pre-incubated with Rb-86. Since in-vivo behavior of thallium is similar to that of rubidium, we hypothesized that K-opener can alter T1-201 kinetics in vivo. Purpose : This study was prepared to investigate the effects of pinacidil (one of potent K-openers) on the T1-201 uptake and clearance in cultured myocyte, and in-vivo biodistribution in mice. Methods : Spontaneous contracting myocytes were prepared to imitate in-vivo condition from 20 hearts of 3-5 days old Sprague-Dawley rat and cultured for 3-5 days before use ($5{\times}10^5$ cells/ml). Pinacidil was dissolved in 10% DMSO solution at a final concentration of 100nM or l0uM and was co-incubated with T1-201 in HBSS buffer for 20-min to evaluate its effect on cellular T1-uptake, or challenged to cell preparation pre-incubated with T1-201 for washout study. Two, 40 or $100{\mu}g$ of pinacidil was injected intravenously into ICR mice at 10 min after $5{\mu}Ci$ T1-201 injection, and organ uptake and whole body retention rate were measured at different time points. Results : Co-incubation of pinacidil with T1-201 resulted in a decrease in T1-201 uptake into cultured myocyte by 1.6 to 2.5 times, depending on pinacidil concentration and activity of T1-201 used. Pinacidil enhanced T1-201 washout by 1.6-3.1 times from myocyte preparations pre-incubated with T1-201. Pinacidil treatment appears to be resulted in mild decreases in blood and liver activity in normal mice, in contrast, renal and cardiac uptake were mildly decreased in a dose dependent manner. Whole body retention ratios of T1-201 were lower at 24 hour after injection with $100{\mu}g$ of pinacidil than control. Conclusion : These results suggest that treatment with K-opener may affect the interpretation of T1-201 myocardial images, due to decreasing thallium accumulation and enhancing washout from myocardium.