• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.251-254
• /
• 2010

The formation of acylated peptide impurities in poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) formulations is one of the major challenges to the development of successful sustained-release product. Octreotide, synthetic analogue of somatostatin, has been identified to be acylated in PLGA microsphere formulations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the pH effect on the formation of acylated octreotides by PLGA. In the incubation with PLGA in 0.1 M phosphate buffer at pH 7.4, approximately 98% of octreotide adsorbed to PLGA through 14 days and 66.3% of acylated octreotides were produced after 42 days, whereas the interaction of octreotide with PLGA was significantly inhibited in the incubation at pH 4, in which the acylated octreotides were observed to be 9.2% after 42 days. In the interaction study at pH 4.1-7.4, the production of acylated octreotides was demonstrated to be dependent on environmental pH. Below pH 5.0, the acylation of octreotide was significantly inhibited. This study indicates that the pH is the major factor for the formation of acylated octreotide in PLGA formulations.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.24
• /
• pp.10803-10808
• /
• 2015

Background: The role of $p16^{INK4A}$ expression in uterine cervix cancer is well established. In the remaining female lower genital tract cancers, the importance of $p16^{INK4A}$ up-regulation is less clear. In our study, we analyzed the role of $p16^{INK4A}$ expression and HPV infection in carcinomas of the vulva and the vagina in Tunisian women. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 30 carcinomas including 15 vulvar squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and 15 vaginal SCCs. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine $p16^{INK4A}$ expression. HPV detection and typing was by in situ hybridization. Results: $p16^{INK4A}$ expression was detected in 86.7% of vaginal SCCs with a strong and diffuse immunostaining in 60% of cases, and also in 73.3% of vulvar SCCs with focal immunoreactivity in 53.3% The association between $p16^{INK4A}$ expression and HPV infection was significant in vaginal SCCs (p=0.001) but not vulvar SCCs (p>0.05). Conclusions: $p16^{INK4A}$ expression could be used as a useful marker for HPV positivity in vaginal SCCs similar to that described in uterine cervix cancers. However, our data support the presence of 2 different mechanisms for $p16^{INK4A}$ expression in HPV-related and HPV-unrelated vulvar carcinomas.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.306-314
• /
• 2003

Volatile flavor components, produced during the young (P-1), immature (P-2), mature (P-3) and old (P-4) growth stages, of shiitake mushrooms (Lentinus edodes), were extracted by simultaneous steam distillation and extraction (SDE), using a mixture of n-pentane and diethyl ether (1:1, v/v) as the extraction solvent. Analyses of the concentrates, by capillary gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS), led to the identification of 129, 129, 111 and 120 components in the P-1, 2, 3 and 4 stages, respectively. The major volatile compounds were l-octen-3-o1, 3-octanol, 3-octanone and 4-octen-3-one. Ethanol and ethyl acetate were also detected in large amounts. The characteristic volatile compounds found in shiitake mushrooms, such as dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide and 1, 2, 4-thiolane, were at low concentrations in all samples. The amount of l-octen-3-o1 decreased as growth progressed, but concentrations of 3-octanone increased. The amount of 4-octen-3-ol decreased from P-1 to P-3, but was at a high concentrations in P-4. The concentration of 3-octanol gradually increased and reached its highest concentration in P-3, but decreased in P-4. The C8-compounds comprised 70.91, 64.09, 64.29 and 60.01 % in the P-1, 2, 3 and 4 stages, respectively, so decreased gradually with growth. The S-compounds were found in the highest concentrations in P-3.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.10-17
• /
• 2010

The objectives of this study were to compare the growth of Vitex rotundifolia as affected by the difference of soil depth and mixture ratio in a shallow-extensive green roof module system, and to identify the level of soil thickness and mixture ratio as suitable growing condition to achieve the desired plant growth in green roof. Different soil thickness levels were achieved under 7cm, 15cm and 25cm of shallow-extensive green roof module systems made by woody frame of $500{\times}500{\times}300mm$. Soil mixture ratio were eight types for perlite : peatmoss : leafmold = 7 : 1 : 2 (v/v/v, $P_7P_1L_2$), perlite : peatmoss : leafmold = 6 : 2 : 2 (v/v/v, $P_6P_2L_2$), perlite : peatmoss : leafmold = 5 : 3 : 2 (v/v/v, $P_5P_3L_2$), perlite : peatmoss : leafmold = 4 : 4 : 2 (v/v/v, $P_4P_4L_2$), only sand ($S_{10}$), sand : leafmold = 7 : 3 (v/v, $S_7L_3$), sand : leafmold = 5 : 5 (v/v, $S_5L_5$) and only leafmold ($L_{10}$). The growth response of Vitex rotundifolia had fine and sustain condition in $P_6P_2L_2$, $P_5P_3L_2$ and $P_4P_4L_2$., Especially, in case of $P_6P_2L_2$, growth response appeared to be good even in soil thickness 7cm, which showed low survival rates of Vitex rotundifolia in other soil mixtures. Tree height, root diameter, photosynthesis and chlorophyll contents tended to increase with increased soil thickness.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.9-17
• /
• 1990

The growth and fermentation profiles of Clostridium acetobutylicum KCTC 1037 were examined in batch and continuous modes with pH variation and phosphate limitation. Clostridium acetobutylicum KCTC 10 37 grew better at pH 4.5 than at pH 5.5 or 6.5. Acetate and butyrate were produced at pH 5.5, whereas culture at pH 4.5 produced acetone and butanol. Solvent production was increased by the phosphate limitation in a batch culture, but in a phosphate-limited continuous culture for 400 hours steady-state solventogenesis was not observed. The induction and maintenance of solventogenesis presumably require not only acidic condition or phosphate limitation but also favourable bioenergetic condition.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.313-319
• /
• 2004

The distribution and characteristics of acidotolerant heterotrophic and naphthalene-degrading bacteria were investigated in two forest areas, one near Ulsan petrochemical industrial complex (Sunam) and the other in countryside (Daeam). Average values of soil pH at Sunam and Daeam were 3.8 and 4.6, respectively. When het­erotrophic and naphthalene-degrading bacteria were enumerated by most probable number (MPN) procedures at Sunam, the median values of heterotrophs growing at pH 7.0 and pH 4.0 were $5.3{\times}10^7\;and\;3.3{times}10^7$ MPN/g, whereas those of naphthalene-degraders were $5.6{\times}10^4\;and\;4.0{times}10^5$ MPN/g, respectively. While the medians of heterotrophs at Daeam were larger than those at Sunam, the concentrations of naphthalene-degraders were higher at Sunam compared to those at Daeam. From the MPN tubes and enrichment cultures, we obtained 17 isolates of naphthalene-degraders which were identified as Sphingomonas paucimobilis, Brevundimonas vesic­ularis, Burkholderia cepacia, Ralstonia pickettii, Pseudomanas fluorescens, and Chryseomonas luteola. Among them, 6 isolates showed higher naphthalene-degrading activity on minimal media of pH 4 compared to pH 7, whereas the extent of growth was not greater at pH 4 than at pH 7 when they were inoculated on nutrient-rich media. It is plausible that the pH may affect naphthalene-degrading activity of the isolates by changing fatty acid composition of bacterial membrane.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.227-243
• /
• 2000

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between nursing organizational climate and job satisfaction of nurses in general hospitals and also the factors which had influences in the nursing organizational climate and job satisfaction of nurses. Data were collected from 200 nursing managers and 800 nurses with structured questionnaires at 11 general hospitals in Taegu and Kyungbuk-area, from June 1 to June 30, 1999. Data were analyed with SPSS 7.5 using program such as t-test, ANOVA and stepwise multiple regression. The results were as follows: 1) In the nursing organizational climate there were significant differences by age(F=9.246, p=.000), religion(f=5.658, p=.001), educational level(F=4.660, p=.010), position(F=27.016, p=.000), and the total length of service(F=7.274, p=.000). Also there were significant differences by subsidiary school(F=11.224, p=.000), the number of beds(F=9.893, p=.000), the number of nurses(F=6.365, p=.000), and kind of medical agency(F=5.251, p=.000) in the hospitals. 2) In the nurses' job satisfaction there were significant differences by age(f=11.528, p=.000), religion(F=3.003, p=.000), position(F=22.485, p=.000), career the department of the present service(F=5.157, p=.000), total career of service(F=9.243, p=.000), and salary(F=5.507, p=.000). Also there were significant differences by religious background(F=4.779, p=.009), subsidiary school(F=7.039, p=.000), the number of beds(F=7.039, p=.000), and kind of medical agency(F=2.778, p=.006) in the hospitals 3) There was significant correlation between nursing organizational climate and job satisfaction of nurses(r=.686). 4) The nursing organizational climate was explained 21.8% by salary 9.5%, position 7.4%, religious background of hospital 4.1%, and subsidiary school of hospital 0.8%. 5) The nurses' job satisfaction was explained 70.9% by nursing organizational climate 46.7%, salary 21.9%, kind of medical agency 1.4%, position 0.3%, religious background of hospital 0.3%, religion 0.3%.

• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.81-85
• /
• 2010

Arabidopsis seedlings subjected to low pH stress in the range of pH 5.6-4.0 did not show significant retardations in root and shoot growths. Treatment of pH 3.5-2.5 resulted in significant reductions in root and shoot length, especially in roots. Chlorophyll contents in seedlings increased during acid treatment of pH 5.6-4.0, but decreased by stronger acid treatment of pH 4.0 and lower pHs. Total carotenoid contents showed similar trend to chlorophyll contents by increasing during pH 5.6-3.5 treatments and decreasing by pH 3.0-2.5. Anthocyanin contents increased under acid stress of pH 5.6-3.0 and showed great reduction at pH 2.5. The ratios of carotenoids/chlorophylls and anthocyanins/chlorophylls increased by acid stress treatments. That indicates plants try to adjust physiologically to acid stress and protect chlorophylls by increasing carotenoid and anthocyanin contents. However, different responses of chlorophylls and anthocyanins to acid stress indicate both pigments play different roles in protecting plant from acid stress.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.333-336
• /
• 2001

An isolated phbC gene from Alcaligenes latus was reintroduced into the parent A. latus through the transformation process, and the effect of the amplified phbC gene on the biosynthesis of P(3-hydroxybutyrate-3-hydroxyvalerate) [P(3HB-3HV)] and P(3-hydroxybutyrate-4-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB-4HB)] in the transformant A. latus was investigated. The biosynthesis rate and content of the above copolymers increased up to 1.3-fold after enforcing its own phbC gene, and the molar fractions of 3HV and 4HB in P(3HB-3HV) and P(3HB-4HB) also changed remarkably from 35.0 to 48.0% and from 34.0 to 56.0%, respectively, showing a critical role of PHB synthase which catalyzes the polymerizing reactions between eiher 3HV or 4HB from precursor compounds and 3HB.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.379-382
• /
• 2005

The new cationic meso-substituted N-quarternized 4-pyridylporphyrins and their metal derivatives were synthesized as novel chemotherapeutics. The level of DNA damage induced by porphyrins TOBut4PyP, TOBut4PyP, TOEt4PyPMn and TOBut4PyPMn and its dependence on the chemical structure of compounds were analyzed by the Comet-assay. On the base of data obtained, the investigated porphyrins may be arranged by their genotoxic activity in the following order: TOEt4PyP>TOEt4PyPMn>TOBut4PyP>TOBut4PyPMn. Thus, i) the genotoxicity of the Mn-derivatives of TOEt4PyP and TOBut4PyP is higher than the original porphyrins and ii) the genotoxicity of TOEt4PyP and TOEt4PyPMn is increased after substitution of a butyl radical for ethyl one. The applied Comet-assay permits to reveal the dependence of DNA damage induction on the chemical structure of porphyrins.