• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.173-181
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• 2015

We identified the $Na^+-K^+-2Cl^-$ cotransporter 2 (NKCC2) cDNA isoform from starry flounder, Platichthys stellate. The NKCC2 cDNA encoded a polypeptide of 1,043 amino acids representing 12 putative transmembrane domains based on the bioinformatic topology prediction. In addition, starry flounder NKCC2 possessed highly conserved residues within transmembrane domain 4, known as an essential site for its function. End-point reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that the NKCC2 transcript was moderately expressed only in the anterior and posterior intestines and the rectum. The NKCC2 mRNA level in the rectum, but not in other segments, was significantly induced 3 days post Streptococcus parauberis challenge, indicating that excess salt may be transported into the rectum. Taken together, our data indicate that an S. parauberis infection could tip the intestinal fluid balance in favor of fluid accumulation, indicating that bacterial pathogens can interfere with intestinal osmotic balance and normal mucosal immune homeostasis.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.841-846
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• 2005

Using high-fat-fed C57BL/6 mice, therapeutic effects of oral administration of aqueous extracts of Platycodon grandiflorum and Acanthopanax senticosus on obesity were evaluated by comparing body and liver weights, feed intake, adipose tissue mass, blood lipid profile, and triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in liver and feces. Obesity was successfully induced in high-fat diet group. P. grandiflorum and A. senticosus were effective in reducing food intake, serum lipid levels, adipose tissue accumulation, and weight. P. grandiflorum extract reduced triglyceride and cholesterol levels in liver by excluding them in feces. A. senticosus extract increased triglyceride level in liver but decreased in feces, and decreased total cholesterol in liver and feces, indicating active ingredient of A. senticosus exert antiobesity effect through mechanism different from that of P. grandiflorum extract. These results suggest aqueous extracts of P. grandiflorum and A. senticosus have synergistic effect for prevention of hyperglyceridemia and obesity.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 1998

Starch-polyethylene films containing high molecular weight(NW) oxidized-polyethylene and prooxidant were prepared , and thermal -and bio-degradability of the films were determined. Increased levels of starch resulted in a corresponding reduction in mechanical strength of the films. However, the addition of high MW oxidized-polyethylene did not significantly reduce the percent elongation of the films. Thefilms containing high MW oxidized-polyethylene andproosicant were degreaded faster than those containing no aadditive during the heat treatment. The films lost their measureable mechanical properties when their weight-average MW(Mw) fell below 50,000. Biodegradability of the films was determined by a pure culture assay with either Streptomyces badius 252.S. setonii 75Vi2 or S. viridosporous T7A, and by an extracellulr enzyme assay using S. setonii 75vi2. The results from pure culture assay indicated that biomass accumulation on the film surface inhibited chemical and biological degradation of the films. The extracellular enzyme assay demonstrated decrease of percent elongation and increase of carbonyl index of the films. Therefore, extracellular enzyme assay could be used as a good method to evaluate biodegradability of the films.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.36.1-36.3
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• 2018

Next generation sequencing (NGS), a high-throughput DNA sequencing technology, is widely used for molecular biological studies. In NGS, RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq), which is a short-read massively parallel sequencing, is a major quantitative transcriptome tool for different transcriptome studies. To utilize the RNA-Seq data, various quantification and analysis methods have been developed to solve specific research goals, including identification of differentially expressed genes and detection of novel transcripts. Because of the accumulation of RNA-Seq data in the public databases, there is a demand for integrative analysis. However, the available RNA-Seq data are stored in different formats such as read count, transcripts per million, and fragments per kilobase million. This hinders the integrative analysis of the RNA-Seq data. To solve this problem, we have developed a web-based application using Shiny, COEX-seq (Convert a Variety of Measurements of Gene Expression in RNA-Seq) that easily converts data in a variety of measurement formats of gene expression used in most bioinformatic tools for RNA-Seq. It provides a workflow that includes loading data set, selecting measurement formats of gene expression, and identifying gene names. COEX-seq is freely available for academic purposes and can be run on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux operating systems. Source code, sample data sets, and supplementary documentation are available as well.

• BioChip Journal
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.317-325
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• 2018

This paper investigated the effects of ionic strength in the medium on a preconcentrator for a protein sample with low concentration. The preconcentration chip was designed and fabricated using a polydimethylsiloxane replica through standard lithophotography. A glass substrate is silanized prior to functionalizing the nanoparticles for self-assembly at a designed region. Due to the overlap of electrical double layers in a nanofluidic channel, a concentration polarization effect can be achieved using an electric field. A nonlinear electrokinetic flow is induced, resulting in the fast accumulation of proteins in front of the induced ionic depletion zone, so called exclusion-enrichment effect. Thus, the protein sample can be driven by electroosmotic flow and accumulated at a specific location. The chip is used to collect fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA) diluted in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) buffer solution. Different concentrations of the buffer media were studied herein. Fluorescence intensity images show that the buffer concentration of 4 mM is more appropriate than all the other ones. The sample of FITC-BSA with an initial concentration of $10{\mu}M$ in the 4 mM PBS solution increases its concentration at the desired region by up to 50 times within 30 min, demonstrating the results in this investigation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.605-612
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• 2020

In this study, 11 plant extracts from Bangladesh were used to evaluate the total phenolic and flavonoid content, in vitro antioxidant activities using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazolin-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Also, the inhibitory effect of nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line and the neuroprotective effect on H2O2-induced PC12 cells were tested. Our results revealed that Piper betle L. showed the highest total phenolic content (162.2 mg GAE/g extract) among the 11 plants from Bangladesh. Most plants showed strong radical scavenging effects and ferric reducing antioxidant power. Besides, Piper betle L. protected PC12 neuronal cells against H2O2 related oxidative stress in LPS-induced PC12 cells. Regarding the anti-inflammatory effect, Piper betle L. significantly inhibited NO accumulation in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Our results provide evidence that Piper betle L. could be useful for the development of functional health foods.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.99-105
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• 2022

Public attention to the indoor environment of underground subway stations, which is a representative multi-use facility, has been increasing along with the increase in indoor activities. In underground stations, fine iron oxide, which affects the health of users, is generated because of the friction between wheels and rails. Among particulate pollutant reduction technologies, plants have been considered as a non-chemical air purification method, and their effects in reducing certain chemical species have been identified in previous studies. The present study aimed to derive the total quantitative and qualitative reduction effects of a bio-filter system comprising air purifying plants, installed in an underground subway station. The experiment proceeded in two ways. First, PM(particulate matter) reduction effect by vegetation biofilter was monitored with the IAQ(indoor air quality) station. In addition, chemical speciation analysis conducted on the samples collected from the experimental and control areas where plants and irrigation using SEM-EDS(scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy). This study confirmed the effect of the vegetation bio-filter system in reducing the accumulation of particulate pollutants and transition and other metals that are harmful to the human body.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.1547-1552
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• 2022

β-Amyrin is a pentacyclic triterpene widely distributed in leaves and stems worldwide. The ability of β-amyrin to induce the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in microorganisms suggests its potential as an antimicrobial agent. Thus, this study aimed to elucidate the antibacterial mode of action of β-amyrin. We treated Escherichia coli cells with β-amyrin and found that it triggered ROS accumulation. Excessive stress caused by ROS, particularly hydroxyl radicals, induces glutathione (GSH) dysfunction. GSH protects cells from oxidative and osmotic stresses; thus, its dysfunction leads to membrane depolarization. The resultant change in membrane potential leads to the release of apoptotic proteins, such as caspases. The activated caspases-like protein promotes the cleavage of DNA into single strands, which is a hallmark of apoptosis-like death in bacteria. Apoptotic cells usually undergo events such as DNA fragmentation and phosphatidylserine exposure, differentiating them from necrotic cells, and the cells treated with β-amyrin in this study were positive for annexin V and negative for propidium iodide, indicating apoptosis-like death. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the antibacterial mode of action of β-amyrin involves the induction of ROS, which resulted in apoptosis-like death in E. coli.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Systems Engineering
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.34-49
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• 2024

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, 'overcoming infectious disease' has emerged as a priority task for most policies. Each country has implemented policy programs to significantly shorten the vaccine development period with the goal of rapid vaccine development. This study judged this process to be a shock to the existing social and technological system and its recovery. Accordingly, the United States' Operation Warp Speed, CEPI's 100 days mission, and Japan's SCARDA were selected as examples of policy programs with 'rapid vaccine development' as their mission and analyzed difference from traditional vaccine development system in terms of rapid development. As a result, it was confirmed that the accumulation of innovative resources was shared as the key to achieving the mission in the preparation stage before the outbreak of an infectious disease. However, it was also possible to discover an approach to shortening the period of each stage without fundamentally changing the vaccine development structure itself.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.1395-1400
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• 2024

The antimicrobial activity of the natural compounds from plant and food have well discovered since the interest on the beneficial effect of the natural compounds was risen. Quercetin, a flavonoid derived from vegetables, including onions, red leaf lettuces and cherries has been studied for diverse biological characteristics as anti-cancer and anti-microbial activities. The aim of current study is to investigate the specific antibacterial modes of action of quercetin against Escherichia coli. Quercetin decreased the E. coli cell viability and induced the severe damages (oxidative stress, DNA fragmentation) leading to cell death. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was observed during the process, which we confirmed that oxidative stress was the key action of antibacterial activity of quercetin exerting its influence potently. Based on the results of Annexin V and Caspace FITC-VAD-FMK assay, the oxidative damage in E. coli has led to the bacterial apoptosis-like death in E. coli. To sum up, the contribution of ROS generation exerts crucial impact in antibacterial activity of quercetin.