• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.249-255
• /
• 2009

All living things have been developed efficient strategies to cope with external and internal environmental changes via a process termed 'homeostasis'. However, chronic prenatal maternal stress may significantly contributes to pregnancy complications by disturbing hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the automatic nervous system (ANS), and results in unfavorable development of the fetus. Dysregulation of these two major stress response systems lead to the increased secretion of the glucocorticoids (GCs) which are known to be essential for normal development and the maturation of the central nervous system. As Hox genes are master key regulators of the embryonic morphogenesis and cell differentiation, we aimed to determine the effects of dexamethasone, a potent synthetic glucocorticoid, on gene expression in mesenchymal stem cell C3H10T1/2. Analysis of 39 Hox genes based on reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) method revealed that the expression patterns of Hox genes were overall upregulated by long dexametasone treatment. These results indicate that maternal stress may have a deleterious effect on early developing embryo through the stress hormone, glucocorticoid.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.381-388
• /
• 1991

Trichomonas vaginalis is a parasitic nagellate in the urogenital tract of human. Innate cytotonicity of macrophages against T. vaginalis has been recognized, but any report on the cytotoxicity of Iymphokine-activated macrophages to T vaginalis is not yet available. The present study aimed to elucidate the Iymphokine-activated cell mediated cytotoxic effect against T. vaginalis by mouse peritoneal macrophages. Cytotoxicity was measured by counting the release of $^3H-thymidine$ from prelabeled protozoa, and tested in U-bottom microtiter plates. Nitrite concentration in culture supernatants was measured by standard Griess reaction. The results obtained are as follows: 1, The cytotoxicity of macrophages was increased by addition of rIL-2 or $rIFN-{\gamma}$$. 2, Cytotoxicity of macrophages was reduced by addition of rIL-4 to rOM-CSV, rIL-2 or $rIFN-{\gamma}$. 3. Crude Iymphokine mixed with anti-lL-2 decreased the cytotoxity of macrophages. 4. In case of macrophages cultured with $rIFN-{\gamma}$ or rIL-4, the concentration of nitrite was related with cytotokity of macrophages against T. vaginalis, but the cytotoxicity of macrophages cultured with rIL-2 and $rIFN-{\gamma}$ was decreased in spite of its high production of llitrite. From the results obtained, it is assumed that rIL-2 and $rIFN-{\gamma}$ enhance the cytotoxicity of macrophages while rIL-4 inhibits the cytotoxicity against T. vaginalis, and that the production of nitrite does not relate with the cytotoxicity of macrophages, but nitric oxide may play a role as an inhibitory factor on the proliferation of T. vaginalis.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.407-416
• /
• 2012

In this study, we purified the extracts from the seeds and the roots of various plant species, including Q. acutissima, C. lanceolata, P. mirifica, P. bambusoides, and S. repens, and then investigated the effects of these extracts on cell growth and fat accumulation in adipocytes. We found that the extracts purified from Q. acutissima, C. lanceolata, P. mirifica, P. bambusoides, and S. repens more effectively increased the cell growth, as well as promoting the fat accumulation in adipocytes to a greater extent, than other extracts in vitro. Therefore, we made breast packs containing these effective extracts, and then investigated whether they were effective in enhancing the elasticity and volume of women's breasts. The measurements of breast elasticity and size revealed that the breast packs efficiently increased the elasticity and size of women's breasts. Furthermore, evaluation of the questionnaires related to usage of the breast packs indicated great satisfaction in terms of the lift, firmness, and elasticity of breasts. In conclusion, extracts purified from Q. acutissima, C. lanceolata, P. mirifica, P. bambusoides, and S. repens leading to cell growth and fat accumulation in adipocytes can effectively contribute to improving the elasticity and size of women's breasts.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.52 no.3
• /
• pp.249-253
• /
• 2016

The inky cap, Coprinellus congregatus, produces several laccase isozymes during its life cycle: both hyphal tip laccase and sclerotial laccase are involved in the fungal development. When this fungus was transferred to an acid liquid medium (pH 4.0-4.5), a new laccase was synthesized and secreted into the culture supernatant. In order to examine its regulation by external pH, green fluorescent protein gene was ligated at the downstream of the promoters having different lengths. These expression vectors having different promoter lengths were inserted into the fungal transformation vector, pBARGEM7-1. These expression vectors were introduced to the mating type a1 and a2 monokaryons, and the transformants were selected by the phosphinothricin resistance. Transformant a1 (a1TF) and transformant a2 (a2TF) were mated with each other to generate homozygotic dikaryon transformants. All these transformants were grown in neutral liquid medium for 5 days, and then the whole cell homogenates were transferred to the acidic liquid medium (pH 4.1). After 36 h incubation at $25^{\circ}C$, cells were harvested for the analysis of GFP expression. GFP expression was detected in the transformant having full-length promoter (2.0 kb), but other transformants having shorter length promoter (shorter than 1.29 kb) failed to show the fluorescence. Therefore, the acid-responsive element in the laccase promoter should be localized between -2.0 kb ~ -1.29 kb region.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.155-162
• /
• 2013

The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of Cynanchum wilfordii (CW) on cell viability, anti-oxidant activity, volatile fatty acid (VFA) production and methane gas production. Collected rumen fluid incubated with CW powder (1% w/v) for 12 and 24 hours were analyzed for pH, VFAs and methane. Alamar blue assay showed no significant difference on the viability of 3T3-L1 and C2C12 cells treated with CW for 24 hours. TBARS data showed a dose dependent increase on the antioxidant activity of CW. VFAs increased in the CW-treated groups compared to the control group. In addition, propionate increased more than other VFAs by the treatment with CW. There was a significant decrease in methane gas production in batch culture treated with CW in 12hrs. In conclusion, it was suggested that Cynanchum wilfordii could manipulate rumen fermentation considered by increasing VFA production and inhibition of methanogenesis.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.256-261
• /
• 2015

This study was conducted to assess the influence of hazard pattern in the surface structure of pollen grains of Campsis grandiflora, and cytotoxicity of different part extracts and nectar on RAW264.7 macrophages. The pollen grains were medium sized ($21.8{\mu}m$) with tricolpate aperture type. In equatorial view, the pollens were prolate (P/E=1.8) and the exine pattern was smooth and reticulate. This result contradict with the rumor of having a hook-shaped protuberance that can damage the cornea because we couldn't observed any protuberance on the surface of the outer wall. Furthermore, we investigated the 70% MeOH extracts (flower, leaf, stem) and nectar of C. grandiflora for their cell viability in temporal basis via MTT analysis on RAW264.7 macrophage cells. There was no significant difference in the cytotoxicity among the MeOH extracts and nectar of C. grandiflora after 24 h. However, nectar showed the dosedependent cytotoxicity on RAW264.7 macrophage cells after 48 h.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.48 no.2
• /
• pp.293-306
• /
• 2006

We characterized physicochemical properties and examined the organoleptic and textural evaluations of Feta cheese made from goat's milk. Nutritional compositions of goat Feta cheese were fat 23.50%, protein 11.03% with moisture content of 59.54%. Cell numbers of lactic starter cultures in Feta cheese maintained from log 8.46 CFU/g and pH 5.76 during storage at 4℃ for 14 day's aging. The color of Feta cheese was whitish (L. 93.19) at after finishing brine salting, but became a little yellowish(b. 3.52) (a. -0.71). For texture profile analysis of goat Feta cheese, hardness, fracturability springness, and cohesiveness seemed to be week, but adhesiveness gumminess, chewiness, and resilience were enhanced as aging times extended to 14days, resulted in the overall textural properties was to be superior to control cheese(commercial Mozzarella cheese). Organoleptic evaluations were examined based on the intensities and the preferences for flavour, tastes, texture and mouth feeling. saltiness, bitterness and acidity were stronger in the intensities than control cheese, but the preferences were enhanced by aging to be better than control cheese at 14 days and later on, however, the texture changed to be weaker in hardness and unpleasant in mouthfeel. The fatty acid compositions of Feta cheese analysed by Gas chromatography were saturated fatty acid 42.06%, monoenoic acids 29.67%, di-enoic acids 24.24%, tri-enoic acids 1.21%.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.7-12
• /
• 2002

The gas diffusion electrodes as oxygen cathodes f3r the brine electrolysis process were investigated. The gas diffusion electrode consists of a reaction layer, a gas diffusion layer, and a current distributor. The reaction layer was made from hydrophilic carbon black, hydrophobic carbon black, PTFE(polyterafluoroethylene), and Ag catalyst loaded by the silver mirror reaction or impregnation method. The gas diffusion layer was made from hydrophobic carbon black and PTFE, and Ni mesh was used as the current distributor in the reaction layer. The result that the gas diffusion electrode $(10wt\%\;Ag\;catalyst\;and\;20wt\%\;binder)$ manufactured by applying impregnation method to the carbon black f3r reaction layer showed the better performance was obtained from experiments. From the half-cell test, the measured overpotential of this oxygen cathode was about 700mV, And through the electrolysis experiment under the condition of $80^{\circ}C,\;32wt\%$ NaOH, and $300mA/cm^2$, the electrolysis voltage of this electrode was about 2.2 V, The gas diffusion electrodes manufactured in the present research were capable of continuous operations for three months.

• Korean Journal of Crystallography
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.13-21
• /
• 1991

X-ray methods have been used to determine the chain conformation and packing of the thermotropic liquid crystalline copolyester prepared from 50% tarephthaloyl chloride(TPA) and 50% (1-phenylethyl) hydroquinone(PEHQ). The x-ray patterns of annealed melt-spun fibers contain a series of annealed melt-Pointing to a well ordered crystalline structure, despite the random sense(2 or 3-) of the 1-phenylethyl substiuttion on the TPA-hydroquinone backbone. The crystalline fiber is monoclinic with space group P2l and the unit cell has dimensions 11=12.77 A, b=10.17 A (upique axis), c=12.58 h (fiber axis). and β=90.1° and contains TPA-PEHO units of to or chains. The random substitution of 1-phenylethyl groups was modelled by placing these groups at both the 2and 3 positions and giving each a weight of one-hal(. T he structure has been refined by linked a rom least square methods(LALS) against 16 observed and 21 unobserved reflections. and had a final R value of 0.20. Packing of the side chains is effected by staggering adjacent chains along the b axis by approximately c/2, so that the side chains are interleaved. The phenyl-COO and COO-phenyl torsion angles are -6.1 and 65.6, respectively, such that the main chain phenyls are mutually inclined at 59.5 (the ester groups are assumed to be planar). These torsion angles compare very well with those for the model compounds, notably phenylbenzoate, and can be used in future analyses of the structures of more complex random sequence copolyesters.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.9-14
• /
• 2010

In this study, lactic acid bacteria with high angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor activity were isolated from Korean fermented food, such as kimchi and salted seafood. The strain HLJ59, isolated from salted shrimp showed the highest angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor activity in DeMan Rogosa Sharpe broth. Optimum growth temperature of Lactobacillus brevis HLJ59 was at $34^{\circ}C$. Acid treatment at pH 3.0 for 1.5 h decreased cell viability from $9.9{\times}10^8$ CFU/ml to $3.11{\times}10^4$ CFU/ml. The bile extract concentration of 0.3%, 0.5%, and 1.0% in MRS broth did not inhibit the growth of HLJ59. Isolated strain HLJ59 showed more sensibility to amikacin, gentamycin, neomycin, streptomycin, kanamycin, cefmetazole, cephalothin, ampicillin, ticarcillin, sulbactam+ampicillin, amoxicillin+clavulanic acid (AMC), tetracycline, and sulfamethoxazole+trime thoprim (SXT) as compare to other 7 different antibiotics. However, it showed more resistance to cefoxatin, ceftnaxone, penicillin, ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid, lincomycin, and chloramphenicol.