• Macromolecular Research
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.158-167
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• 2002

In order to endow with new bioactive functionality from small intestine submucosa (SIS) powder as natural source to poly (L-lactide) (PLA) and poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) synthetic biodegradable polymer, porous SIS/PLA and SIS/PLGA as natural/synthetic composite scaffolds were prepared by means of the solvent casting/salt leaching methods for the possibility of the application of tissue engineered bone and cartilage. A uniform distribution of good interconnected pores from the surface to core region was observed the pore size of 40~500 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ independent with SIS amount using the solvent casting/salt leaching method. Porosities, specific pore areas as well as pore size distribution also were almost same. After the fabrication of SIS/PLA hybrid scaffolds, the wetting properties was greatly enhanced resulting in more uniform cell seeding and distribution. Five groups as PGA non-woven mesh without glutaraldehyde (GA) treatment, PLA scaffold without or with GA treatment, and SIS/PLA (Code No.3 ; 1 : 12 of salt content, (0.4 : 1 of SIS content, and 144 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ of median pore size) without or with GA treatment were implanted into the back of nude mouse to observe the effect of SIS on the induction of cells proliferation by hematoxylin and eosin, and von Kossa staining for 8 weeks. It was observed that the effect of SIS/PLA scaffolds with GA treatment on bone induction are stronger than PLA scaffolds, that is to say, in the order of PLA/SIS scaffolds with GA treatment > PLA/SIS scaffolds without GA treatment > PGA nonwoven > PLA scaffolds only with GA treatment = PLA scaffolds only without GA treatment for the osteoinduction activity. The possible explanations are (1) many kinds of secreted, circulating, and extracellular matrix-bound growth factors from SIS to significantly affect critical processes of tissue development and differentiation, (2) the exposure of SIS to GA resulted in significantly calcification, and (3) peri-implant fibrosis due to covalent bonding between collagen molecule by crosslinking reaction. In conclusion, it seems that SIS plays an important role for bone induction in SIS/PLA scaffolds for the application of tissue engineering area.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.311-317
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• 2007

Proton conducting crosslinked membranes have been prepared by polymer blending, which consist of poly(vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene) (PVA-co-PE) and poly(styrene sulfonic acid-co-maleic acid) (PSSA-co-PMA) at 50 : 50 wt ratio. Two kinds of PSSA-co-PMA copolymer with 3 : 1 and 1 : 1 the molar ratio of PSSA to PMA wereused as a proton conducting source. The ethylene content of PVA-co-PE was also changed as 0, 27 and 44 mol%. The membranes were thermally crosslinked via the esterification reaction between -OH of PVA and -COOH of PMA, as demonstrated by FT-IR spectroscopy (PVA-co-PE)/(PSSA-co-PMA) membranes with 3 : 1 the molar ratio of PSSA to PMA showed higher ion exchange capacity (IEC), lower water uptake and higher proton conductivity than those with 1 : 1 molar ratio. As the PE concentration increased, the IEC values, water uptake and proton conductivities decreased continuously. These properties were elucidated in terms of competitive effect between the concentration of sulfonic acid, hydrophilicity and the crosslinked structure of membranes.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.257-270
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• 1986

It has been reported that the luteal function may be regulated by the intracellular calcium in luteal cells (Higuchi et al, 1976; Dorflinger et at, 1984; Gore and Behrman, 1984) which is adjusted partially by $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activities in luteal cell membranes (Verma and Pennistion, 1981). However, the physicochemical and kinetic properties of $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ in luteal membranes were not fully characterized. This study was, therefore, undertaken to partially characterize the physicochemical and kinetic properties of $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ system in luteal membranes and microsomal fractions, known as an one of the major $Ca^{++}$ storge sites (Moore and Pastan, 1978), from the highly luteinized ovary Highly luteinized ovaries were obtained from PMSG-hCG injected immautre female rats. Light membrane and heavy membrane fractions and microsomal fractions were prepared by the differential and discontinuous sucrose density gradient centrifugation method desribed by Bramley and Ryan (1980). Light membrane and heavy membrane fractions and microsomal fractions from highly luteinized ovaries are composed of the two different kinds of $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ system. One is the high affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ which is activated in low $Ca^{++}$ concentration (Km, 10-30 nM), the other is low affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activated in higher $Ca^{++}$ concentration $(K_{1/2},\;40\;{\mu}M)$. At certain $Ca^{++}$ concentrations, activities of high and low affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ are the highest in light membrane fractions and are the lowest in microsomal fractions. It appeares that high affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ system have 2 binding sites for ATP (Hill's coefficient; around 2 in all membrane fractions measured) and the positive cooperativity of ATP bindings obviously existed in each membrane fractions. The optimum pH for high affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activation is around S in all membrane fractions measured. The lipid phase transition temperature measured by Arrhenius plots of high affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activity is around $25^{\circ}C$. The activation energies of high affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ below the transition temperature are similar in each membrane fractions, but at the above transition temperature, it is the hightest in heavy membrane fractions and the lowest in microsomal fractions. According to the above results, it is suggested that intracellular $Ca^{++}$ level, which may regulate the luteal function, may be adjusted primarily by the high affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ system activated in intracellular $Ca^{++}$ concentration range $(below\;0.1\;{\mu}M)$.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.321-334
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• 2017

Process surveillance within agricultural biogas plants (BGPs) was concurrently studied by high-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and an optimized quantitative microscopic fingerprinting (QMF) technique. In contrast to 16S rRNA gene amplicons, digitalized microscopy is a rapid and cost-effective method that facilitates enumeration and morphological differentiation of the most significant groups of methanogens regarding their shape and characteristic autofluorescent factor 420. Moreover, the fluorescence signal mirrors cell vitality. In this study, four different BGPs were investigated. The results indicated stable process performance in the mesophilic BGPs and in the thermophilic reactor. Bacterial subcommunity characterization revealed significant differences between the four BGPs. Most remarkably, the genera Defluviitoga and Halocella dominated the thermophilic bacterial subcommunity, whereas members of another taxon, Syntrophaceticus, were found to be abundant in the mesophilic BGP. The domain Archaea was dominated by the genus Methanoculleus in all four BGPs, followed by Methanosaeta in BGP1 and BGP3. In contrast, Methanothermobacter members were highly abundant in the thermophilic BGP4. Furthermore, a high consistency between the sequencing approach and the QMF method was shown, especially for the thermophilic BGP. The differences elucidated that using this biphasic approach for mesophilic BGPs provided novel insights regarding disaggregated single cells of Methanosarcina and Methanosaeta species. Both dominated the archaeal subcommunity and replaced coccoid Methanoculleus members belonging to the same group of Methanomicrobiales that have been frequently observed in similar BGPs. This work demonstrates that combining QMF and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing is a complementary strategy to describe archaeal community structures within biogas processes.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.1249-1256
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• 2017

In our search for new sources of bioactive secondary metabolites from Streptomyces sp., the ethyl acetate extracts from endophytic Streptomyces SUK 25 afforded five active diketopiperazine (DKP) compounds. The aim of this study was to characterize the bioactive compounds isolated from endophytic Streptomyces SUK 25 and evaluate their bioactivity against multiple drug resistance (MDR) bacteria such as Enterococcus raffinosus, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumanii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp., and their cytotoxic activities against the human hepatoma (HepaRG) cell line. The production of secondary metabolites by this strain was optimized through Thornton's medium. Isolation, purification, and identification of the bioactive compounds were carried out using high-performance liquid chromatography, high-resolution mass liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance, and cryopreserved HepaRG cells were selected to test the cytotoxicity. The results showed that endophytic Streptomyces SUK 25 produces four active DKP compounds and an acetamide derivative, which were elucidated as $cyclo-({\text\tiny{L}}-Val-{\text\tiny{L}}-Pro)$, $cyclo-({\text\tiny{L}}-Leu-{\text\tiny{L}}-Pro)$, $cyclo-({\text\tiny{L}}-Phe-{\text\tiny{L}}-Pro)$, $cyclo-({\text\tiny{L}}-Val-{\text\tiny{L}}-Phe)$, and N-(7-hydroxy-6-methyl-octyl)-acetamide. These active compounds exhibited activity against methicillin-resistant S. aureus ATCC 43300 and Enterococcus raffinosus, with low toxicity against human hepatoma HepaRG cells. Endophytic Streptomyces SUK 25 has the ability to produce DKP derivatives biologically active against some MDR bacteria with relatively low toxicity against HepaRG cells line.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.121-126
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• 1999

Calli were induced from the petiole explants of Pimpinella brachycarpa on MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/L 2,4-D and 0.1 mg/L BA after four weeks of culture. Compact clusters of small and dense cells among these calli were selected and suspension-cultured as the source of embryogenic calli. When transferred to MS medium with 0.1 mg/L NAA, the suspension-cultured cells grew to embryogenic callus. Somatic embryos derived from these embryogenic calli developed into plantlets. The cDNA library was constructed in the embryogenic callus and in order to screen the cDNA library, these cDNAs were plated at a density 1.5 $\times$ 10^5 plaques per 15 cm petridish. Among 19 clones showing preferential hybridization with petiole HD-Zip gene, five clones were obtained after second screening. Four clones among them, were highly homologous to P. brachycarpa shoot-tip Phz4 gene, but one clone, Phc5 was about 1.5 kb which has an extra 163 bp to 5' upstream of Phz4. The Phc5 was 1,531 bp containing poly A tails of 18 bases. ATG start codon for Phc5, was located at position 284 with an open reading frame of 906 by which encodes a polypeptide of 302 amino acids. The Phc5 protein revealed that the polypeptides between 135 and 195 contain a homeodomain as the `leucine zipper' motif.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.114-122
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• 2011

Background: The leukocyte common antigen (CD45) is a transmembrane-type protein tyrosine phosphatase that has five isoforms. Methods: We generated seven murine mAbs against human CD45 by injecting cells from different origins, such as human thymocytes, PBMCs, and leukemic cell lines. By using various immunological methods including flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and immunoprecipitation, we evaluated the reactivity of those mAbs to CD45 of thymus as well as tonsil lysates. Furthermore, we transiently transfected COS-7 cells with each of gene constructs that express five human CD45 isoforms respectively, and examined the specificities of the mAbs against the transfected isoforms. Results: In case of thymocytes, lymphocytes, and monocytes, all the seven mAbs demonstrated positive reactivities whereas none was reactive to erythrocytes and platelets. The majority of immune cells in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded thymus and tonsil tissues displayed strong membranous immunoreactivity, and the main antigen was detected near 220 kDa in all cases. Among the mAbs, four mAbs (AP4, DN11, SHL-1, and P6) recognized a region commonly present in all the five isoforms. One mAb, YG27, recognized four isoforms (ABC, AB, BC, and O). Two mAbs, P1 and P14, recognized the isoforms that contain exon A encoded regions (ABC and AB). Conclusion: In this study, we confirmed that AP4, DN11, SHL-1, YG27 and P6, are mAbs reactive with the CD45 antigen whereas P1 and P14 are reactive with the CD45RA antigen.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.69-77
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• 2006

Background : Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are present in most of the tissue matrix, taking part in their regeneration when injury or damage occurs. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of cells with pluripotential characteristics in human subchondral bone and the capacity of these cells to differentiate to osteoblast. Methods : Human subchondral bone were digested with collagenase. Isolated cells were cultured with a-MEM, 15% FBS, 10-8M dexamethasone and 50 ng/mL ascoric acid. Cells from 0 day(isolated cells), 7 day (first subculture) and 14 days (third subculture) were used to carry out phenotypic characterization experiments flowcytometry analysis with 11 monoclonal antibodies) and osteogenic differentiation experiments. Osteogenic differentiation of cells was assessment by quantification of bone extracellular matrix components by following analysis: alkaline phosphatase(ALP) stains to detect ALP activity, RT-PCR and western blot to detect osteocalcin (OCN), osteopontin (OPN) and type I collagen(Col I), and Alizarin red stains to detect calcium deposition. Results : Flowcytometry analyses showed that in our population more than 98% of cells were positive for MSC markers: SH-2(CD105, 99%), CD29 (95%), CD73 (95%). Cells were negative for hematopoietic markers (CD11b, CD34, and CD45). Furthermore, cells showed positive stain to multipotent markers such as CDl17 (c-kit) (15.1%), and CD166 (74.9%), and cell adhesion molecules such as CD54 (78.1%) and CD106 (63.5%). The osteogenic specific marker analyses showed that the culture of these cells for 7 and 14 days stimulates ALP, OCN, OPN and Col I synthesis by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Also, after 14 days in the culture of MSCs induces mineralization by Arizarin red stain. Conclusion : In this work, we demonstrated a new and efficient method for osteoblastic differentiation of human subchondral bone stem cells. As MSCs takes part in reparative processes of adult tissues, these cells could play an important role in osteogenesis.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 1990

Cell volume and DNA contents of the fusants were similar to those of parents. Genetic stability of the fusants was increased when they were cultured on minimal medium (MM) rather than on complete medium (CM), and the fusants were stabilized by subculturing 7 generations each 7 day on MM agar. The finally selected fusants after being cultured for 6 months on CM were stable without segregation. The fusants could also form nuclein and ascospores, and show red and pink colors by the test of TTC colorization. Assimilability and fermentability of carbon sources of the fusants were similarto those of parents. The tolerance of KCl, NaCl, sodium propionate and cycloheximide showed the traits of one strain of parents. When the fusants were cultured for 72 hr and 60 hr in the medium containing 20% glucose and sucrose, respectively, the yield of ethanol for FWKS 260 was reached to 9.6 v/v% and 9.8v/v%, respectively. The sensitive strain Kyokai 7 was found to be killed entirely after cultivation of 48 hr by the killer toxin from the fusants. The recipient S 29 and Kyokai 7 were found to have neither L nor M dsRNA plasmid. However, K 52 and fusants had both L and M dsRNA plasmid of 4.7 kb and 2.5 kb, respectively. The curants treated by heat and cycloheximide did not contain M dsRNA plasmid, but had large amounts of L dsRNA plasmid of those of killer yeasts.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.187-192
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• 2006

The preparation and characterization of new polymer composite membranes containing polyphenylene oxide (PPO) thin films with hetropoly acid (HPA) are presented. PPO thin films with phosphotungstic acid (PWA) or phosphomolybdic acid (PMA) have been prepared by using the solvent mixture. The PWA and PPO can be blended using the solvent mixture, because PPO and PWA are not soluble in the same solvent. In this study, methanol was used as a solvent dissolving PWA and chloroform was used as a solvent dissolving PPO. PPO-PWA solutions were cast onto a glass plate with uniform thickness. The composite membranes were prepared by casting Nafion mixture on porous PPO-PWA films. The morphology and structure of these PPO-PWA films were observed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). The composite membranes were characterized by measuring their ion conductivity and methanol permeability. The performance was evaluated with composite membranes as electrolytes in fuel cell conditions. The methanol cross-over of composite membranes containing PPO-PWA barrier films in the DMFC reduced by 66％.