• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.26 no.5
• /
• pp.953-958
• /
• 2016

Chitosan-based film-forming gel is regarded as a promising vehicle for topical delivery of antimicrobial agents to skin wounds, since it protects from microbial infection and the cationic polymer itself possesses antibacterial activity. In this study, possible synergistic interaction against common skin pathogens between the cationic polymer and tyrothricin (TRC), a cyclic polypeptide antibiotic, was investigated, by determining the concentration to inhibit 90% of bacterial isolates (MIC). The addition of the polysaccharide to TRC dramatically reduced the MIC values of TRC by 1/33 and 1/4 against both methicillin-resistant and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. The synergism of TRC and chitosan combination against both strains was demonstrated by the checkerboard method, with a fractional inhibitory concentration index below 0.5. Moreover, co-treatment of TRC and chitosan exhibited antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, due to the antibacterial activity of chitosan, whereas TRC itself did not inhibit the gram-negative bacterial growth. These findings suggested that the use of chitosan-based film for topical delivery of TRC could be an alternative to improve TRC antimicrobial activity against strains that are abundant in skin wounds.

• International Journal of Automotive Technology
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.337-342
• /
• 2007

A multi-objective optimization technique was implemented to obtain optimal topologies of the inner reinforcement for a vehicle's hood simultaneously considering the static stiffness of bending and torsion and natural frequency. In addition, a smoothing scheme was used to suppress the checkerboard patterns in the ESO method. Two models with different curvature were chosen in order to investigate the effect of curvature on the static stiffness and natural frequency of the inner reinforcement. A scale factor was employed to properly reflect the effect of each objective function. From several combinations of weighting factors, a Pareto-optimal topology solution was obtained. As the weighting factor for the elastic strain efficiency went from 1 to 0, the optimal topologies transmitted from the optimal topology of a static stiffness problem to that of a natural frequency problem. It was also found that the higher curvature model had a larger static stiffness and natural frequency than the lower curvature model. From the results, it is concluded that the ESO method with a smoothing scheme was effectively applied to topology optimization of the inner reinforcement of a vehicle's hood.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.375-380
• /
• 1986

Thirty-one strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were submitted to the synergistic activity test of amikacin(AK) and gentamicin(GM) combined with moxalactam(MX), ceftizoxime(CTZ) or cefoperazone(CFZ). The minimal inhibitory concentrations(MICs) of each drug and drugs combined in various ratios were measured by checkerboard dilution method. The synergism was determined through analysing the MIC distribution curve on isobologram and calculating the fractional inhibitory concentration index(FICI). MICs of GM, AK, MX, CFZ and CTZ against the 31 tested strains were distributed from $12.5{\mu}g/ml$ to $800{\mu}g/ml$, from $0.8{\mu}g/ml$ to $25{\mu}g/ml$, from $3.1{\mu}g/ml$ to $50{\mu}g/ml$, from $3.1{\mu}g/ml$ to $400{\mu}g/ml$, and from $12.5{\mu}g/ml$ to $100{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. The rate synergism of each drug combination by means of FICl was 45.5% in GM-MX, 36.4% in GM-CFZ, 63.6% in GM-CTZ, 48.6% in AK-MX, 35.3% in AK-CFZ, and 35.7% in AK-CTZ combination. Thus, it is suggested that Pseudomonas aeruginosa may effectively be inhibited by various aminoglycoside and cephalosporin combinations.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.477-483
• /
• 2007

We have measured EOG and fMRI simultaneously to investigate whether eye movement (blinking mechanism) might influence functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signal response in the primary visual cortex. $T2^*-weighted$ Echo-Planar Imaging (EPI) with concurrent electrooculogram (EOG) was acquired in four subjects while they viewed a fixation point and a checkerboard with a flickering rate of 8Hz. With the help of EOG information we divided the experimental blocks into two different conditions: fixation and moving eye. We have compared the fMRI data of these two conditions. Our results have shown that there is no difference between these two conditions. This might suggest that eye blinking does not affect BOLD signal changes in the primary visual cortex. This means further that eye blinking can be ignored in data processing.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.49 no.4
• /
• pp.312-316
• /
• 2005

To develop a new natural antibiotics from Koran plant resources for dealing with the current situation regarding the rapid increase in antibiotic-resistant pathogen, the in vitro inhibitory activities of essential oils from the young leaves of Glehnia littoralis (Umbelliferae) as well as its main constituents were evaluated against susceptible and resistant species of Streptococcus pneumoniae. The essential oil fraction of G. littoralis and its main components, $\alpha-and\;\beta-pinene$, exhibited significant inhibitory activities against the antibiotic-susceptible and resistant strains of S. pneumoniae, with MICs (minimum inhibiting concentrations) ranging from 4.0mg/ml to 16mg/ml. No remarkable differences were shown between the susceptible and resistant strains. Moreover, the disk diffusion test disclosed that these inhibitory activities were dose­dependent. Furthermore, data from the checkerboard titer test with FICIs (fractional inhibiting concentration indices) from 0.15 to 0.28 indicated synergisms between norfloxacin and $\alpha-or\;{\beta}-pinene$ in activity against S. pneumoniae KCCM49629 and S. pneumoniae CCARM4059.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.699-703
• /
• 2016

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a serious clinical and an urgent problem worldwide. Few new drugs are available against MRSA, because MRSA has the ability to acquire resistance to most antibiotics, which consequently increases the cost of medication. In the present study, the antibacterial activity of Hydnocarpi Semen was investigated. The most effective method is to develop antibiotics from the natural products without having any toxic or side effects. Therefore, there is a need to develop alternative antibacterial drugs for the treatment of infectious diseases. Five Clinical isolates (MRSA) were obtained from five different patients at Wonkwang University Hospital (Iksan, South Korea). The Other 2 strains were ATCC 33591 (Methicillin-resistant strain) and ATCC 25923 (Methicillin-susceptible strain). Antibacterial activity (Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations, MICs) was determined by broth dilution method, disk diffusion method, MTT test, and checkerboard dilution test. Antibacterial activity of n-hexane fraction was remarkable, and had a MICs ranging from $31.25-125{\mu}g/m{\ell}$. FICI values for HFH+AM and HFH+OX were 0.13-0.19 and 0.04-0.29, showing the increase of synergistic effect. When combined together, these antibacterial effects were dramatically increased.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Machine Tool Engineers
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.47-52
• /
• 2007

A material mixing method to obtain an optimal topology for a structure in a thermal environment was suggested. This method is based on Evolutionary Structural Optimization(ESO). The proposed material mixing method extends the ESO method to a mixing several materials for a structure in the multicriteria optimization of thermal flux and thermal stress. To do this, the multiobjective optimization technique was implemented. The overall efficiency of material usage was measured in terms of the combination of thermal stress levels and heat flux densities by using a combination strategy with weighting factors. Also, a smoothing scheme was implemented to suppress the checkerboard pattern in the procedure of topology optimization. It is concluded that ESO method with a smoothing scheme is effectively applied to topology optimization. Optimal topologies having multiple thermal criteria for a printed circuit board(PCB) substrate were presented to illustrate validity of the suggested material mixing method. It was found that the suggested method works very well for the multicriteria topology optimization.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
• /
• v.16 no.5
• /
• pp.683-695
• /
• 2002

The objective of the present study is to analyze the fluid flow with moving boundary using a finite element method. The algorithm uses a fractional step approach that can be used to solve low-speed flow with large density changes due to intense temperature gradients. The explicit Lax-Wendroff scheme is applied to nonlinear convective terms in the momentum equations to prevent checkerboard pressure oscillations. The ALE (Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian) method is adopted for moving grids. The numerical algorithm in the present study is validated for two-dimensional unsteady flow in a driven cavity and a natural convection problem. To extend the present numerical method to engine simulations, a piston-driven intake flow with moving boundary is also simulated. The density, temperature and axial velocity profiles are calculated for the three-dimensional unsteady piston-driven intake flow with density changes due to high inlet fluid temperatures using the present algorithm. The calculated results are in good agreement with other numerical and experimental ones.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.40 no.6
• /
• pp.653-658
• /
• 1996

As part of our search for less toxic antimicrobial agents from natural resources. rutin was isolated from Sophora japonica and then hydrolyzed to quercetin. Antimicrobial activity of quercetin was tested in vitro against five kinds of gram positive and ten kinds of gram negative bacteria by serial broth dilution method. Among fifteen kinds of bacteria tested, the antimicrobial activity of quercetin was the most potent against Proteus vulgaris showing minimal inhibitory concentration(MIC) of 125 ${\mu}$g/ml. To investigate the effect of antimicrobial combinations of quercetin with four kinds of antibiotics (ampicillin, cefazolin, oxytetracycline and chloramphenicol). the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) was determined by checkerboard assay for each strain. The antimicrobial combinations of quercetin with four kinds of antibiotics resulted in synergism in one instance, additive effect in four instances, but no antagonism was observed.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.51 no.5
• /
• pp.355-360
• /
• 2007

The essential oil fraction from the aerial parts of A. annua was analyzed by GC-MS. As the results, caryophyllene oxide (11.7%), caryophyllene (7.54%), camphor (7.32%), 1,8-cineol (4.98%), and borneol (3.99%) were confirmed as the main components of the oil fraction. The effects of this oil and its main components on antibiotic-susceptible and -resistant strains of Salmonella enteritidis and S. typhimurium were assessed. A. annua oil fraction significantly inhibited all strains of the two Salmonella species examined, with minimum inhibiting concentrations (MICs) ranging from 2.0 mg/ml to 8.0 mg/ml. Among the main components of the oil, borneol and camphor showed relatively strong inhibiting activity with MICs between 1.0 mg/ml and 4.0 mg/ml. The MICs of caryophyllene and caryophyllene oxide were higher than 16 mg/ml. The combination effects of the oils with kanamycin were evaluated using a checkerboard microtiter assay. Against S. typhimurium KCCM11862 and CCARM8009 strains, the oil fraction of A. annua, camphor, and 1,8-cineol exhibited significant synergistic with kanamycin with fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indices in the range of 0.085 to 0.375. In conclusion, a combination of kanamycin and A. annua oil or its main component, camphor, and cineol, may be useful for reducing the minimum effective dose of antibiotic required for the treatment of resistant S. typhimurium infections.