• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.324-329
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• 1995

The phylogenetic relationships between Cheju native horses and Tsushima native horses were studied by protein polymorphism analyses in 16 gene loci (Trypsin inhibitor: Ti, Chymotrypsin inhibitor: CTi, Albumin: Al, Esterase: Es, Transferrin: Tf, Hemoglobin: Hb, Catalase: Cat, Esterase D: EsD, Glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase: GOT, Glyoxalase I: GLO I, Acid phosphatase: AcP, Superoxide dismutase: SOD, Lactate dehydrogenase: LDH, Hexokinase: HK, Malate dehydrogenase: MDH, Malic enzyme: ME). All allelic patterns of the protein loci, except 5 loci (SOD, LDH, HK, MDH, ME), were polymorphic in both two populations. Gene frequencies of the polymorphic loci of the population of Cheju native horses were higher than those of Tsushima native horses. Average heterozygosity in Cheju native horses was 0.375, showing higher than that of Tsushima native horses (0.304). The Da distance and gene identity of two populations were 0.108 and 0.868, respectively. The phylogenetic tree constructed by these results and those previously reported in other horse populations, consisted of three clusters. From this phylogenetic tree, it could be suggested that Cheju native horses and Tsushima native horses had diverged from the Mongolian wild horse (Equus prsewolskii).

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.277-281
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• 2013

A dual-chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) inoculated with Desulfovibrio desulfuricans and supplemented with lactate as an organic fuel was employed in this study. Biofilm formed on the anodic electrode was examined by scanning electron microscopy, revealing that the amount of biofilm was increased with repeated cycles of MFC operation. The maximum current production was notably increased from the first cycle ($1,310.0{\pm}22.3mA/m^2$) to the final cycle ($1,539.4{\pm}25.8mA/m^2$) of MFC run. Coulombic efficiency was also increased from $89.4%{\pm}0.2%$ to $98.9%{\pm}0.5%$. We suggest that the current production efficiency was related to the biomass of biofilm formed on the electrode, which was also increased as the MFC run was repeated. It was also found that D. desulfuricans, which colonized on the electrode, produced filaments or nano-pili. Nano-pili were effective for the attachment of cells on the electrode. In addition, the nano-pili provided a cell-to-cell link and stimulated the development of thicker electroactive biofilm, and therefore, they facilitated electron transfer to the anode. Conclusively, the biofilm of D. desulfuricans enhanced the current production in the MFC as a result of effective attachment of cells and electron transfer from the cell network to the electrode.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.259-266
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• 2011

The aim of this study was to evaluate the preventive role of epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG, a derivative of green tea) in ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of isolated rat hearts. It has been suggested that EGCG has beneficial health effects, including prevention of cancer and heart disease, and it is also a potent antioxidant. Rat hearts were subjected to 20 min of normoxia, 20 min of zero-flow ischemia and then 50 min of reperfusion. EGCG was perfused 10 min before ischemia and during the whole reperfusion period. EGCG significantly increased left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) and increased maximum positive and negative dP/dt (+/-dP/dtmax). EGCG also significantly increased the coronary flow (CF) at baseline before ischemia and at the onset of the reperfusion period. Moreover, EGCG decreased left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP). This study showed that lipid peroxydation was inhibited and Mn-SOD and catalase expressions were increased in the presence of EGCG. In addition, EGCG increased levels of Bcl-2, Mn-superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase expression and decreased levels of Bax and increased the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax in isolated rat hearts. Cleaved caspase-3 was decreased after EGCG treatment. EGCG markedly decreased the infarct size while attenuating the increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in the effluent. In summary, we suggest that EGCG has a protective effect on I/R-associated hemodynamic alteration and injury by acting as an antioxidant and anti-apoptotic agent in one.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.151-167
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• 2023

Background and Objectives: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) often occurs suddenly and leads to fatal consequences. Ferroptosis is closely related to the progression of AMI. However, the specific mechanism of ferroptosis in AMI remains unclear. Methods: We constructed a cell model of AMI using AC16 cells under oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) conditions and a mice model of AMI using the left anterior descending (LAD) ligation. The 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide was employed to determine cell viability. The levels of lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, reactive oxygen species (ROS), glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and iron were measured using corresponding kits. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay, RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation, and RNA pull-down were performed to validate the correlations among AC005332.7, miR-331-3p, and cyclin D2 (CCND2). Hematoxylin and eosin staining was employed to evaluate myocardial damage. Results: AC005332.7 and CCND2 were lowly expressed, while miR-331-3p was highly expressed in vivo and in vitro models of AMI. AC005332.7 sufficiency reduced ROS, MDA, iron, and ACSL4 while boosting the GSH and GPX4, indicating that AC005332.7 sufficiency impeded ferroptosis to improve cardiomyocyte injury in AMI. Mechanistically, AC005332.7 interacted with miR-331-3p, and miR-331-3p targeted CCND2. Additionally, miR-331-3p overexpression or CCND2 depletion abolished the suppressive impact of AC005332.7 on ferroptosis in OGD-induced AC16 cells. Moreover, AC005332.7 overexpression suppressed ferroptosis in mice models of AMI. Conclusions: AC005332.7 suppressed ferroptosis in OGD-induced AC16 cells and LAD ligation-operated mice through modulating miR-331-3p/CCND2 axis, thereby mitigating the cardiomyocyte injury in AMI, which proposed novel targets for AMI treatment.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.113-121
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• 2018

Baekasan Acheon cave located in Hwasun-gun, Jeollanam-do is a natural limestone cave only found in this province. In this study, the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of speleothems collected from Baekasan Acheon cave were identified and the capability of carbonate mineral formation by aerobic microorganisms enriched from the cave and the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of carbonate minerals formed by the microorganisms were investigated. The samples of sediments (clay) and speleothems (shelfstone and cave coral) were collected at three sites in the cave. The samples of shelfstone and cave coral were identified mainly as carbonate mineral, Mg-rich calcite, and clay minerals were composed of quartz, muscovite, and vermiculite by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. To cultivate the carbonate forming microorganisms, parts of the sediment and speleothems were placed in D-1 medium containing urea, respectively, and the growth of microorganisms was observed under the aerobic condition at room temperature. The capability of carbonate mineralization of the cultured Baekasan Acheon cave microorganisms was examined through adding 1% (v/v) of the cultured microorganisms and calcium sources, Ca-acetate or Ca-lactate, into the D-1 medium. XRD analysis showed that the microorganisms cultured in cave deposits formed calcium carbonate ($CaCO_3$) under all conditions, and these microbial carbonate minerals included calcite and vaterite. The morphological characteristics and chemical composition of biologically formed minerals were observed by SEM-EDS showed various crystal forms such as rhomboid, spherical, perforated surface with Ca, C, and O of major chemical components. The existence of such microorganisms in the cave can contribute the formation of carbonate minerals, and it is likely to affect the geochemical cycles of carbon and calcium in the cave.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.791-798
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• 2005

The hepatoprotective activity of flavonol glycosides rich fraction (F-2), prepared from 70% alcohol extract of the aerial parts of V calcarata Desf., was evaluated in a rat model with a liver injury induced by daily oral administration of $CCl_4$ (100 mg/kg, b.w) for four weeks. Treatment of the animals with F-2 using a dose of (25 mg/kg, b.w) during the induction of hepatic damage by $CCl_4$ significantly reduced the indices of liver injuries. The hepatoprotective effects of F-2 significantly reduced the elevated levels of the following serum enzymes: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). The antioxidant activity of F-2 markedly ameliorated the antioxidant parameters including glutathione (GSH) content, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), plasma catalase (CAT) and packed erythrocytes glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) to be comparable with normal control levels. In addition, it normalized liver malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and creatinine concentration. Chromatographic purification of F-2 resulted in the isolation of two flavonol glycosides that rarely occur in the plant kingdom, identified as quercetin-3,5-di-O-$\beta$-D-diglucoside (5) and kaempferol-3,5-di-O-$\beta$-D-diglucoside (4) in addition to the three known compounds identified as quercetin-3-O-$\alpha$-L-rhamnosyl- (${\rightarrow}6$)-$\beta$-D-glucoside [rutin, 3], quercetin-3-O-$\beta$-D-glucoside [isoquercitrin, 2] and kaempferol-3-O-$\beta$-D-glucoside [astragalin, 1]. These compounds were identified based on interpretation of their physical, chemical, and spectral data. Moreover, the spectrophotometric estimation of the flavonoids content revealed that the aerial parts of the plant contain an appreciable amount of flavonoids (0.89%) calculated as rutin. The data obtained from this study revealed that the flavonol glycosides of F-2 protect the rat liver from hepatic damage induced by $CCl_4$ through inhibition of lipid peroxidation caused by $CCl_4$ reactive free radicals.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.524-533
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• 2001

Background: Hyperoxemic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) has been recognized as a safe technique and is widely used in cardiac surgery. However, hyperoxemic CPB may produce higher toxic oxygen species and cause more severe oxidative stress and ischemia/reperfusion injury than normoxemic CPB. This study was undertaken to compare inflammatory responses and myocardial injury between normoxemic and hyperoxemic CPB and to examine the beneficial effect of normoxemic CPB. Material and method: Thirty adult patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgery were randomly divided into normoxic group (n=15), who received normoxemic CPB (about Pa $O_{2}$ 120 mmHg), and hyperoxic group (n=15), who received hyperoxemic CPB (about Pa $O_{2}$ 400 mmHg). Myeloperoxidase (MPO), malondialdehyde (MDA), adenosine monophosphate (AMP), and troponin-T (TnT) concentrations in coronary sinus blood were determined at pre- and post-CPB. Total leukocyte and neutrophil counts in arterial blood were measured at the before, during, and after CPB. Lactate concentration in mixed venous blood was analyzed during CPB, and cardiac index (Cl) and pulmonary vascular

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.649-654
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• 2005

Purpose : The present study examined how changes in cerebral hemodynamics in newborn piglets with bilirubin infusion can be evaluated by near infrared sepctroscopy(NIRS). Methods : Seventeen newborn piglets were randomly divided into the following three experimental groups : six in the control group(CG); seven in the bilirubin infusion group(BG), and four in the bilirubin infusion with 7-nitroindazole group(NG). To achieve the concentration of bilirubin above 20 mg/dL, we injected a bolus of 40 mg/kg of bilirubin intravenously, followed by 30 mg/kg/hr of bilirubin continuous intravenous infusion. All groups were monitored with cerebral hemodynamics using near infrared spectroscopy(NIRS) and their brain cortexes were harvested and the activities of $Na^+$, $K^+$-ATPase, level of conjugated dienes, ATP and phosphocreatine(PCr) were determined biochemically. Results : No changes took place in CG. In BG and NG, base excess, pH, and MABP decreased, and lactate level in blood increased. Cerebral $Na^+$, $K^+$-ATPase activity and ATP, PCr level in BG significantly decreased and conjugated dienes increased compared to CG. These abnormalities observed in the BG were significantly improved in the NG. In continuous NIRS monitoring, [$HbO_2$], [HbT], and [HbD] in BG were significantlly decreased compared to CG. However these abnormalities between NG and CG were not significantly different. There were no significant differences in $ScO_2$ between the study groups. Conclusion : Our study suggests cerebral hemodynamic changes could be monitored by non-invasive NIRS in newborn piglets with bilirubin infusion.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.87-95
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• 2003

Although extensive studies were conduced on hydrogen fermentation of organic wastewaters, little is known about biohydrogen production from organic solid wastes. The leaching-bed reactor treating food waste by heat-shocked anaerobic sludge was, therefore, operated at D of 2.1, 3.6, 4.5 and $5.5d^{-1}$ to find optimal D for hydrogen production. Successful operation of a reactor can be accomplished when it is operated at proper dilution rate (D). Operation at high D leads to the washout of biomass in the reactor while operation at low D leads to product inhibition due to the accumulation of excess VFA. These appear to limit the production of hydrogen to reach a higher level. All the reactors showed that, on day 1-3, hydrogen production was dominant and VFA concentration was higher than ethanol. Butyrate and acetate were major components of VFAs over the whole operation, though lactate was very high on day 1-2. Compared with other D values, D of $4.5d^{-1}$, resulted in higher butyrate/acetae (B/A) ratios during the fermentation. The trend of B/A ratios was similar to the hydrogen production, suggesting that butyrate formation favored hydrogen production. Ethanol increased significantly from day 4 when hydrogen Production stopped. It indicated that heat-shocked sludge was able to induce a metabolic flow from hydrogen-and acid-producing pathway to solvent-producing pathway. Operation at D of $4.5d^{-1}$ led to higher fermentation efficiency (58%) than those (51.5, 55.3 and 53.7%) at 2.1, 3.6 and $5.5d^{-1}$. The COD removed was convened to hydrogen (10.1%), VFA (30.9%), and ethanol (17.0%).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.10
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• pp.1422-1430
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• 2015

This study was conducted to determine the effect of fermented water extracts from Ligularia fischeri (LAF) on reduction of hepatotoxicity induced by D-galactosamine (D-GalN) in rats. In this experiment, male Sprague-Dawley rats were used as experimental animals, which were divided into eight groups: normal group, D-GalN-treated group (control), D-GalN and non-fermented water extracts from Ligularia fischeri (LA)-treated groups [100, 200, and 400 mg/kg BW (body weight)], and D-GalN and LAF-treated groups (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg BW). ${\gamma}$-Glutamyl transferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase activities in serum of the D-GalN and LAF-treated groups decreased significantly compared to those of the control group (P<0.05). The high density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels of the D-GalN and LAF-treated groups increased significantly compared to those of the control group (P<0.05). The low density lipoprotein-cholesterol and triglyceride levels of the D-GalN and LAF-treated groups decreased significantly compared to those of the control group (P<0.05). The atherogenic index values of the D-GalN and LAF-treated groups decreased significantly compared to those of the control group (P<0.05), and their high density lipoprotein cholesterol by total cholesterol ratio increased significantly in these groups (P<0.05). Superoxide dismutase activity of liver tissues were enhanced significantly (P<0.05) in the D-GalN and LAF-treated groups compared to that of the control group (P<0.05), whereas their malondialdehyde content decreased significantly in these groups (P<0.05). The histopathological observations revealed apoptotic cells and mild portal inflammation in liver tissues of the D-GalN and LAF-treated groups. Taken together, these results demonstrate that LAF may improve plasma lipid profile and alleviate hepatic damage.