• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.127-133
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• 2006

Aerobic floc-like sludge was formed in a batch reactor and the effect of cations on the formation of aerobic floc-like sludge was studied. In order to enhance the formation (rate) of aerobic floc-like sludge, cations such as $K^+$, $Na^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, and $Mg^{2+}$ were added to the seed sludge. It was found that $Ca^{2+}$ had positive effect on the formation of floc-like sludge, as measured by sludge volume index (SVI) for settle ability. The formation of floc-like sludge was confirmed by the microscopic observation after DAPI staining. The scattered forms of sludge samples at the initial stage became aggregated to form floes after $Ca^{2+}$ addition. To ensure the functions of sludge floes in a treatment plant, the gradient of ionic species around the surfaces of floc-like sludge was monitored by ion selective microelectrodes for ${NH_4}^+,\;{NO_3}^-$, and pH. The effective concentration of $Ca^{2+}$ ion to form floc-like sludge was determined to be 750 mg/L (0.15 mg $Ca^{2+}/mg$ MLSS). Under the effective $Ca^{2+}$ condition, the SVI value was the lowest and large distribution of nitrifying bacteria at the outer surface was observed in the aerobic floc-like sludge. From the results, it was found that the calcium ion functioned as an agent for the formation of aerobic floc-like sludge, resulting in the enhanced nitrification.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.21 no.1 s.52
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• pp.71-79
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• 2006

Epidemiologic studies have showed a close correlation between arsenic exposure and heart disease such as, cardiovascular problem, ischemic heart disease, infarction, atherosclerosis and hypertension in human. It may increase the mortality of high risk group with heart disease. Regarding the mechanism studies of heart failure, blood vessel, vascular smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells have long been focused as the primary targets in arsenic exposure but there are only a few studies on the cardiomyocytes. In this study, the generation of oxidative stress by low dose of arsenic trioxide was investigated in rat cardiomyocytes. By direct measurement of reactive oxygen species and fluorescent microscopic observation using fluorescent dye 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate, reactive oxygen species were found to be generated without cell death, where cells are treated with 0.1 ppm arsenic for 24 hours. With the induction of reactive oxygen species, GSH level was decreased by the same treatment. However, DNA damage did not seem to be serious by DAPI staining, while high dose of arsenic (2 ppm for 24 hrs) caused fragmentation of DNA. To identify the molecular biomarkers of low-dose arsenic exposure, gene expression was also investigated with whole genome microarray. As results, 9,022 genes were up-regulated including heme oxygenase-l and glutathione S-transrerase, which are well-known biomarkers of oxidative stress. 9,404 genes were down-regulated including endothelial type gp 91-phox gene by the treatment of 0.1 ppm arsenic for 24 hours. This means that biological responses of cardiomyocytes may be altered by ROS induced by low level arsenic without cell death, and this alteration may be detected clearly by molecular biomarkers such as heme oxygenase-1.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.15-29
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• 2007

목적 : 후박(厚朴)(Magnolia Obovata)에서 추출한 낮은 농도의 Obovatol 약침액의 RAW264.7 세포에서 LPS로 유발된 염증，$TNF-{\alpha}$로 유발된 human Prostate carcinoma PC-3 및 LNCap 세포의 세포증식에 대한 영향과 그 기전을 살펴보고자 하였다. 방법 : RAW264.7 세포에서 LPS로 염증을 유발하고 낮은 농도의 Obovatol 약침액을 처리한 후 cell viability, NO 생성량，iNOS와 COX-2의 발현, $NF-{\kappa}B$활성，전사능력을 관찰하기 위해 MTT assay, NO determination assay, western blot analysis, EMSA, luciferase activity assay를 시행하였고，LNCap, PC-3 세포에 $TNF-{\alpha}$로 증식을 유도하고 낮은 농도의 Obovatol 약침액을 처리한 후 cell growth, apoptosis 및 apoptosis와 연관된 $NF-{\kappa}B$의 활성 변화를 관찰하기 위해 WST-1, Cell morphogy test, DAPI staining and TUNEL assay, EMSA, luciferase activity assay를 시행하였다. 결과 : 1. RAW264.7 세포에서 낮은 농도의 Obovatol 약침액 처리는 $NF-{\kappa}B$의 활성 및 전사능력을 낮추고 iNOS와 COX-2의 발현과 NO 생성을 감소시켜 LPS로 유발된 염증을 억제하였다. 2. LNCap, PC-3 세포에서 낮은 농도의 Obovatol 약침액 처리는 $NF-{\kappa}B$의 활성을 낮추어 세포자별사를 촉진함으로써 $TNF-{\alpha}$로 유발된 암세포의 성장을 억제하였다. 결론 : 이상의 결과는 낮은 농도의 Obovatol 약침액이 항염 및 인간 전립선암세포주인 PC-3, LNCap에 대한 증식억제 효과가 있음을 입증한 것이며，향후 이를 바탕으로한 생체 연구에서의 긍정적인 결과는 Obovatol 약침액이 만성염증성 질환 및 전립선암의 예방과 치료에 대한 효과적인 치료제 개발에 초석이 될 것으로 기대된다.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.184-190
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• 2006

Young radishes (YR, yeolmu in Korean) were cultivated in soil with and without sulfur. Control YR-kimchi and sulfur YR-kimchi were prepared using the young radishes cultivated in the soil without and with 1,818 $g/m^3$ sulfur, respectively. Fermentation of the YR-kimchis were conducted at $5^{\circ}C$ for 6 weeks. The control and sulfur YR-kimchis were reached pH 4.39 and pH 4.31 with 0.98% and 1.04% acidity at 5 weeks, respectively. At a higher concentration of 20 ${\mu}L/assay$, the sulfur YR-kimchi juice exhibited higher inhibitory effects (84%) on the growth of HT-29 human colon cancer cells than the control YR-kimchi (57%). Methanol extract from the YR-kimchis also led to similar results to those of the juices. In the inhibition study by hematocytometer, YR-kimchis inhibited the growth of cells in a time-dependent manner. Sulfur YR-kimchi induced apoptosis as determined by 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining and decreased Bcl-2 expression of active anticancer compounds, when compared to the control YR-kimchi. These results suggested that preparing kimchi using YR cultivated in the presence of sulfur, which can help to synthesize active compounds, could increase the anti-cancer activity of sulfur YR-kimchi.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.47-54
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• 2017

Anthriscus sylvestris (L.) Hoffm. is a perennial herb found widely distributed in various regions of Korea, Europe, and New Zealand. The root of A. sylvestris have been extensively used in the treatment for antitussive, antipyretic, cough remedy in Oriental medicine, but the physiologically active function of the leaf of A. sylvestris is as yet unknown. In this study, we investigated the anti-cancer activity and the mechanism of cell death of water extracts of leaf of Anthriscus sylvestris (WELAS), on human FaDu hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells. Our data showed that WELAS treatment inhibited cell viability in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. In addition, the treatment of WELAS markedly induced apoptosis in FaDu cells, as determined by the viability assay, DAPI stain and FACS analysis. WELAS also increased the proteolytic cleavage of procaspase-3, -9 and PARP (poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase). In addition, exposure to WELAS decreased the expression of Bcl-2 (an anti-apoptotic factor), but increased the expression of Bax (a pro-apoptotic factor), suggesting that mitochondria-dependent apoptotic pathways are mediated in WELAS-induced apoptosis. Taken together, these results indicate that water extracts of leaf of A. sylvestris inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathway in FaDu human hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells. Therefore, we propose that the water extracts of leaf of A. sylvestris is a novel chemotherapeutic drug, having growth inhibitory properties and induction of apoptosis in human oral cancer cells.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.123-131
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• 2006

목 적 : 과산화수소는 산화적 스트레스를 통해 아폽토시스를 유도하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 본 논문에서는 과산화수소로 유발된 신경아세포종 아폽토시스 과정에서 호도약침액의 효과를 관찰하였다. 방 법 : 과산화수소로 인한 신경아세포종의 아폽토시스에서 호도약침액의 효과를 알아보기 위해 배양 중인 신경아세포종에 과산화수소를 처리하고, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide(MIT)분석법, 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) 염색법, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blotting의 방법으로 확인하였다. 결 과 : 과산화수소로 인한 신경아세포종의 아폽토시스에서 호도약침액을 처리한 결과, 약침액을 처리한 세포의 생존이 약 30% 정도 증가하고, 핵 응축과 단편화를 막아주며, CASP3와 BAX단백질의 발현이 감소되었다. 결 론 : 이러한 결과로 호도약침액이 과산화수소로 인한 신경아세포종의 아폽토시스과정에서 보호효과를 나타내는 것으로 사료된다.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.644-648
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• 2009

Antiproliferative effects of soy milk fermented with Bacillus subtilis from chungkukjang was studied in AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma cells. The fermented soy milk by B. subtilis (B. subtilis-F-SM) exhibited 82% growth inhibitory effect at 2 mg/mL concentration, while non-fermented soy milk (Non-F-SM) showed 68%. B. subtilis-F-SM treated AGS cells induced more apoptotic bodies than the Non-F-SM treated cells. In mRNA expressions, B. subtilis-F-SM showed decreased expression of anti-apoptotic bcl-2 and increased expression of pro-apoptotic bax. The expressions of tumor suppressor genes of p53 and p21 were also increased. These results suggest that fermented soy milk by B. subtilis exhibited higher antiproliferative activities compared with non-fermented soy milk.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.519-526
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• 2012

Recently, herbal flavonoids have been implicated for anti-cancer therapy. Flavonoids as a commonly known for their anti-oxidant activity, are contained in the herbal medicine as well as root of plants, vegetables, fruits, grains, tea, and wine. Kaempferol, a component of Polygonati rhizoma, a member of the herbal flavonoids, has been studied for anti-hypercholesterol, anti-hypertension and anti-diabetes. It is also known to be effective in anti-cancer therapy for breast, prostate and other type of cancers. However, the anti-cancer therapeutic mechanisms are pooly understood. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanism underlying kaempferol-induced anti-cancer effects using the human liver cancer cell lines, Hep3B, HepG2, and Sk-Hep-1, and human Chang liver cell as a control. As shown by the FACS analysis, measurement of caspase activity, DAPI and trypan blue staining, and DNA fragmentation assay, kaempferol induced apoptosis in the liver cancer cells with the greater potential in Hep3B cells than other liver cancer cells. In addition, we performed microarray analysis to profile the genome-wide mRNA expression regulated by kaempferol. Many of the apoptosis-related genes were significantly induced in kaempferol-treated Hep3B cells, in particular, the genes associated with MAPK cascade. Additionally, kaempferol induced the mRNA expression of genes involved in MKK7-JNK cascade, MKK3-p38 cascade, and caspase signaling pathway, which are all known to trigger apoptosis. Overall, our data suggest that kaempferol has anti-liver cancer effects by inducing apoptosis through the MKK7-JNK cascade, MKK3-p38 cascade, and caspase signaling pathways.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.825-830
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• 2001

Escherichia coli, which harbored the ars operon from a plasmid pMH12 of Klebsiella oxytoca D12, showed filamentation due to the expression of ars genes in the presence of arsenite. The continued DNA replication in the absence of cell division was revealed, since nucleoids abound with DAPI appeared to be arranged in chains. In contrast to overexpression of arsA, its frame-shift mutant and knock-out mutant lost filamentation in the presence of arsenite, which suggested that ars-induced division block was dependent on expression of arsA. ArsA-induced division inhibition was not a consequence of an inhibition of DNA replication, and the inability of arsenite to induce an SOS response indicated that arsA-mediated division inhibition was dependent on the expression of the gene product encoded by the minB operon. ArsA is a peripheral membrane protein with an ATP-binding domain, which is homologous to MinD that requires ATP-dependent efflux. These results suggested that ArsA could possibly recruit MinC to the membrane and modulate cytoplasmic FtsZ to block assembly at the middle of the cell.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.51-55
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• 2004

Sopungsungi-won has been used as a traditional medicine for diabetes and it has been proved to be a potential remedy for type 2 diabetes mellitus. We previously reported that water extract of Sopungsungi-won exhibits anti-diabetic effects both in vivo and in vitro experiments. In the present study, we have chosen to examined anti-apoptotic effect of Rheum undulatum, which is the main component of Sopungsungi-won, on pancreatic ${\beta}-cells$, HIT-T15, against hydrogen peroxide $(H_2O_2)$. oxidative stress. To investigate the anti-apoptotic effect of Rheum undulatum water extract (RUWE) against $H_2O_2-induced$ apoptosis in pancreatic ${\beta}-cell$ line of hamster, HIT-T15, MTT assay, DAPI staining, TUNEL assay, RT-PCR and caspase-3 enzyme assay were performed. The morphological analysis demonstrated that cells treated with $H_2O_2$ exhibited classical apoptotic features, while such changes was reduced in cells pre-treated with RUWE. In addition, RUWE pre-treated cells prior to $H_2O_2$ treatment induced increase of levels of bcl-2 expression and decrease of caspase-3 enzyme activity compared to cells treated with $H_2O_2$ only. These results provide the possibility of usage of RU in patients with progressively deteriorated diabetes.