• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.489-497
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• 2019

Cystic echinococcosis (CE), a zoonotic disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus at the larval stage, predominantly develops in the liver and lungs of intermediate hosts and eventually results in organ malfunction or even death. The interaction between E. granulosus and human body is incompletely understood. Exosomes are nanosized particles ubiquitously present in human body fluids. Exosomes carry biomolecules that facilitate communication between cells. To the best of our knowledge, the role of exosomes in patients with CE is not reported. Here, we isolated exosomes from the sera of patients with CE (CE-exo) and healthy donors and subjected them to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Proteomic analysis identified 49 proteins specifically expressed in CE-exo, including 4 proteins of parasitic origin. The most valuable parasitic proteins included tubulin alpha-1C chain and histone H4. And 8 proteins were differentially regulated in CE-exo (fold change>1.5), as analyzed with bioinformatic methods such as annotation and functional enrichment analyses. These findings may improve our understanding about the interaction between E. granulosus and human body, and may contribute to the diagnosis and prevention of CE.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2023

Lubricant-impregnated nanoporous surfaces (LIS), which is created by impregnating water-immiscible oil into nanoporous surface structure, have been explored considering wide range of application fields. Due to the lubricant impregnated in nanoporous structure, the surface shows extreme de-wetting with a high mobility of water droplets, so that various functionalities can be realized. The lubricant layer inhibits the contact of corrosive media to porous structure as well as metal substrate, thus the surface improves the corrosion resistance. The water on the surface freeze without any contact to solid porous structure, showing a low ice adhesion for de-icing an anti-icing. The extremely high mobility of water droplets on lubricant-impregnated porous surfaces also contributes the enhancement of condensation heat transfer as well as water harvesting from fog and moisture. Moreover, the bacteria adhesion on metal surface forming biofilms causing serious hygiene issues can be inhibited on the lubricantimpregnated surfaces. Despite of such superior functionalities, the lubricant-impregnated porous surface has a limitation of lubricant depletion by external flow of fluids. Therefore, extensive efforts to improve the durability of lubricant-impregnated surface are required for practical applications.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.1506-1514
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• 2022

Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is an allergen-specific T-cell-mediated inflammatory response, albeit with unclear pathogenesis. Exosomes are nanoscale extracellular vesicles secreted by several cell types and widely distributed in various biological fluids. Exosomes affect the occurrence and development of ACD through immunoregulation among other ways. Nevertheless, the role of exosomes in ACD warrants further clarification. This review examines the progress of research into exosomes and their involvement in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of ACD and provides ideas for exploring new diagnostic and treatment methods for this disease.

• The Korean Journal of Rheology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.195-201
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• 1998

We have studied the rheological and electrical properties of two types of electrorheological (ER) fluids based on semi-conductive polymers (poly(p-phenylene) and polyaniline). These semi-conductive polymer-based suspensions showed a dramatic increase in viscosity on the application of the static electric field due to the large value of conductivity ratio between particle and medium. The dynamic yield stresses of these ER suspensions exhibited a quadratic dependence on electric field strength at low electric fields and a linear one for high fields. They showed a maximum and then decreased with increasing bulk conductivity of particles. These yield stress behaviors under the static electric field were found to be closely related to the dielectric properties, which is in accord with Maxwell-Wagner interfacial polarization induced by the conductivity effects. In order to achieve better understanding of interfacial polarization effect on ER response and to improve the stability of ER suspension, different kinds of surfactants were employed for controlling the ER activity as well as for enhancing the colloidal stability of suspensions.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.382-387
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• 2005

The aim of this study was to identify binding properties of germanium (Ge) in Germanium-fortified Yeast using optimum manufacturing process. The ratio of yeast cell and germanium solution was 1 : 0.5 (50%), and pH 6.5, $35^{\circ}C$ and 20 h during fermentation, and Germanium-fortified Yeast produced. In results of the XRD, NMR and FT-IR analysis, it was different adding inorganic Ge $(GeO_2)$ during fermentation process from transformed into germanium in Germanium-fortified Yeast. And germanium concentration was not shown any difference before and after in the dialysis test with SGF (simulated gastric fluids). Therefore, Germanium-fortified Yeast of Geranti made by using biosynthetic technology was considered that transformed into organic properties during fermentation process. And, this result showed that Germanium-fortified Yeast was not dissociated under SGF (simulated gastric fluids) condition because of its structural binding safety. Thus, Germanium-fortified Yeast was transformed into organic germanium during biosynthetic cultivation. It is expected that this Germanium-fortified Yeast can be applied as a new dietary functional materials for cellular immunity, recovery of injured cells and immune system, and possible anticancer activities by activation immune cells like macrophage.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.108-115
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• 2012

Archaeological waterlogged woods found under the sea, in lakes, or in swamp environments are generally weak and fragile. If waterlogged wood materials were taken out of the water and left without modification, they would collapse and lose their original dimensions completely. Conservation is performed to replace the water with chemical agents and to give dimensional stabilization and durability. EDTA and PEG are the most commonly used in the preservation of wood. pH control-precipitation method is used for recovery of EDTA from waste fluid of archeological waterlogged wood conservation treatment. The black substance is eliminated from wood as Fe-EDTA complex are formed and EDTA is separated and precipitated from Fe-EDTA complexes at pH 2.68 or less. The result of analysis of the precipitated products and the commercial EDTA by FT-IR and FE-SEM showed that precipitated product by pH adjusted was not a type of Fe-EDTA complex, but pure EDTA. Waste fluid produced in PEG treatment shows the black color and has an offensive odor by organic matter extracted from wood. Color of waste fluid is decolored with oxidation reaction by peroxy hydrate. In FT-IR and SEM-EDX of PEG after freeze-drying process, no significant change of functional groups induced from oxidation is observed, and any metal ion does not exist in the solid PEG specimen. The molecular weight of PEG is measured using GPC and viscometry. Properties of PEG before and after preservation treatment, and after oxidation with $H_2O_2$ were not changed. Consequently, the peroxidation with $H_2O_2$ is a reasonable and simple method to decolor the used PEG solution.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.160-167
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• 2017

Many stroke patients undergoing rehabilitation therapy require a quantitative indicator for the evaluation of body composition in paretic and non-paretic regions. In this study, the body fluid alteration in the paretic and non-paretic regions of stroke patients with hemiplegia caused by cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral infarction was analyzed using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Alterations in body fluids were investigated to assess the physical status of the paretic and non-paretic regions of 20 stroke patients with hemiplegia caused by cerebral hemorrhage (7 patients) and cerebral infarction (13 patients). Extracellular water (ECW), intracellular water (ICW), ICW/ECW, total body water (TBW), ECW/TBW, and TBW/fat-free mass were utilized to evaluate the functional status of the paretic and non-paretic regions. Compared with the non-paretic region, the paretic region had high ECW and low ICW. Due to the loss of motor function and nutritional imbalance caused by the stroke, the amount of fat increased while the muscle quantity and quality significantly decreased in the paretic region. Thus, BIA can be a useful tool for quantitatively assessing paretic and non-paretic regions in stroke patients with hemiplegia.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.607-615
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• 2003

Many organisms are known to survive in icy environments. These include both over wintering terrestrial insects and plants as well the marine fish inhabiting high latitudes. The adaptation of these organisms is both a fascinating and important topic in biology. Marine teleosts in particular, can encounter ice-laden seawater that is approximately $1^{\circ}C$ colder than the colligative freezing point of their body fluids. These animals produce a unique group of proteins, the antifreeze proteins (AFPs) or antifreeze glycoproteins (AFGPs) that absorb the ice nuclei and prevent ice crystal growth. Presently, there are at least four different AFP types and one AFGP type that are isolated from a wide variety of fish. Despite their functional similarity, there is no apparent common protein homology or ice-binding motifs among these proteins, except that the surface-surface complementarity between the protein and ice are important for binding. The remarkable diversity of these proteins and their odd phylogenetic distribution would suggest that these proteins might have evolved recently in response to sea level glaciations just 1-2 million years ago in the northern hemisphere and 10-30 million years ago around Antarctica. Winter flounder, Pleuronectes americanus, has been used as a popular model to study the regulation of AFP gene expression. It has a built-in annual cycle of AFP expression controlled negatively by the growth hormone. The signal transduction pathways, transcription factors and promoter elements involved in this process have been studied in our laboratory and these studies will be presented.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.121-131
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• 2012

After spermatogenesis, spermatozoa come in contact with fluids in the epididymis where they mature. During ejaculation, spermatozoa are mixed with secretions from prostate gland, vesicular glands, and bulbourethral glands. During natural mating, seminal plasma is deposited in the female reproductive tract eliciting various physiological and immunological responses. With the advances in proteomics, the components of seminal plasma have been identified and the information may be valuable in identifying markers for fertility. Components of seminal plasma that affect fertility have been discovered and the mechanism of action of these factors has been determined. The objective of this study was to determine the specific seminal plasma proteins from Korean native cattle, Hanwoo, and Korean native brindle cattle (KNBC) with the long term goal of improving fertilization rate. After SDS-PAGE and 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis, proteins were identified by Q-ToF analysis. They include plasma serine protease inhibitor precursor and platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase after SDS-PAGE. Number and density of the spots in 2-dimensional gels were higher in KNBC than Hanwoo. Proteins identified from the paired spots of both breeds include chain A, bull seminal plasma PDC-109 Fibronectin Type II module, BSP-30 kDa precursor, and Spermadhesin Z13 or its precursor. Interestingly, some proteins were identified from multiple spots. The functional differences of these diverse forms of the proteins may require further studies. With their previously reported roles in sperm capacitation by these proteins, the studies on the mechanism of action, ligand interaction and the variation in the genome may help improving fertility in cattle.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.282-297
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• 2022

Purpose: To explore differences in the subgingival microbiome according to the presence of periodontitis and/or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), a metagenomic sequencing analysis of the subgingival microbiome was performed. Methods: Twelve participants were divided into 4 groups based on their health conditions (periodontitis, T2D, T2D complicated with periodontitis, and generally healthy). Subgingival plaque was collected for metagenomic sequencing, and gingival crevicular fluids were collected to analyze the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids. Results: The shifts in the subgingival flora from the healthy to periodontitis states were less prominent in T2D subjects than in subjects without T2D. The pentose and glucuronate interconversion, fructose and mannose metabolism, and galactose metabolism pathways were enriched in the periodontitis state, while the phosphotransferase system, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and peptidoglycan biosynthesis, bacterial secretion system, sulfur metabolism, and glycolysis pathways were enriched in the T2D state. Multiple genes whose expression was upregulated from the red and orange complex bacterial genomes were associated with bacterial biofilm formation and pathogenicity. The concentrations of propionic acid and butyric acid were significantly higher in subjects with periodontitis, with or without T2D, than in healthy subjects. Conclusions: T2D patients are more susceptible to the presence of periodontal pathogens and have a higher risk of developing periodontitis. The pentose and glucuronate interconversion, fructose and mannose metabolism, galactose metabolism, and glycolysis pathways may represent the potential microbial functional association between periodontitis and T2D, and butyric acid may play an important role in the interaction between these 2 diseases. The enrichment of the LPS and peptidoglycan biosynthesis, bacterial secretion system, and sulfur metabolism pathways may cause T2D patients to be more susceptible to periodontitis.