• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제29권8호
• /
• pp.1248-1254
• /
• 2019

Identification of novel probiotic strains is of great interest in the field of functional foods. Specific strains of heat-killed bacteria have been reported to exert immunomodulatory effects. Herein, we investigated the immune-stimulatory function of heat-killed Lactobacillus plantarum KCTC 13314BP (LBP). Treatment with LBP significantly increased the production of $TNF-{\alpha}$ and IL-6 by macrophages. More importantly, LBP was able to enhance the phagocytic activity of macrophages against bacterial particles. Activation of p38, JNK, ERK, $NF-{\kappa}B$, and STAT3 was involved in the immunomodulatory function of LBP. LBP treatment significantly increased production of $TNF-{\alpha}$ by bone marrow-derived macrophages and splenocytes, further confirming the immunostimulatory effect of LBP in primary immune cells. Interestingly, the immunomodulatory effects of LBP were much stronger than those of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, a well-known probiotic strain. These results indicate that LBP can be a promising immune-enhancing functional food agent.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• 제50권
• /
• pp.225-231
• /
• 2023

Cold stress is one of the most vulnerable environmental stresses that affect plant growth and crop yields. With the recent advancements in genetic approaches using Arabidopsis and other model systems, genes involved in cold-stress response have been identified and the key cold signaling factors have been characterized. Exposure to low-temperature stress triggers the activation of a set of genes known as cold regulatory (COR) genes. This activation process plays a crucial role in enhancing the resistance of plants to cold and freezing stress. The inducer of the C-repeatbinding factor (CBF) expression 1-CBF module (ICE1-CBF module) is a key cold signaling pathway regulator that enhances the expression of downstream COR genes; however, this signaling module in Panax ginseng remains elusive. Here, we identified cold-signaling-related genes, PgCBF1, PgCBF3, and PgICE1 and conducted functional genomic analysis with a heterologous system. We confirmed that the overexpression of cold- PgCBF3 in the cbf1/2/3 triple Arabidopsis mutant compensated for the cold stress-induced deficiency of COR15A and salt-stress tolerance. In addition, nuclearlocalized PgICE1 has evolutionarily conserved phosphorylation sites that are modulated by brassinsteroid insensitive 2 (PgBIN2) and sucrose non-fermenting 1 (SNF1)-related protein kinase 3 (PgSnRK3), with which it physically interacted in a yeast two-hybrid assay. Overall, our data reveal that the regulators identified in our study, PgICE1 and PgCBFs, are evolutionarily conserved in the P. ginseng genome and are functionally involved in cold and abiotic stress responses.

• 한국축산식품학회지
• /
• 제44권3호
• /
• pp.607-619
• /
• 2024

Probiotics are functional microorganisms that exhibit various biological activities, such as allergic reactions, inflammation, and aging. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of Bifidobacterium lactis CBT BL3 (BL) on the amyloid beta (Aβ)-mediated cognitive impairments. Oral administration of live BL to intracerebroventricularly Aβ-injected mice significantly attenuated short- and long-term memory loss estimated using the Y-maze and Morris water maze tests. We found that expression of apoptosisrelated proteins such as caspase-9, caspase-3, and cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase was significantly elevated in the brain tissues of Aβ-injected mouse brains when compared to that of the control mouse group. Interestingly, these expression levels were significantly decreased in the brain tissue of mice fed BL for 6 wk. In addition, the abnormal over-phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) such as ERK1/2, p38 MAPK, and JNK in the brain tissue of intracerebroventricularly Aβ-injected mice was significantly attenuated by oral administration of BL. Taken together, the results indicate that Aβ-induced cognitive impairment may be ameliorated by the oral administration of BL by controlling the activation of MAPKs/apoptosis in the brain. This study strongly suggests that BL can be developed as a functional probiotic to attenuate Aβ-mediated cognitive deficits.

• 한국분말재료학회지
• /
• 제16권2호
• /
• pp.131-137
• /
• 2009

This paper deals with the effects of the surfactant and preplate process (sensitization and activation) on electroless copper plating on carbon nano-fiber (CNF). Ultrasonic irradiation was applied both during dispersion of CNF and during electroless plating containing preplate process. The dispersion of CNF and flatness of the plated copper film were discussed based on the changes in surfactant concentration and preplate process time. It was clearly shown that high concentration of surfactant and long time of preplate process could promote the agglomeration of CNF and uneven copper plating on CNF.

• Carbon letters
• /
• 제9권2호
• /
• pp.137-144
• /
• 2008

The commercial activated carbons are typically prepared by activation from coconut shell char or coal char containing lots of inorganic impurities. They also have pore structure and pore size distribution depending on nanostructure of precursor materials. In this study, two types of commercial activated carbons were applied for EDLC electrode by removing impurities with acid treatments, and controlling pore size distribution and contents of functional group with heat treatment. The effect of the surface functional groups on electrochemical performance of the activated carbon electrodes was investigated. The initial gravimetric and volumetric capacitance of coconut based activated carbon electrode which was acid treated by $HNO_3$ and then heat treated at $800^{\circ}C$ were 90 F/g and 42 F/cc respectively showing 94% of charge-discharge efficiency. Such a good electrochemical performance can be possibly applied to the medium capacitance of EDLC.

• 대한자기공명의과학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 대한자기공명의과학회 2003년도 제8차 학술대회 초록집
• /
• pp.85-85
• /
• 2003

Purpose： To investigate whether or not acupuncture of GB34 produces a significant response of the modulation of somatomotor areas by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study. Materials and methods： The acupoint, GB34, located in the back of the knee, is known to be effective in recovering motor function after stroke. Using 3T MRI scanner, functional MR imaging of the whole brain was peformed in 12 normal healthy subjects during two stimulation paradigms; acupuncture manipulation on GB34 and sham points. This study investigates the activation of the motor cortex elicited by a soft and an intensified stimulation of GB 34.Three different paradigms were carried out to detect any possible modulation of the Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) response in the somatomortor area to motor stimulation through acupuncture.

• 한국세라믹학회지
• /
• 제40권9호
• /
• pp.819-826
• /
• 2003

This article is concerned with the overview of activated carbons as electrode materials in electric double-layer capacitors. Firstly, this article introduced various types of activated carbons with their precursors and manufacturing conditions which can be divided into two main steps of the carbonization and activation processes. Secondly, the present article gave the detailed discussion about the porous structures and examined previous works on the electrochemical behaviors of activated carbons in relation to their porous structures, along with our recent works. Finally, this article characterized the surface oxygen functional groups and presented their influence on the electrochemical properties of activated carbons by reviewing our recent results.

• 대한의용생체공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 대한의용생체공학회 1993년도 추계학술대회
• /
• pp.23-26
• /
• 1993

In MR functional imaging, it is shown that the signal change during photic activation is composed of two terms, i.e. the inflow effect and the susceptibility effect. Relatively the inflow effect affects the data obtained by CGE on the condition of short $T_E$(15ms) and large $\alpha$(90degree). The susceptibility effect, however, mainly contributes to the data on the condition of large $T_E$(35ms) and small $\alpha$(30degree). In this apper, we will discriminate the susceptibility effect for the intermingled data affected both flow effect and susceptibility effect. Finally susceptibility only functional imaging is proposed by using TRFGE.

• 대한한방내과학회지
• /
• 제29권3호
• /
• pp.666-674
• /
• 2008

Objectives : The aim of this study was to evaluate gastrointestinal parasympathetic nerve activation and pyloric valve function in patients with functional dyspepsia through analysis of bowel sounds and to investigate clinical characteristics associated with the parameters of bowel sounds. Method : We surveyed clinical characteristics of patients by using a questionnaire about functional dyspepsia. Bowel sounds were recorded for 15 minutes during fasting state and for 40 minutes during postprandial state. We then classified the patients into 3 groups by abnormal states of bowel sounds, specifically by the percentage of B.S. and dominenet frequency, and studied clinical characteristics in each group. Results : Among the 182 subjects, patients who had low activity of parasympathetic nerve were 25.8% and showed a tendency of female-dominant, family history and more frequent abdominal pain. Those who had pyloric valve disturbance were 24.1% and showed no tendency by sex distribution, family history and complained of indigestion sensation. Patients who had both disorders were 10.9%, and their clinical characteristics were non-specific. Conclusion : Analysis of bowel sounds may be useful in evaluating pathophysiological factors of functional dyspepsia.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• 제28권9호
• /
• pp.1489-1492
• /
• 2007

Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction containing oxalic acid and acetone as a mixed organic substrate catalyzed by Ce(IV) in a flow system has been investigated. The reaction system is analyzed by varying flow rate, inflow concentrations, and temperature. Interchangeable oscillating patterns are observed in a certain range of concentrations, and above or below the condition a steady state is obtained. The increase in temperature increases the frequency and decreases the amplitude of oscillations. The apparent activation energy for the system is calculated by using the Arrhenius equation, which means that temperature has a greater effect on the reaction. Bifurcation phase diagrams for the system show the region of oscillations or steady states along with a small region of multistability. Further the behavioral trend observed in this system is discussed by mechanistic character of the system.