• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.278-286
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• 2010

Veterinary antibiotics have been used to treat disease and to promote growth of livestock. However, the total amount of veterinary antibiotics in Korea was much greater than other developed countries, and there is a high potential to release residual of antibiotics to environment. Consequentially, released antibiotics into the environment produces antibiotic resistant bacteria and causes adverse effects on human health. The objective of this research was to monitor antibiotic concentration in the environment adjacent to facilities which compose chicken manure. Total of 10 antibiotics were selected based on the total amount of higher usage in Korea, and its residuals were measured from surface water, soil and sediment. The frequencies of detected antibiotics were ranged 31-92% from soil, 0-93% from water, and 33-93% from sediment. Generally, a higher frequency was observed in soil or sediment than water. Different ranges in concentration among 4 different antibiotic groups was found from not detected(N.D.) to 35.6 ${\mu}g/kg$ for soil, N.D. to 19.2 ${\mu}g/L$ for water and N.D. to 114.3 ${\mu}g/kg$ for sediment. Our findings suggest that solid phase such as soil and sediment is a critical component to be needed to conduct the environmental impact assessment of antibiotics.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.93-107
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• 1998

Because of its stable quantity and quality, groundwater has long been a reliable source of drinking water for domestic users. Rapid economic growth and rising standards of living have in recent years put severe demands on drinking water supplies in Korea. Groundwaters that are currently being used for natural mineral water were hydrochemically evaluated and investigated in order to maintain their quality to satisfy strict health standards. There exist 15 natural mineral water plants in the Okcheon metamorphic belt. Characteristics of groundwaters are different from those of other areas in that electrical conductivity, hardness, contents of Ca, Mg and $HCO_3$are relatively high. The content of major cations is in the order of Ca>Mg, Na>K, whereas that of major anions shows the order of $HCO_3$>$SO_4$>Cl>F. The fact that the Ca-Mg-HCO$_3$type is mostly predominant among water types reflects that dissolution of carbonates that are abundantly present in the metamorphic rocks plays an important part in groundwater chemistry. Representative correlation coefficients between chemical species show Mg-$HCO_3$(0.92), Ca-$HCO_3$(0.88), Ca-Mg(0.80), Ca-Cl(0.78), Mg-$SO_4$(0.78), Ca-$SO_4$(0.71), possibly due to the effect by dissolution of carbonates, gypsum or anhydrite. Determinative coefficients between some chemical species represent a good relationship, especially for EC-(K+Na+Ca), Ca-$HCO_3$, Ca-Mg, indiacting that they are similar in chemical behaviors. According to saturation index, most chemical species are undersaturated with respect to major minerals, except for some silica phases. Groundwater is slightly undersaturated with respect to calcite and dolomite, whereas it is still greatly undersaturated with respect to gypsum, anhydrite and fluorite, Based on the Phase equilibrium in the systems $NA_2$O-$Al_2$$O_3$-$SiO_2$-$H_2$O and $K_2$O-$Al_2$$O_3$-$SiO_2$-$H_2$O, it is clear that groundwater is in equilibrium with kaolinite, evolved from the stability area of gibbsite during water-rock interaction. It is expected that chemical evolution of groundwater continue to proceed with increasing pH by reaction of feldspars, with calcite much less reactive.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.70-77
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• 1999

Purpose : The expression of p53, P211WAF/CIP, Bcl-2, and Bax underlying the radiation-induced apoptosis in different pH environments using SCK mammary adenocarcinoma cell line was investigated. Materials and Methods Mammary adenocarcinoma cells of hi) mice (SCK cells) in exponential growth phase were irradiated with a linear accelerator at room temperature. The cells were irradiated with 12 Gy and one hour later, the media was replaced with fresh media at a different pHs. After Incubation at 37Microbioiogy, College of Medicine Dong A University for 0$\~$48 h, the extort of apoptosis was determined using agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometry. The progression of cells through the cell cycle after irradiation in different pHs was also determined with flow cytometry. Western blot analysis was used to monitor p53, p211WAFfCIP, Bcl-2, and Bu protein levels. Results : The induction of apoptosis by irradiation in pH 6.6 medium was markedly less than that in pH 7.5 medium. The radiation-induced G2IM arrest in pH 6.6 medium lasted markedly longer than that in pH 7.5 medium. Considerable amounts of p53 and p21 proteins already existed at pH 7.5 and increased the level of p53 and p21 significantly after 12 Gy X-irradiation. An incubation at pH 6.6 after 12 Gy X-irradiation did not change the level of p53 and p21 protein levels significantly. Bcl-2 proteins were not significantly affected by radiation and showed no correlation with cell susceptibility to radiation-induced apoptosis in different pHs. An exposure to 12 Gy of X-rays increased the level of Bax protein at pH 7.5 but at pH 6.6, it was slight. Conclusions : The molecular mechanism underlying radiation-induced apoptosis in dinerent pH environments using SCK mammary adenocarcinoma cell line was dependent of the expression p53 and P211YVAF/CIP proteins. We may propose following hypothesis that an acidic stress augments the radiation-induced G2iM arrest, which inhibiting the irradiated cells undergo post-mitotic apoptosis. The effects of environmental acidity on anti-apoptotic and pro-apoptotic function of Bcl-2 family was unclear in SCK mammary adenocarcinoma cell line.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.255-262
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• 2006

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of dietary organic selenium levels on performance and selenium retention in broiler chickens and laying hens. In experiment 1, the effects of dietary organic selenium levels on the weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion, and selenium retention of meat and liver in broiler chickens were investigated. For each growth phase, the basal diet was supplemented with 0 (control), 0.60, 1.20, 1.80 and 2.40 ppm Se from selenium yeast(SY). Weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion were not affected by the selenium addition in diets. Breast muscle Se levels were linearly increased (P<0.05) as dietary Se level increased by SY. Selenium concentration of liver tissue was increased (P<0.05) in supplemental SY compared to the control, and was increased (P<0.05) in supplemental 1.20, 1.80 and 2.40 ppm SY compared to the 0.60 ppm SY. In Experiment 2, 12-week-experiment using Hy-Line laying hens (68 wk of age) was conducted to examine the effects of dietary organic selenium on egg Production, egg weight, daily egg mass, feed intake, feed conversion, egg quality, and selenium concentration of eggs. A corn-soybean meal basal diet was supplemented with 0 (control), 0.30, 0.60, 0.90 and 1.20 ppm Se from selenium yeast (SY). Egg Production was significantly improved(P<0.05) in supplemental 0.30 and 0.90 ppm SY compared to the control and 0.60 ppm SY during week 1 to 12, but daily egg mass, feed intake, and feed conversion showed no difference in supplemental SY and control. Haugh unit, yolk color and eggshell breaking strength showed no difference in supplemental SY and control. Eggshell thickess was significantly (P<0.05) higher in supplemental 0.60 and 1.20 ppm SY compared to the 0.90 ppm SY in week 9. Egg Se levels were linearly increased (P<0.05) as dietary Se level increased by SY.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.276-288
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• 2013

The present study investigates the effects of elevated soil nitrogen on growth and decomposition of Oryza sativa shoots. The plants were cultivated in greenhouse until leaf senescence and the total biomass of the plant increased 1.9 times at nitrogen addition plot. Total C and N content in shoot increased; however, lignin, C/N, and lignin/N levels decreased in the N-treated soil. The shoot litters collected from the control and N-treated soil were tested for decay and microbial biomass, $CO_2$ evolution, and enzyme activities during decomposition on the control and N-treated soil at $25^{\circ}C$ microcosm. The remaining mass of the shoot litter was approximately 6% higher in the litter collected from the control soil (53.0%) than the litter collected from high N-treated soil (47.1%). However, the high N-containing litter exhibited faster decay in the control soil than in the N-treated soil. The litter containing high N, low C/N, and low lignin/N showed a higher decomposition rate than that of low quality litter. The N-addition showed decreased microbial biomass C and dehydrogenase activity in soil; however, it exhibited high microbial biomass N and urease activity in soil. When the high N-containing litter decays on the N-treated soil, the microbial biomass C increased rapidly at the initial phase of decomposition and decreased thereafter, and dehydrogenase activity was less that of other treatment; however, there was no effect on the microbial biomass N. The urease in the decomposing litter was highest during the early decomposition stage and dramatically decreased thereafter. The present findings suggested that the N-addition increased N content in litter, but inhibited the decomposition process of above-ground biomass in terrestrial ecosystems.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.18
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• pp.7849-7855
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• 2014

Purpose: To investigate the effect of deacetylase inhibitory trichostatin A (TSA) on anti HepG2 liver carcinoma cells and explore the underlying mechanisms. Materials and Methods: HepG2 cells exposed to different concentrations of TSA for 24, 48, or 72h were examined for cell growth inhibition using CCK8, changes in cell cycle distribution with flow cytometry, cell apoptosis with annexin V-FTIC/PI double staining, and cell morphology changes under an inverted microscope. Expression of ${\beta}$-catenin, HDAC1, HDAC3, H3K9, CyclinD1 and Bax proteins was tested by Western blotting. Gene expression for ${\beta}$-catenin, HDAC1and HDAC3 was tested by q-PCR. ${\beta}$-catenin and H3K9 proteins were also tested by immunofluorescence. Activity of Renilla luciferase (pTCF/LEF-luc) was assessed using the Luciferase Reporter Assay system reagent. The activity of total HDACs was detected with a HDACs colorimetric kit. Results: Exposure to TSA caused significant dose-and time-dependent inhibition of HepG2 cell proliferation (p<0.05) and resulted in increased cell percentages in G0/G1 and G2/M phases and decrease in the S phase. The apoptotic index in the control group was $6.22{\pm}0.25%$, which increased to $7.17{\pm}0.20%$ and $18.1{\pm}0.42%$ in the treatment group. Exposure to 250 and 500nmol/L TSA also caused cell morphology changes with numerous floating cells. Expression of ${\beta}$-catenin, H3K9and Bax proteins was significantly increased, expression levels of CyclinD1, HDAC1, HDAC3 were decreased. Expression of ${\beta}$-catenin at the genetic level was significantly increased, with no significant difference in HDAC1and HDAC3 genes. In the cytoplasm, expression of ${\beta}$-catenin fluorescence protein was not obvious changed and in the nucleus, small amounts of green fluorescence were observed. H3K9 fluorescence protein were increased. Expression levels of the transcription factor TCF werealso increased in HepG2 cells following induction by TSA, whikle the activity of total HDACs was decreased. Conclusions: TSA inhibits HDAC activity, promotes histone acetylation, and activates Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin signaling to inhibit proliferation of HepG2 cell, arrest cell cycling and induce apoptosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.4421-4426
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• 2013

Objective: The present study employed 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR) to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line A549 to investigate the effects on proliferation and expression of the TFPI-2 gene. Methods: Proliferation was assessed by MTT assay after A549 cells were treated with 0, 1, 5, 10 ${\mu}mol/L$ 5-Aza-CdR, a specific demethylating agent, for 24, 48 and 72h. At the last time point cells were also analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM) to identify any change in their cell cycle profiles. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSPCR), real time polymerase chain reaction(real-time PCR) and western blotting were carried out to determine TFPI-2 gene methylation status, mRNA expression and protein expression. Results: MTT assay showed that the growth of A549 cells which were treated with 5-Aza-CdR was significantly suppressed as compared with the control group (0 ${\mu}mol/L$ 5-Aza-CdR). After treatment with 0, 1, 5, 10 ${\mu}mol/L$ 5-Aza-CdR for 72h, FCM showed their proportion in G0/G1 was $69.7{\pm}0.99%$, $76.1{\pm}0.83%$, $83.8{\pm}0.35%$, $95.5{\pm}0.55%$ respectively (P<0.05), and the proportion in S was $29.8{\pm}0.43%$, $23.7{\pm}0.96%$, $15.7{\pm}0.75%$, $1.73{\pm}0.45%$, respectively (P<0.05), suggesting 5-Aza-CdR treatment induced G0/G1 phase arrest. MSPCR showed that hypermethylation in the promoter region of TFPI-2 gene was detected in control group (0 ${\mu}mol/L$ 5-Aza-CdR), and demethylation appeared after treatment with 1, 5, 10 ${\mu}mol/L$ 5-Aza-CdR for 72h. Real-time PCR showed that the expression levels of TFPI-2 gene mRNA were $1{\pm}0$, $1.49{\pm}0.14$, $1.86{\pm}0.09$ and $5.80{\pm}0.15$ (P<0.05) respectively. Western blotting analysis showed the relative expression levels of TFPI-2 protein were $0.12{\pm}0.01$, $0.23{\pm}0.02$, $0.31{\pm}0.02$, $0.62{\pm}0.03$ (P<0.05). TFPI-2 protein expression in A549 cells was gradually increased significantly with increase in the 5-Aza-CdR concentration. Conclusions: TFPI-2 gene promoter methylation results in the loss of TFPI-2 mRNA and protein expression in the non-small cell lung cancer cell line A549, and 5-Aza-CdR treatment could induce the demethylation of TFPI-2 gene promoter and restore TFPI-2 gene expression. These findings provide theoretic evidence for clinical treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer with the demethylation agent 5-Aza-CdR. TFPI-2 may be one molecular marker for effective treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer with 5-Aza-CdR.

• Clean Technology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.306-313
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• 2014

Nanoporous $TiO_2$ films are commonly used as working electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). So far, there have been attempts to synthesize films with various $TiO_2$ nanostructures to increase the power-conversion efficiency. In this work, vertically aligned rutile $TiO_2$ nanorods were grown on fluorinated tin oxide (FTO) glass by hydrothermal synthesis, followed by deposition of an anatase $TiO_2$ film. This new method of anatase $TiO_2$ growth avoided the use of a seed layer that is usually required in hydrothermal synthesis of $TiO_2$ electrodes. The dense anatase $TiO_2$ layer was designed to behave as the electron-generating layer, while the less dense rutile nanorods acted as electron-transfer pathwaysto the FTO glass. In order to facilitate the electron transfer, the rutile phase nanorods were treated with a $TiCl_4$ solution so that the nanorods were coated with the anatase $TiO_2$ film after heat treatment. Compared to the electrode consisting of only rutile $TiO_2$, the power-conversion efficiency of the rutile-anatase hybrid $TiO_2$ electrode was found to be much higher. The total thickness of the rutile-anatase hybrid $TiO_2$ structures were around $4.5-5.0{\mu}m$, and the highest power efficiency of the cell assembled with the structured $TiO_2$ electrode was around 3.94%.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2002

Objective: In order to acquire the technique for the establishment of human embryonic stem cells (ESe) derived from the human frozen-thawed embryos produced in IVF-ET program, this study was performed to establish mouse ESC derived from the in vitro fertilized embryos. Materials and Methods: After Fl hybrid (C57BL female $\times$ CBA mael) female mice were superovulated with PMSG and hCG treatment, their oocytes were retrieved and inseminated, and the fertilized embryos were cultured for 96-120 hours until the expected stages of blastocysts were obtained. To isolate the inner cell mass (ICM), either the blastocysts were treated with immunosurgery, or the whole embryos were cultured for 4 days. Isolated ICMs were then cultured onto STO feeder cell layer, and the resultant ICM colonies were subcultured with trypsin-EDTA treatment. During the subculture process, ESC-like cell colonies were observed with phase contrast microscopy. To identify ESC in the subcultured ESC-like cell colonies, alkaline phosphatase activity and Oct-4 (octamer-binding transcription factor-4) expression were examined by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR, respectively. To examine the spontaneous differentiation, ESC-like cell colonies were cultured without STO feeder cell layer and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). Results: Seven ESC-like cell lines were established from ICMs isolated from the in vitro fertilized embryos. According to the developmental stage, the growth of ICMs isolated from the expanded blastocysts was significantly better than that of ICMs isolated from the hatched blastocysts (80.3% vs. 58.7%, p<0.05). ESC-like cell colonies were only obtained from ICMs of expanded blastocysts. However, the ICMs isolated from the embryos treated with immunosurgery were poorly grown and frequently differentiated during the culture process. The established ESC-like cell colonies were positively stained with alkaline phosphatase and expressed Oct-4, and their morphology resembled that observed in the previously reported mouse ESC. In addition, following the extended in vitro culture process, they maintained their expression of cell surface markers characteristic of the pluripotent stem cells such as alkaline phosphatase and Oct-4. When cultured without STO feeder cell layer and LIF, they were spontaneously differentiated into the various types of cells. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that the establishment of mouse ESC can be successfully derived from the in vitro fertilized embryos. The established ESC-like cells expressed the cell surface markers characteristic of the pluripotent stem cells and spontaneously differentiated into the various types of cells.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.34-40
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• 2008

Underwater seismic refraction with advanced interpretation approaches makes important contributions to shallow marine exploration and geotechnical investigations in Australia's coastal areas. A series of case studies are presented to demonstrate the recent applications of continuous and static USR methods to river crossing and port infrastructure projects at various sites around Australia. In Sydney, static underwater seismic refraction (USR) with bottom-placed receivers and borehole seismic imaging assisted the development of improved geotechnical models that reduced construction risk for a tunnel crossing of the Lane Cove River. In Melbourne, combining conventional boomer reflection and continuous USR with near-bottom sources and receivers improved the definition of a buried, variably weathered basalt flow and assisted dredging assessment for navigation channel upgrades at Geelong Ports. Sand quality assessment with continuous USR and widely spaced borehole information assisted commercial decisions on available sand resources for the reclamation phase of development at the Port of Brisbane. Buried reefs and indurated layers occur in Australian coastal sediments with the characteristics of laterally limited, high velocity, cap layers within lower velocity materials. If these features are not recognised then significant error in depth determination to deeper refractors can occur. Application of advanced refraction inversion using wavefront eikonal tomography to continuous USR data obtained along the route of a proposed offshore pipeline near Fremantle allowed these layers and the underlying bedrock refractor to be accurately imaged. Static USR and the same interpretation approach was used to image the drowned granitic regolith beneath sediments and indurated layers in the northern area of Western Australia at a proposed new berthing site where deep piling was required. This allowed preferred piling sites to be identified, reducing overall pile lengths. USR can be expected to find increased application to shallow marine exploration and geotechnical investigations in Australia's coastal areas as economic growth continues and improved interpretation methods are developed.