• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.363-366
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• 2004

In order to obtain an industrial strain with higher L(+)-lactic acid yield, the wild type strain Rhizopus oryzae PW352 was mutated by means of Nitrogen ions implantation (l5 Kev, $7.8 \times 10^{14} - 2.08 \times 10^{15} ions/Cm^2$ and two mutants RE3303 and RF9052 were isolated. After 36 h shake-flask cultivation, the concentration of L(+)-lactic acid reached 131-136 g/l, the conversion rate of glucose was as high as 86%-90% and the productivity was 3.61 g/l.h. It was almost a 75% increase in lactic acid production compared with the wild type strain. Maximum fermentation temperature of RF9052 was increased to $45^{\circ}C$ from original $36^{\circ}C$. At the same time, the preferred range of fermentation temperature of RF9052 was broadened compared with PW352.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.119-123
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• 2016

Acetylcholine receptors (AChR) including muscarinic and nicotinic AChR are widely expressed and mediate a variety of physiological cellular responses in neuronal and non-neuronal cells. Notably, a functional cholinergic system exists in oral epithelial cells, and nicotinic AChR (nAChR) mediates cholinergic anti-inflammatory responses. However, the pathophysiological roles of AChR in periodontitis are unclear. Here, we show that activation of AChR elicits increased cytosolic $Ca^{2+}([Ca^{2+}]_i)$, transient cytotoxicity, and induction of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) expression. Intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization in human gingival fibroblast-1 (hGF-1) cells was measured using the fluorescent $Ca^{2+}$ indicator, fura-2/AM. Cytotoxicity and induction of gene expression were evaluated by measuring the release of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and RT-PCR. Activation of AChR in hGF-1 cells by carbachol (Cch) induced $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with a high concentration of Cch on hGF-1 cells caused transient cytotoxicity. Notably, treatment of hGF-1 cells with Cch resulted in upregulated RANKL expression. The findings may indicate potential roles of AChR in gingival fibroblast cells in bone remodeling.

• BMB Reports
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• v.47 no.7
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• pp.393-398
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• 2014

The role of Bax inhibitor-1 (BI-1) in the protective mechanism against apoptotic stimuli has been studied; however, as little is known about its role in death receptor-mediated cell death, this study was designed to investigate the effect of BI-1 on Fas-induced cell death, and the underlying mechanisms. HT1080 adenocarcinoma cells were cultured in high concentration of glucose media and transfected with vector alone (Neo cells) or BI-1-vector (BI-1 cells), and treated with Fas. In cell viability, apoptosis, and caspase-3 analyses, the BI-1 cells showed enhanced sensitivity to Fas. Fas significantly decreased cytosolic pH in BI-1 cells, compared with Neo cells, and this decrease correlated with BI-1 oligomerization, mitochondrial $Ca^{2+}$ accumulation, and significant inhibition of sodium-hydrogen exchanger (NHE) activity. Compared with Neo cells, a single treatment of BI-1 cells with the NHE inhibitor EIPA or siRNA against NHE significantly increased cell death, which suggests that the viability of BI-1 cells is affected by the maintenance of intracellular pH homeostasis through NHE.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.173-177
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• 1996

The Pneumococcus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, has an ample polysaccharide (PS) capsule that is highly antigenic and is the main virulence factor of the organism. The capsular PS is the source of PS vaccine. This investigation was undertaken to optimize the culture conditions for the production of capsular PS by type 4 pneumococcus. Among several culture media, brain heart infusion (BHI) and Casitone based medium were found to support luxuriant growth of pneumococcus type 4 at the same level. Therefore in this study, the Casitone based medium was used to study optimization of the culture condition because of BHI broth's high cost and complex nature. The phase of growth which accomodated maximum PS production was exponential phase. Concentrations of glucose greater than 0.8% did not enhance growth or PS production. Substitution of nitrogen sources with other resources or supplementation of various concentrations of metal ion (with the exception of calcium, copper, and magnesium ions) had adverse effects on growth and PS production. On the other hand, low level aeration and supplementation of 3 mg/l concentration of asparagine, phenylalanine, or threonine were beneficial for increased PS production. The synergistic effect of all the favorable conditions observed in pneumococcal growth assays provided a two-fold cumulative increase in capsular PS production.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.311-317
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• 2007

In this study, the effects of phosphate concentration and carbon source on the patterns of alkaline phosphatase (APase) and phospholipase (PLase) expression in Vibrio vulnificus ATCC 29307 were assessed under various conditions. The activities of these enzymes were repressed by excess phosphate (4 mM) in the culture medium, but this repression was reversed upon the onset of phosphate starvation in low phosphate defined medium (LPDM) containing 0.2 mM of phosphate at approximately the end of the exponential growth phase. The expressions of the two enzymes were also influenced by different carbon sources, including glucose, fructose, maltose, glycerol, and sodium acetate at different levels. The APase activity was derepressed most profoundly in LPDM containing fructose as a sole carbon source. However, the repression/derepression of the enzyme by phosphate was not observed in media containing glycerol or sodium acetate. In LPDM-glycerol or sodium acetate, the growth rate was quite low. The highest levels of PLase activity were detected in LPDM-sodium acetate, followed by LPDM-fructose. PLase was not fully repressed by high phosphate concentrations when sodium acetate was utilized as the sole carbon source. These results showed that multiple regulatory systems, including the phosphate regulon, may perform a function in the expression of both or either APase and PLC, in the broader context of the survival of V. vulnificus.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.341-347
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• 2015

This study analyzed the effect of regular Taekwondo training for 16 weeks on physical fitness and growth index depending on different IGF-1 gene polymorphisms. The subjects of the study were 44 male students who were 8 year years old. The IGF-1 gene showed the highest frequency of 18 CA repeat (190 bp) in 50% of subjects, and was found in the homozygote (n=11), heterozygote (n=22) and non-carriers (n=11). The results of the physical fitness and growth index among the gene polymorphism groups indicated no significant differences but the expected height of the non-carrier group was significantly high (p<0.05). After Taekwondo training, the homozygote group and the non-carrier groups demonstrated significant (p<0.05) increase in grip strength and in time in the standing with one leg while closing eyes test, respectively. Only the homozygote group had a significant (p<0.05) increase in thigh circumference. IGF-1 concentration significantly (p<0.05) increased in the heterozygote group, while HOMA-IR significantly (p<0.05) decreased in the homozygote group. Furthermore, there was a significant (p<0.05) decrease in glucose in both the homozygote and the non-carriers groups. The difference between physical fitness and growth index depending on the IGF-1 gene polymorphism after Taekwondo training did not show consistent impact.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.1479-1484
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• 2022

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is gaining attention as a carbon-neutral alternative to plant cellulose, and as a means to prevent deforestation and achieve a carbon-neutral society. However, the high cost of fermentation media for BC production is a barrier to its industrialization. In this study, chestnut shell (CS) hydrolysates were used as a carbon source for the BC-producing bacteria strain, Gluconacetobacter xylinus ATCC 53524. To evaluate the suitability of the CS hydrolysates, major inhibitors in the hydrolysates were analyzed, and BC production was profiled during fermentation. CS hydrolysates (40 g glucose/l) contained 1.9 g/l acetic acid when applied directly to the main medium. As a result, the BC concentration at 96 h using the control group and CS hydrolysates was 12.5 g/l and 16.7 g/l, respectively (1.3-fold improved). In addition, the surface morphology of BC derived from CS hydrolysates revealed more densely packed nanofibrils than the control group. In the microbial BC production using CS, the hydrolysate had no inhibitory effect during fermentation, suggesting it is a suitable feedstock for a sustainable and eco-friendly biorefinery. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to valorize CS by utilizing it in BC production.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2022.10a
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• pp.62-65
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• 2022

Diabetes is a major social problem in which the incidence and prevalence of diabetes increase every year around the world. Diabetes, characterized by high blood sugar, which increases the concentration of glucose in the blood, causes various symptoms and signs. As a result, patients should strengthen self-management in their daily lives. However, the biggest factor that patients fail in managing blood sugar is diet failure. Therefore, in this paper, an application was designed and implemented to input a diet through photography or image upload and analyze users' diets through intake indicators and blood sugar statistics.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.303-313
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to compare the anthropometry, blood pressure, blood lipid levels, and nutrient intakes in three groups: a group with an impaired fasting blood glucose (IFG) condition (62 males and 30 females); a group with normal blood glucose (73 males and 50 females); and a group with diabetes mellitus (DM) (79 males and 49 females). In male subjects, body mass index (BMI) and obesity index values were significantly higher in the IFG group than in normal and DM groups, but waist/hip ratio (WHR), systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure were not significantly different from those of the DM group. In female subjects, there was no difference in body weight, BMI, obesity index and WHR values between the IFG and the DM groups. The prevalence of obesity in the IFG group (males 43.6%, females 76.7%) was the highest among the three groups. The percentage of high SBP (40.0%) and high DBP (52.0%) in male subjects of the IFG group was significantly greater than in the DM group or the normal group. In the male subjects, the serum triglyceride concentration was significantly higher in the DM group than in the normal and IFG groups. There was no difference in various nutrient intakes(energy, carbohydrate, protein, fat, calcium, iron, vitamin A and cholesterol) among the three groups. In male subjects, the percentage of energy intake from alcohol was higher in the IFG group (7.0%) than that of the normal (4.5%) and the DM (5.6%) groups. The fasting blood glucose level had a positive correlation with WHR, TG, the athrogenic index and LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol. This study suggested that the IFG group had a higher obesity index, BMI, blood pressure and serum lipid levels (TG, cholesterol) than the normal or the DM group; furthermore, the IFG group had higher levels of alcohol intake and habits of taking unbalanced diets. Therefore, guidelines for IFG group should emphasize weight control, diet therapy, physical activities and regular balanced diets, in order to prevent diabetes in this group.