• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.547-554
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• 2017

Previous studies have demonstrated the role of hydroquinone (HQ), a hydroxylated benzene metabolite, in modulating various immune responses; however, its role in macrophage-mediated inflammatory responses is not fully understood. In this study, the role of HQ in inflammatory responses and the underlying molecular mechanism were explored in macrophages. HQ down-regulated the expression of interferon $(IFN)-{\beta}$ mRNA in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells without any cytotoxicity and suppressed interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-3-mediated luciferase activity induced by TIR-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-${\beta}$ (TRIF) and TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1). A mechanism study revealed that HQ inhibited IRF-3 phosphorylation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), TRIF, and AKT by suppressing phosphorylation of AKT, an upstream kinase of the IRF-3 signaling pathway. IRF-3 phosphorylation is highly induced by wild-type AKT and poorly induced by an AKT mutant, AKT C310A, which is mutated at an inhibitory target site of HQ. We also showed that HQ inhibited IRF-3 phosphorylation by targeting all three AKT isoforms (AKT1, AKT2, and AKT3) in RAW264.7 cells and suppressed IRF-3-mediated luciferase activities induced by AKT in HEK293 cells. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that HQ inhibits the production of a type I IFN, $IFN-{\beta}$, by targeting AKTs in the IRF-3 signaling pathway during macrophage-mediated inflammation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.992-997
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• 2002

Two in vivo experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of novel urease inhibitor hydroquinone (HQ) on ammonia release rate from urea hydrolysis, nitrogen balance, nutrient digestibility and efficiency of microbial protein synthesis. In Exp. 1, twelve crossbred cannulated lambs were randomly assigned within initial body weight block to one of four HQ treatments, which included 0 (control), 30, 60 or 80 mg HQ/kg DM intake. Ammonia concentration and pH of ruminal fluid were immediately measured at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 h after feeding. Increasing the dose of HQ tended (p<0.15) to linearly decrease NH3 formation. The ammonia peak concentration (2 h post-feeding) in animals receiving HQ was approximately one-half of that in animals not receiving HQ (p<0.01), and a relatively sustained ammonia release could be obtained at the dose of 30 or 60 mg HQ/kg DM. In Exp. 2, sixteen intact crossbred lambs (weight $40{\pm}0.8kg$) were used in a $2{\times}2$ factorial design experiment. The four rations consisting of soybean meal-based (SBM) or urea-based (Urea) nitrogen source with or without HQ (S1, S0, U1 and U0) were fed in digestion and N balance trials. Apparent digestibility of major nutrients except that of ADF was not affected by either nitrogen source or addition of HQ. Regardless of nitrogen source, supplementation of HQ significantly improved ADF digestibility (p<0.05). The various ration had no effects on N metabolism in the presence of HQ. There was significant difference between total purine derivatives (PD), estimated efficiency of microbial N synthesis (p<0.05) and urea-N excretion (p<0.01) in the urine for the SBM ration and for the Urea ration. However, HQ had little influence on efficiency of microbial N synthesis as proportion of daily intake of total tract digestible OM (p>0.05). No interactions between main nitrogen source and HQ were measured throughout the trial. Results of this study suggest that addition of HQ to ration may improve ADF digestion with having no negative effect on N metabolism and microbial protein production.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.915-920
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• 2008

In this paper the electrochemical behaviors of hydroquinone ($H_2Q$) were investigated on a carbon paste electrode using room temperature ionic liquid N-butylpyridinium hexafluorophosphate ($BPPF_6$) as binder (ILCPE) and further applied to $H_2Q$ determination. In pH 2.5 phosphate buffer solution (PBS), the electrochemical response of H2Q was greatly improved on the IL-CPE with a pair of well-defined quasi-reversible redox peaks appeared, which was attributed to the electrocatalytic activity of IL-CPE to the $H_2Q$. The redox peak potentials were located at 0.340 V (Epa) and 0.240 V (Epc) (vs. the saturated calomel electrode, SCE), respectively. The formal potential ($E^0$') was calculated as 0.290 V and the peak-to-peak separation (${\Delta}E_p$) was 0.100 V. The electrochemical parameters of $H_2Q$ on the IL-CPE were further calculated by cyclic voltammetry. Under the selected conditions the anodic peak current was linear with $H_2Q$ concentration over the range from $5.0\;{{\times}}\;10^{-6}$ to $5.0\;{\times}\;10^{-3}\;mol\;L^{-1}$ with the detection limit as $2.5\;{\times}\;10^{-6}\;mol\;L^{-1}$ (3$\sigma$ ) by cyclic voltammetry. The proposed method was successful applied to determination of $H_2Q$ content in a synthetic wastewater sample without the interferences of commonly coexisting substances.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.865-868
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• 2011

An organic substance, hydroquinone is used to form clathrate compounds in order to identify separation characteristics of carbon dioxide in flue gas. Formed samples were analyzed by means of the solid-state $^{13}C$ nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Raman spectroscopic methods to examine enclthration behaviors of guest species. In addition, elemnetal analysis was also performed in order to evaluate separation efficiency of $CO_2$ in a quantitative way. Based on the experimental results obtained, $CO_2$ molecules are found to be captured into the clathrate compound more readily than $N_2$ molecules. Moreover, because such preferential enclathration is even more significant at low pressure conditions, $CO_2$ separation/recovery from flue gas can be achieved with minimizing additional energy cost for the technique. Experimental results obtained in this study can provide useful information on separation techniques of flue gas or selective separation of gas mixtures in the future.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.474-483
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• 2019

In this study, iron (Fe) impregnated granular activated carbon (Fe-GAC) has been synthesized and characterized for various properties. Comparative studies have been performed for use of Fe-GAC as an adsorbent as well as a catalyst during catalytic oxidation of hydroquinone (HQ). In the batch adsorption study, effect of process parameter like initial HQ concentration ($C_o=25-1,000mg/L$), pH (2-10), contact time (t: 0-24 h), temperature (T: $15-45^{\circ}C$) and adsorbent dose (w: 5-50 g/L) have been studied. Maximum HQ adsorption efficiency of 75% was obtained at optimum parametric condition of: pH = 4, w = 40 g/L and t = 14 h. Pseudo-second order model best-fitted the HQ adsorption kinetics whereas Langmuir model best-represented the isothermal equilibrium behavior. During oxidation studies, effect of various process parameters like initial HQ concentration ($C_o:20-100mg/L$), pH (4-8), oxidant dose ($C_{H2O2}:0.4-1.6mL/L$) and catalyst dose (m: 0.5-1.5 g/L) have been optimized using Taguchi experimental design matrix. Maximum HQ removal efficiency of 83.56% was obtained at optimum condition of $C_o=100mg/L$, pH = 6, $C_{H2O2}=0.4mL/L,$ and m = 1 g/L. Overall use of Fe-GAC during catalytic oxidation seems to be a better as compared to its use an adsorbent for treatment of HQ bearing wastewater.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.218-228
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• 2010

Components of dental resin-based restorative materials are reported to leach from the filling materials even after polymerization. Hydroquinone (HQ) is one of the major monomers used in the dental resin and is known as a carcinogen. Thus, carcinogenic risk of HQ leaching from the dental resin becomes a public health concern. The present study attempted to examine the carcinogenic potentials of HQ on the human epithelial cell, which is the target cell origin of the most of oral cancers. Cytotoxicity of HQ was observed above 50${\mu}M$ as measured by LDH assay, indicating a relatively low toxicity of this substance in human epithelial cells. The parameters of neoplastic cellular transformation such as cell saturation density, soft agar colony formation and cell aggregation were analyzed to examine the carcinogenic potential of HQ. The study showed that 2-week exposure of HQ showed the tendency of increase in the saturation density and the significant enhancement of soft agar colony formation at the highest dose, 50 ${\mu}M$ only. It is suggested that HQ has a weak potential of carcinogenicity. When cells were treated with HQ and TPA, a well-known tumor promoter, the parameters of neoplastic cellular transformation was significantly increased. This result indicates that the potential risk of carcinogenicity from HQ is largely dependent upon the presence of promoter. Exposure of 50 ${\mu}M$ HQ increased the time-dependent apoptosis as measured by the ELISA kit. This concentration coincides with a dose of neoplastic transformation, indicating a possible link between apoptosis and HQ-induced cellular transformation. Hydroquinone generated Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) which was evidenced by the treatment of antioxidants such as trolox and N-acetyl cysteine and the GSH depleting agent, BSO. Antioxidants blocked the generation of ROS and the GSH depleting agent, BSO dramatically increased the ROS production. Since HQ is known to increase ROS production thru activation of transcriptional factor such as c-Myb and Pim-1, it is speculated that ROS generation by HQ plays a role in the activation of oncogene, which may lead to neoplastic transformation. In addition, ROS is involved in the alteration of signal transduction, which regulates the apoptosis in many cellular systems. Thus, ROS-mediated apoptosis may be involved in the HQ-induced carcinogenic processes. Protein kinase C (PKC) is known to play pivotal roles in neoplastic transformation of cells and its high expression is often found in a variety of types of tumors including oral cancer. PKC translocation of PKC-${\alpha}$ was observed following HQ exposure. Altered signaling system may also play a role in the transformation process. Taken together, HQ leached from the dental resin does not pose a significant threat as a cancer causing agent, but its carcinogenic potential can be significantly elevated in the presence of promoter. The mechanism of HQ-induced carcinogenesis involved ROS generation, apoptosis and altered signaling pathway. The present study will provide a valuable data to estimate the potential risk of HQ as a carcinogen and understand mechanism of HQ-induced carcinogenesis in human epithelial cells.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.63-67
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• 1987

A laboratory experiment was conducted to find out the concentration of phytotoxin in intensively cultivated hot-pepper, garlic and chinese cabbage, and effects of these phytotoxin to the germination and growth of young hot-pepper plant. Also this experiment presents describes of the bio-assay method and results of phytotoxin application to the toxicity of hot-pepper plant. The results obtained were summarized as follows; 1. A series of non-volatile (aromatic) phenolic compounds such as hydroquinone, benzoic-, p-hydroxybenzoic, and vanillic acid were quantitatively and qualitatively analysed using BSA(N, O-bis(trimethylsilyl)acetamide) by means of gas chromatography method. 2. Phytotoxin as hydroquinone, benzoic-, p-hydroxybenzoic- and vanillic acid were determined in intensively cultivated hot- pepper, garlic and chinese cabbage. Highest concentration of phytotoxin was obtained in hot-pepper cultivated soil. 3. Direct toxic action of the applied phytotoxin to the germination and young hot-pepper plant growth was observed at the levels of 200 ppm. Benzoic acid was obtained the highest toxicity to the young hot-pepper plant growth. 4. Mode of actions of phytotoxins to the young hot-pepper plant growth were observed as stunting of stem elongation, discoloration of leaf and oxygen depletion from consideration as causes of symptom.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 2010

In present work, sulfonated poly(arylene biphenyklsulfone ether) copolymers containing hydroquinone moiety were successfully synthesized using 4,4'-bis[(4-chlorophenyl)sulfonyl]-1,1'-biphenyl(BCPSBP), hydroquinone sulfonic acid potassium salt(sHQ), 4,4'-sulfonyldiphenol and evaluated their characteristics. Three kinds of polymer electrolyte membranes, PBPSEH-HQ00, PBPSEH-HQ10 and PBPSEH-HQ30 were prepared by using mole fraction of sulfonated hydroquinone(sHQ). The structure of the fabricated polymers was analyzed using NMR, IR and GPC. The Mw(weight-average molecular weights) of the polymers were in the range of 62,000-213,000 g $mol^{-1}$, and the molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) varied from 1.66-4.04. The thermal analysis of the copolymers was carried out by TGA and DSC. The temperature of Td5% and Td10% was decreased with the mole fraction of sHQ but Tg was increased with the mole fraction. The water uptake, IEC and ion conductivity were increased with increasing the ionic cluster of the polymers. The proton conductivity equal to 9.4 mS $cm^{-1}$ was measured for the PBPSEH-HQ30 membrane at $90^{\circ}C$ and 100% relative humidity. From the observed results it is clear that the prepared hydrocarbon membrane can be considered as suitable polymer electrolyte membrane for the application of PEMFC.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.1885-1888
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• 2005

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
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• 2001.10b
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• pp.125-125
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• 2001