• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.327-333
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• 2018

Background: Bioactive compounds in plant extracts are able to reduce metal ions to nanoparticles through the process of green synthesis. Panax ginseng is an oriental medicinal herb and an adaptogen which has been historically used to cure various diseases. In addition, the P. ginseng leaves-mediated gold nanoparticles are the value-added novel materials. Its potential as a cosmetic ingredient is still unexplored. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant, moisture retention and whitening properties of gold nanoparticles (PgAuNPs) in cosmetic applications. Methods: Cell-free experiments were performed to evaluate PgAuNP's antioxidant and moisture retention properties and inhibition activity on mushroom tyrosinase. Furthermore, in vitro cell cytotoxicity was evaluated using normal human dermal fibroblast and murine B16BL6 melanoma cells (B16) after treatment with increasing concentrations of PgAuNPs for 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h. Finally, in vitro cell assays on B16 cells were performed to evaluate the whitening effect of PgAuNPs through reduction of cellular melanin content and tyrosinase activity. Results: In vitro DPPH radical scavenging assay results revealed that PgAuNPs exhibited antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner. PgAuNPs exhibited moisture retention capacity and effectively inhibited mushroom tyrosinase. In addition, 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide results revealed that PgAuNPs were not toxic to human dermal fibroblast and B16 cells; in addition, they significantly reduced melanin content, tyrosinase activity, and mRNA expression of melanogenesis-associated transcription factor and tyrosinase in B16 cells. Conclusion: Our study is the first report to provide evidence supporting that P. ginseng leaves-capped gold nanoparticles could be used as multifunctional ingredients in cosmetics.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.56-60
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• 2011

Optical properties of $T_{0.2}Fe_{2.8}O_4$ (T = V, Cr, Mn) thin films derived from ferrimagnetic $Fe_3O_4$ were investigated by spectroscopic ellipsometry in the 1~8 eV photon-energy range. The difference in optical-absorption spectrum between the ternary compounds and $Fe_3O_4$ was analyzed based on preferable sites in spinel structure and iconicity of the doped V, Cr, and Mn ions. The observed absorption spectra from $Fe_3O_4$ and the ternary compounds can be interpreted as mainly due to charge-transfer transitions of Fe d electrons characterized by absorption structures with wide energy width. Also, the observed absorption structures with narrow energy width can be interpreted as due to crystal-field transitions between different d electron configurations of tetrahedral $Fe^{3+}(d^5)$ ion. The transitions were described in terms of spin-polarized electronic states of $Fe_3O_4$.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.38-45
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• 2011

The complexation behavior of the $\alpha$-ketostabilized phosphorus ylides $Ph_3P$=CHC(O) $C_6H_4-X$ (X=Br, Ph) towards the transition metal ions mercury (II) and Silver (I) was investigated. The mercury(II) complex {$HgX_2$ [Y]} 2 ($Y_1$=4-bromo benzoyl methylene triphenyl phosphorane; X=Cl(1), Br(2), I(3), $Y_2$=4-phenyl benzoyl methylene triphenyl phosphorane; X=Cl(4), Br(5), I(6)) have been prepared from the reaction of $Y_1$ and $Y_2$ with $HgX_2$ (X=Cl, Br, I) respectively. Silver complexes [$Ag(Y_2)_2]$ X(X=$BF_4$(7), OTf(8)) of the $\alpha$-keto-stabilized phosphorus ylides ($Y_2$) were obtained by reacting this ylide with AgX (X=$BF_4$, OTf) in $Me_2CO$. The crystal structure of complexes (1) and (4) was discussed. These reactions led to binuclear complexes C-coordination of ylide and trans-like structure of complexes $[Y_1HgCl_2]_2$. $CHCl_3$ (1) and $[Y_2HgCl_2]_2$ (4) is demonstrated by single crystal X-ray analyses. Not only all of complexes have been studied by IR, $^1H$ and $^{31}P$ NMR spectroscopy, but also complexes 1-3 have been characterized by $^{13}$CNMR.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.180-185
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• 1997

Zinc, cadmium, lead and copper were simultaneously determined by depositing metals at - 1.200 V vs. a Ag/AgCl(sat. KCl) reference electrode for 150 seconds on a hanging mercury drop electrode(HMDE) or a thin mercury film electrode(TMFE), followed by scanning towards anodic direction using differential pulse voltammetric(DPASV) and square wave voltammetric(SWASV) techniques. The linear calibration curves were obtained for four metal ions simultaneously determined by DPASV with a HMDE in the concentration range between 20 and 100 ppb. However, the linear calibration plots were obtained only for $Cd^{2+}$ and $Pb^{2+}$ in the simultaneous determinations with a TMFE in the concentration range up to 100 ppb using DPASV and up to 10 ppb using SWASV. DPASV with a TMFE was about 15 times more sensitive than DPASV with a HMDE for simultaneous determinations of $Cd^{2+}$ and $Pb^{2+}$. SWASV was about 5 times more sensitive than DPASV at a TMFE. Concentrations of zinc in seven different sediment samples determined by DPASV with a HMDE and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry were compared, resulting with an excellent correlation coefficient of 0.9993 and with no significant difference between two methods after t-test.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.32-40
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• 1991

Mitochondria in Pleurotus ostreatus were isolated and purified by the stepped sucrose density gradient centrifugation, to investigate the effects of the light on the enzymatic activity of the mitochondrial ATP synthase. This enzyme, which was illuminated by the light ranging from 400 nm to 700 nm, showed that the specific activity was stimulated at 490 nm for 15 sec. Effects of organic compounds on the mitochondrial ATP synthase were also investigated at the optimum conditions; The activities of this enzyme were increased to 168 percent by the addition of 2,6-dichlo­rophenol indophenol(DCPIP), 224 percent by phenazine methosulfate(PMS), but inhibited 91 per­cent by oligomycin, 14 percent by 2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide(HQNO) and 75 percent by 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP), respectively. Effects of metal ions of the mitochondrial ATP synthase were investigated at the optimum conditions. The activities of the enzyme were inhibited 35 percent by $Ca^{2+}$, 14 percent by $Co^{2+}$ and 73 percent by $Mn^{2+}$. For effects of anions, the activities of this enzyme were inhibited 80 percent by $CN^{-}$, 52 percent by $SO_{4}\;^{2-}$, 28 percent by each of $CO_{3}\;^{2-}$­and $NO_{3}\;^{-}$, respectively.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.85-96
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• 1981

A preliminary study of the isotope hydrology of the Han River Valley is presented. This investigation is part of a project whose overall aim is to relate the levels of heavy metal ions to the dynamics of the groundwater movement in order to establish (i) whether there is any evidence for the deterioration in groundwater quality associated with the release of industrial effluents and (ii) if so, to determine the migration path-ways. Evidence is adduced that the recharge mechanism is principally determined by the degree of urbanisation. In the metropolitan area of Seoul, river recharge dominates probably due to the combined effects of reduced infiltration and increased pumpage. In the inter-urban region, the major source of recharge is local precipitation. During the spring sampling period when the river levels were low. evidence was obtained for appreciable groundwater infiltration in the vicinity of the upstream transect. No significant correlations were observed between the levels of heavy metals in the groundwater, and the recharge mechanism, the distance from the river or the electrical conductivity of the samples.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.161-167
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• 2000

The protease produced by a newly isolated Aspergillus wentti from Korean traditional Meju was purified and characterized. The optimal medium composition and culture conditions for maximum protease production were ; bran :1% glucose solution =1 : 1, pH 9.0, $30^{\circ}C$, and 4 days of fermentation. Protease was purified by QAE-Sephadex, SP-Sephadex ion exchange chromatography and Sephadex G-100 chromatography. The specific activity and the purification fold of the purified enzyme were 213 unit/mg protein and 27.3, respectively. The molecular weight of purified protease was found to be 32 kDa by SDS-PAGE. Km and Vmax value's for hammastein milk casein were $3.049{\times}10^{-4}\;M\;and\;151.1\;{\mu}g/min$, respectively. Kinetic parameters showed that the enzyme has higher affinity to casein than isolated soybean protein, hemoglobin and bovine serum albumin. Optimal pH and temperature for reaction of the purified enzyme were 9.0 and $50^{\circ}C$, respectively. The enzyme was stable at pH 4.0-11.0, below $40^{\circ}C$, and the activity was not stimulated by metal ions. 1mM phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride inhibited the enzyme activity by 98.5%. It means that the enzyme is one of serine protease.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.603-611
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• 2014

The lectins were separated from Korean and Chinese mung bean seeds finally via chromatography using Sephadex G-100 and their biochemical features were studied and compared. They showed no hemagglutination with human red blood cells regardless of trypsin treatment and showed hemagglutination with only trypsin treated rabbit red blood cells. The molecular weights of two lectins were identified as 54 kDa and 28 kDa by SDS-PAGE. It was found that while the optimal reaction temperature of the lectin from Korean mung bean was $60^{\circ}C$, that of the lectin from Chinese mung bean seeds was $50^{\circ}C$. It was found also that the most thermal stable temperature of the seed lectin from Korean mung bean seeds was $50^{\circ}C$ and the lectin from Chinese mung bean was $40-50^{\circ}C$. The lectin from Korean mung bean seeds showed the highest activity at pH 3.2 and the lectin from Chinese mung bean showed the highest activity at pH 6.2. It was identified that when treating a denaturant, thiourea and guanidine-HCl resulted in no hemagglutination, so they induced denaturalization. It was identified also that there was no hemagglutination with urea, so it did not induced denaturalization. They showed no septicity to 6 types of carbohydrates including D-glucose. In addition, the lectins from the two mung bean seed had specificity to metal ions.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1486-1494
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• 2013

A high protease-producing strain was isolated and identified from the digestive tract of octopus vulgaris by detecting a hydrolysis circle of protease and its activity. The strain was identified by morphology observation, biochemical experiments, and 16S rRNA sequence analysis. The protease obtained from the strain was purified by a three-step process involving ammonium sulfate precipitation, carboxy methyl-cellulose (CM-52) cation-exchange chromatography, and DEAE-Sephadex A50 anion-exchange chromatography. The properties of protease were characterized as well. The strain Bacillus sp. QDV-3, which produced the highest activity of protease, was isolated. On the basis of the phenotypic and biochemical characterization and 16S rRNA gene-sequencing studies, the isolate was identified as follows: domain: Bacteria; phylum: Firmicutes; class: Bacilli; order: Bacillales; family: Bacillaceae; and genus: Bacillus. The isolate was shown to have a 99.2% similarity with Bacillus flexus. A high active protease designated as QDV-E, with a molecular weight of 61.6 kDa, was obtained. The enzyme was found to be active in the pH range of 9.0-9.5 and its optimum temperature was $40^{\circ}C$. The protease activity retained more than 96% at the temperature of $50^{\circ}C$ for 60 min. Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) inhibited the enzyme activity, thus confirming that this protease isolated from Bacillus sp. QDV-3 is an alkaline serine protease. Metal ions, $Mn^{2+}$ and $Mg^{2+}$, were determined to enhance the protease activity, whereas $Ba^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, and $Cu^{2+}$ were found to inactivate the enzyme.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.419-424
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• 2009

To provide the basis of biosensor based on the lux genes from bioluminescent bacteria of Photobacterium leiognathi and Vibrio harveyi, we test the expression of lux genes in several strains of Escherichia coli. The expression of the recombinant plasmid of PlXba.pT7-3, containing all lux genes requiring for light emission without adding substrate, in E. coli 43R was so strong to see the blue-green light in single colony as well as in the alginate immobilized cell. In addition, the light intensity was decreased by adding heavy metal ion such as cadmium and zinc ions. These result raise the possibility that a biosensor can be developed using the lux genes system.