• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.257-263
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• 2010

Visnagin (4-methoxy-7-methyl-5H-furo[3,2-g][1]-benzopyran-5-one), which is an active principle extracted from the fruits of Ammi visnaga, has been used as a treatment for low blood-pressure and blocked blood vessel contraction by inhibition of calcium influx into blood cells. However, the neuroprotective effect of visnagin was not clearly known until now. Thus, we investigated whether visnagin has a neuroprotective effect against kainic acid (KA)-induced neuronal cell death. In the cresyl violet staining, pre-treatment or post-treatment visnagin (100 mg/kg, p.o. or i.p.) showed a neuroprotective effect on KA ($0.1{\mu}g$) toxicity. KA-induced gliosis and proinflammatory marker (IL-$1{\beta}$, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-6, and COX-2) inductions were also suppressed by visnagin administration. These results suggest that visnagin has a neuroprotective effect in terms of suppressing KA-induced pathogenesis in the brain, and that these neuroprotective effects are associated with its anti-inflammatory effects.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.174-177
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• 1993

Ultara violet ray air cleaner to use as the sterilization and deodorization device in refrigerator was designed and made of UV lamp and carbon block as the main components. The intensity of the lamp was $2.38\;mW/cm^2$ and reflector was installed to increase the radation. After running the device for 12 hours, 80% of the population of airborn bacteria was sterilized both at 48 and 480 liter refrigerator chambers. Ozone production caused by UV-ray reached 0.082 ppm at holding section within a few second when the device was operated at $25^{\circ}C$ and it showed 0.06 pm at $3^{\circ}C$. Deodorization effect was 2.5 times greater than that of a device made of electrical are principle at $25^{\circ}C$. New device 2 times more effectivly decreased trimethylamine and methyl mercaptan content applied as odor indicator substance in chamber at $3^{\circ}C$ than electrical arc type.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.226-233
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• 2014

Excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated from abnormal cellular process lead to various human diseases such as inflammation, ischemia, and Parkinson's disease (PD). Sensitive to apoptosis gene (SAG), a RING-FINGER protein, has anti-apoptotic activity and anti-oxidant activity. In this study, we investigate whether Tat-SAG, fused with a Tat domain, could protect SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells against 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ($MPP^+$) and dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetra-hydropyridine (MPTP) toxicity. Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis showed that, unlike SAG, Tat-SAG transduced efficiently into SH-SY5Y cells and into the brain, respectively. Tat-SAG remarkably suppressed ROS generation, DNA damage, and the progression of apoptosis, caused by $MPP^+$ in SH-SY5Y cells. Also, immunohistochemical data using a tyrosine hydroxylase antibody and cresyl violet staining demonstrated that Tat-SAG obviously protected DA neurons in the SN against MPTP toxicity in a PD mouse model. Tat-SAG-treated mice showed significant enhanced motor activities, compared to SAG- or Tat-treated mice. Therefore, our results suggest that Tat-SAG has potential as a therapeutic agent against ROS-related diseases such as PD.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.273-289
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• 1994

Reversible brain ischemia was produced by occluding both common carotid arteries for 5 min, and the effects of aminoguanidine (AG), $DL-{\alpha}-difluoromethylornithine$ (DFMO), MK-801, and nimodipine (NM) on the ischemia induced changes of the polyamine, glutamate and acetylcholine levels in the hippocampus CA1 subfield and the specific $[^3H]\;MK-801$ binding to the hippocampus synaptosomal membranes were studied with a histological reference of the cresyl violet stained hippocampus. The basal putrescine level $(PT:\;74.4{\pm}8.8\;nM)$ showed a rapid increase (up to 1.7 fold) for 5 min of ischemia, remained significantly increased for 6 h, and then resumed the further increase to amount gradually up to about 3 fold 96 h after recirculation. However, the level of spermidine was little changed, and the spermine level showed a transient increase during ischemia followed by a sustained decrease to about 40% of the preischemic level after recirculation. The increase of PT level induced by brain ischemia was enhanced with AG or MK-801, but it was reduced by DFMO or NM. The basal glutamate level $(GT:\;0.90{\pm}0.l4\;{\mu}M)$ rapidly increased to a peak level of $8.19{\pm}1.14\;{\mu}M$ within 5 min after onset of the ischemia and then decreased to the preischemic level in about 25 min after recirculation. And NM reduced the ischemia induced increase of GT level by about 25%, but AG, DFMO and MK-801 did not affect the GT increase. The basal acetylcholine level $(ACh:\;118.0{\pm}10.5\;{\mu}M)$ did little change during/after brain ischemia and was little affected by AG or NM. But DFMO and MK-801, respectively, produced the moderate decrease of ACh level. The specific $[^3H]\;MK-801$ binding to the hippocampus synaptosomal membrane was little affected by brain ischemia for 5 min. The control value (78.9 fmole/mg protein) was moderately decreased by AG and MK-801, respectively but was little changed by DFMO or NM. The microscopic findings of the brains extirpated on day 7 after ischemia showed severe neuronal damage of the hippocampus, particularly CA1 subfield. NM and AG moderately attenuated the delayed neuronal damage, and DFMO, on the contrary, aggravated the ischemia induced damage. However, MK-801 did not protect the hippocampus from ischemic damage. These results suggest that unlike to the mode of anti-ischemic action of NM, AG might protect the hippocampus from ischemic injury as being negatively regulatory on the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor function in the hippocampus.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.69-75
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• 2006

Improper disposal of petroleum and spills from underground storage tanks have created large areas with highly toxic contamination of the soil and groundwater. Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is widely used as a fuel additive because of its advantageous properties of increasing the octane value and reducing carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon exhausts. However, MTBE is categorized as a possible human carcinogen. This research investigated the Modified Photo-Fenton system which is based on the Modified Fenton reaction and UV light irradiation. The Modified Fenton reaction is effective for MTBE degradation near a neutral pH, using the ferric ion complex composed of a ferric ion and environmentally friendly organic chelating agents. This research was intended to treat high concentrations of MTBE; thus, 1,000 mg/L MTBE was chosen. The objectives of this research are to find the optimal reaction conditions and to elucidate the kinetic and mechanism of MTBE degradation by the Modified Photo-Fenton reaction. Based on the results of experiments, citrate was chosen among eight chelating agents as the candidate for the Modified Photo-Fenton reaction because it has a relatively higher final pH and MTBE removal efficiency than the others, and it has a relatively low toxicity and is rapidly biodegradable. MTBE degradation was found to follow pseudo-first-order kinetics. Under the optimum conditions, [$Fe^{3+}$] : [Citrate] = 1 mM: 4 mM, 3% $H_2O_2$, 17.4 kWh/L UV dose, and initial pH 6.0, the 1000 ppm MTBE was degraded by 86.75% within 6 hours and 99.99% within 16 hours. The final pH value was 6.02. The degradation mechanism of MTBE by the Modified Photo-Fenton Reaction included two diverse pathways and tert-butyl formate (TBF) was identified to be the major degradation intermediate. Attributed to the high solubility, stability, and reactivity of the ferric-citrate complexes in the near neutral condition, this Modified Photo-Fenton reaction is a promising treatment process for high concentrations of MTBE under or near a neutral pH.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2000

In order to induce the mutants of Gentiana axillariflora Leveille, nodes were cultured on Schenk and Hilderbrandt (SH) medium containing TDZ 2 mg/L, BAP 2mg/L, GA3 0.5 mg/L and 0.1 mg/L NAA and each mutagen of ethylmethanesulfate (EMS), colchicine, N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU), and sodium azide (NaN$_3$) through filtration. Comparision of morphological characteristics and survival rate in each mutant plants differed depending on mutagen sources and their concentrations. When EMS were treated on nodes, the regenerated plants was thin and albino, regenerated shoots appeared 'erectoides type' and get twisted. The case of colchicine were treated on nodes, the survival rate was from 84% to 97% at ail concentration after 30days but the rate of survival was decreased about 50% at 200 $\mu$M after 60days. The treatment of NaN$_3$200 $\mu$M was not survived. The survival rate was extremely decreased in MNU treatment at 500$\mu$M, according to concentrations two types of leaf characteristic were obtained. Type I of leaf characteristic was modified from oblanceolate to oboid at leaf shape and type II of leaf characteristic was modified from light green to dark violet at leaf color. RAPD analysis was carried out to check the genetic modification of regenerated plants by mutagen treatments. Three polymorphic DNA fragments out of thirty-seven obtained by RAPDs were observed in regenerated plants using 5 decamer primers.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.372-376
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• 2009

In the modern semiconductor industry, lithography process is used to construct specific patterns. However, due to the decreasing of line width, these days, more and more researchers are interested in PMMA(Poly Methyl Methacrylate) lithography by using e-beam instead of the prior method, PR(Photoresist) lithography by using UV(Ultra-Violet). Additionally, the patterns constructed by lithography are collapsed during the process of cleansing remnants and the resistance against the breakdown of the patterns is known to be proportional to the elastic modulus of pattern-constructing materials. In this research, we measured the change of hardness and elastic modulus of PMMA film surface according to the change of time spent to soft-bake the PMMA film. During the measurement, we controlled the tip pressure from $25{\mu}N$ to $8,500{\mu}N$ having intervals that are $134.52{\mu}N$. For these measurements, we used the Triboindenter from Hysitron to gauge the hardness and elastic modulus and the tip we used was Berkovich diamond Tip.