• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.51-57
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• 2007

Cyclosporin A (CsA) plays an important role in clinical medicine and basic biology as an immunosuppressant and a mitochondrial permeability blocker, respectively. It was reported that CsA has a protective role by preventing apoptosis and promoting the proliferation in severed neurons. However, the molecular mechanisms for CsA-induced neuronal cell proliferation are unclear. In this study, we examined the mechanisms underlying the CsA-induced proliferation of PC12 cells. CsA increased the viability of PC12 cells in a dose(over $0.1{\sim}10\;{\mu}M$)-and time-dependent manner. The level of ROS generation was decreased in the CsA-treated PC12 cells. Expression of Bcl-2, an antiapoptotic molecule that inhibits the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol, was upregulated, whereas Bax, a proapototic molecule, was not changed in the CsA-treated PC12 cells. CsA downregulated the mRNA expression of VDAC 1 and VDAC 3, but VDAC 2 was not changed in the CsA-treated PC12 cells. The level of cytosolic cytochrome c released from the mitochondria and the caspase-3 activity were attenuated in the CsA-treated PC12 cells. These results suggest that the mitochondria-mediated apoptotic signal and Bcl-2 family may play an important role in CsA-induced proliferation in PC12 cells.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.461-472
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• 2004

Objectives : For the screening of neuroprotective effects of medicinal herbs, the complex system of animal models suffer some disadvantages in controlling critical parameters such as blood pressure and body temperature. Additionally, application of drugs to the appropriate brain area sometimes is difficult, due to poor permeability though the blood brain barrier, and so potential protective effects might be masked. Methods : Organotypic hippocampal slice culture (OHSC) method has the advantages of being relatively easy to prepare and of maintaining the general structure, including tissue integrity and the connections between cells. Drugs can easily be applied and neuronal damage can easily be quantified by using tissues and culture media. This study demonstrates neuroprotective effects of Puerariae radix (葛根, PR), Salviae miltiorrhizae radix (丹蔘, SR), Rhei rhizoma (大黃, RR), and Bupleuri radix (柴胡, BR). These were screenedand compared to MK-801, antagonist of NMDA receptors, by using OHSC of 1 week-old Sprague-Dawley rats. Oxygen/glucose deprivation (OGD) were conducted in an anaerobic chamber $(85%\;N_2,\;10%\;CO_2\;and\;5%\;H_2)$ in a deoxygenated glucose-free medium for 60 minutes. Water extracts of each herbs were treated to culture media with $5\;{\mu}g/ml$ for 48 hours. Results : Neuronal cell death in the cultures was monitored by densitometric measurements of the cellular uptake of propidium iodide (PI). PI fluorescence images were obtained at 48 hours after the OGD and medicinal herb treatment. Also TUNEL-positive cells in the CAI and DG regions and LDH concentrations in culture media were measured at 48 hours after the OGD. According to measured data, MK-801, PR, SR and BR demonstrated significant neuroprotective effect against excessive neuronal cell death and apoptosis induced by the OGD insult. Especially, PR revealed similar neuroprotective effect to MK-801 and RR demonstrated weak neuroprotective effect. Conclusions : These results suggest that OHSC can be a suitable method for screening of neuroprotective effects of medicinal herbs. (This work was supported by the research program of Dongguk University and Grant 01-PJ9-PG1-01CO03-0003 from Ministry of Health & Welfare.)

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.122-127
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• 2016

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) is a multidrug-resistant(MDR) strain. (+)-Usnic acid(UA) is uniquely found in lichens, and is especially abundant in genera such as Usnea and Cladonia. UA has antimicrobial activity against human and plant pathogens. Therefore, UA may be a good antibacterial drug candidate for clinical development. In search of a natural products capable of inhibiting this multidrug-resistant bacteria, we have investigated the antimicrobial activity of UA against 17 different strains of the bacterium. In this study, the effects of a combination of UA and permeable agents against MRSA were investigated. For the measurement of cell wall permeability, UA with concentration of Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid(EDTA) was used. In the other hand, Sodium azide($NaN_3$) was used as inhibitors of ATPase. Against the 17 strains, the minimum inhibitory concentrations(MICs) of UA were in the range of $7.81-31.25{\mu}g/ml$. EDTA or $NaN_3$ cooperation against MRSA showed synergistic activity on cell wall. UA and in combination with EDTA and $NaN_3$ could lead to the development of new combination antibiotics against MRSA infection.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.85-100
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• 2010

Devonian Cairn Formation is one of the important hydrocarbon reservoirs in Alberta, Canada. However, the Cairn Formation, outcropped in the study area, is not prospective reservoir with poor porosity and permeability by some late diagenetic processes. In this study, geochemical characteristics of the Cairn Formation were studied to use these preliminary results for advanced geological and geophysical petroleum explorations in the near future. Rock-Eval pyrolysis showed that total organic carbon content is less than 0.3 wt.%, indicating a minor amount of bitumen and/or other hydrocarbons. The carbonates in the Cairn Formation are mainly composed of subhedral and anhedral dolomites. Pore sizes in the carbonate are various, ranging from nanometer to micrometer. Clastic sediments increase in the upper and lower parts of the Cairn Formation, probably due to changing its depositional conditions. The Cairn Formation can also be divided into several intervals based on Ca/Mg ratio in dolomite and degree of amount of calcite. These could be formed by different sedimentary environment, degree of cementation and recrystallization, different saline/fresh water, etc.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.1132-1141
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• 1996

Heterogeneous cation exchange membrane(HCEM) was prepared with LLDPE(Linear Low Density Poly-ethylene) as binder, powdered cation exchange resins($diameter{\leq}149{\mu}m$) as ion-exchange material and glycerol as additive for electrodialysis and electrodeionization system. The weight ratio of (binder/ion exchange)/glycerol was (60%/40%)/5%, (55%/45%)/5%, (50%/50%)/5% and (40%/60%)/5%. The characterization of prepared HCEM was evaluated on mechanical, electrochemical, morphology and ion permeable properties. It was compared with commercial membrane. Electrochemical properties of HCEM of (50%/50% )/5% were very similar to value of IONPURE(commercial membrane), in which ion exchange capacity, ion transfer number and membrane resistance were to be 1.733meq/g, 0.96 and $16.08{\Omega}/cm^2$, respectively. Ion permeability of the membrane was better than that of IONPURE membrane. Compared with IONPURE membrane, the HCEM had a higher tensile strength and lower elongation and modulus, in which HCEM had tensile strength of $62.33kg/cm^2$, elongation of 87.42% and modulus of $658.53kg/cm^2$. The HCEM of (50%/50% )15% was optimum combination.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.67-75
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• 2005

For th aim of lightweight microwave absorbers, conductive and magnetic microspheres are fabricated by plating of Co films on hollow ceramic microspheres of low density. Metal plating was carried out in a two-step electroless plating process (pre-treatment of activation and plating). Uniform coating of the film with about $2{\~}3{\cal}um$ thickness was identified by SEM. High-frequency magnetic and microwave absorbing properties were determined in the rubber composites containing the Co-coated microspheres. Due to conductive and ferromagnetic behavior of the Co thin films, high dielectric constant and magnetic loss can be obtained in the microwave frequencies. Due to those electromagnetic properties, high absorption rate (25 dB) and thin matching thickness ($2.0{\~}2.5{\cal}mm$) are predicted in the composite layers containing the metal-coated microspheres of low density (about 0.84 g/cc) for the electromagnetic radiation in microwave frequencies.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.89 no.2
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• pp.185-197
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• 2000

This study was carried out to research structure of forest vegetation and site condition, and supply basic data for conservation of pine forest and ecologically sustainable forest management and control in Anmyondo area. The forest of Anmyondo were largely classified as four forest community : Pinus densiflora community, Pinus thunbergii community, Pinus rigida community, and Quercus variabilis community. Organic matter, total nitrogen, and other nutrients in soil of the study area were relatively low, and average soil pH was 4.9. Soil texture was sandy clay or heavy clay and so the aeration and permeability could be poor. In this study site, the methods such as the promotion of germination of pine seeds through removal of forest floor and inducement of natural regeneration through such method as regeneration under shelter wood would be better than the method such as afforestation after clear-cutting for conservation the pine forests. Also, it will be a good method to practice tending for hardwood species in the dominant areas by hardwood species.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.111-120
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• 1999

The effects of annealing in rotating magnetic field after deposition on electromagnetic properties of $Co_{82}Zr_6Mo_{12}$ thin (200~1200 $\AA$) films prepared by RF-magnetron sputtering were investigated in terms of microstructure and surface morphology. The coercivity decreases, but $4{\pi}M_5$ does not change with increasing the film thickness. The coercivity of the films was decreased below 300 $^{\circ}C$ due to stress relief and decreasing the surface roughness, while increased at 400 $^{\circ}C$ due to partial grain growth. And then, $4{\rho}M_5$ was almost independent of annealing temperatures below 200 $^{\circ}C$, but increased from 7.4 kG to 8.0 kG at 300 $^{\circ}C$ and at 400 $^{\circ}C$, which was caused by precipitation and growth of fine Co particles in the films. The electrical resistivity of films was decreased with increasing annealing temperatures and the magnetoresistance was a negative value of nearly 0 $\mu$$\Omega$cm. After annealing at 300 $^{\circ}C$, maximum effective permeability was 1200 to the hard axis of the thin films according to high frequency change. Considering the practical application of biasing layers of the films for magnetoresistive heads, optimal annealing conditions was obtained after one hour annealing at 300 $^{\circ}C$ in 400 Oe rotating magnetic field.

• Mycobiology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.297-311
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• 2017

Saprolegniasis is one of the most devastating oomycete diseases in freshwater fish which is caused by species in the genus Saprolegnia including Saprolegnia parasitica. In this study, we isolated the strain of S. parasitica from diseased rainbow trout in Korea. Morphological and molecular based identification confirmed that isolated oomycete belongs to the member of S. parasitica, supported by its typical features including cotton-like mycelium, zoospores and phylogenetic analysis with internal transcribed spacer region. Pathogenicity of isolated S. parasitica was developed in embryo, juvenile, and adult zebrafish as a disease model. Host-pathogen interaction in adult zebrafish was investigated at transcriptional level. Upon infection with S. parasitica, pathogen/antigen recognition and signaling (TLR2, TLR4b, TLR5b, NOD1, and major histocompatibility complex class I), pro/anti-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin $[IL]-1{\beta}$, tumor necrosis factor ${\alpha}$, IL-6, IL-8, interferon ${\gamma}$, IL-12, and IL-10), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP9 and MMP13), cell surface molecules ($CD8^+$ and $CD4^+$) and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase) related genes were differentially modulated at 3- and 12-hr post infection. As an anti-Saprolegnia agent, plant based lawsone was applied to investigate on the susceptibility of S. parasitica showing the minimum inhibitory concentration and percentage inhibition of radial growth as $200{\mu}g/mL$ and 31.8%, respectively. Moreover, natural lawsone changed the membrane permeability of S. parasitica mycelium and caused irreversible damage and disintegration to the cellular membranes of S. parasitica. Transcriptional responses of the genes of S. parasitica mycelium exposed to lawsone were altered, indicating that lawsone could be a potential anti-S. parasitica agent for controlling S. parasitica infection.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.406-414
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• 2012

This study was designed to investigate the effect of fucoidan on the activation of macrophage and on induction of apoptosis in AGS cell. To measure the activity of macrophages, NO and TNF-${\alpha}$ assays were performed in Raw 264.7 cell. Treatment with fucoidan significantly increased production of NO and TNF-${\alpha}$, indicating activation of macrophages. The result of MTT assay shows that cell viability was significantly decreased in a dose and time-dependent manner. Fucoidan increased to enhance mitochondrial membrane permeability, as well as the cytochrome c release from the mitochondria. Fucoidan decreased Bcl-2 and XIAP expression, whereas the expression of Bax was increased in a time-dependent manner compared to the control. In addition, the active forms of caspase-9 were increased, and the inactivation of Akt was decreased in a time-dependent manner. Caspase inhibitor, z-VAD-FMK, canceled the apoptosis of fucoidan, expression of Bax and caspase-9 were decrease. These results indicate that fucoidan induces activation of macrophage and apoptosis through activation of caspase on AGS cell.