• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.645-655
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• 2008

The Cr(VI) concentrations at the shallow aquifer well (MPH-0-1) of the Moonpyung groundwater monitoring station were in the range of 0.5 to 3.1 mg/L exceeding 10 to 62 times the guideline for drinking-water quality, indicating continuous contamination. However, Cr was not detected at the deep bedrock well and the other subsidiary monitoring wells except for MPH-1 and 6. Cross-correlation analyses were conducted for rainfall and groundwater level time series, resulting in the mean time of recharge after precipitation events to be 5.6 days. For rainy season, the water level was raised and the Cr(VI) concentration was several times lower than that during dry season at well MPH-0-1 well. Correlation of the Cr(VI) concentration with the groundwater-level showed that the Cr(VI) reduction was closely related with the groundwater-level rise in the well. However, the groundwater level rise during high water season induced the lateral migration of the Cr(VI)-contaminated groundwater at well MPH-4. We enriched and isolated a chromium reducing bacteria, Enterobacter aerogenes, from the Cr(VI)-contaminated groundwater in the wells MPH-0-1 and MPH-1. The bacteria may play an important role for immobilizing Cr(VI) in the Cr(VI)-contaminated groundwater. Therefore, the migration of the contaminant (Cr(VI) must has been restricted because of the natural attenuation by microbial reduction of Cr(VI) in the groundwater. This research suggests that the bioremediation of the Cr(VI)-contaminated groundwater by the indigenous bacteria may be feasible in the Cr(VI) contaminated groundwater.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.443-450
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• 2012

Recently, NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4)-mediated generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was proposed to accelerate adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cell. We have previously shown that Cheonnyuncho (Opuntia humifusa) extract significantly inhibited adipocyte differentiation via downregulation of $PPAR{\gamma}$ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma) gene expression. In this study, we focused on the molecular mechanism(s) of NOX4, G6PDH (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) and antioxidant enzymes in anti-oxidative activities of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Our results indicate that Cheonnyuncho extracts markedly inhibits ROS production during adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells. Cheonnyuncho extracts suppressed the mRNA expression of the pro-oxidant enzyme such as NOX4 and the NADPH-producing G6PDH enzyme. In addition, treatment with Cheonnyuncho extract was found to upregulate mRNA levels of antioxidant enzymes such as Mn-SOD (manganese-superoxide dismutase), Cu/Zn-SOD (copper/zinc-SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathion reductase (GR), and catalase, all of which are important for endogenous antioxidant responses. These data suggest that Cheonnyuncho extract may be effective in preventing the rise of oxidative stress during adipocyte differentiation through mechanism(s) that involves direct down regulation of NOX4 and G6PDH gene expression or via upregulation of endogenous antioxidant responses.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.733-739
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• 2000

Background : Pleural eosinophilia is rare and commonly considered to be an indicator of good prognosis. The diagnostic significance of eosinophilic pleural effusions remains controversial despite a century of observation and discussion. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of eosinophilia in 446 consecutive samples of pleural fluid, to review the cause of eosinophilic pleural effusion and to determine whether the presence of eosinophils increases the likehood of benign conditions. Method : A retrospective analysis was performed upon patients that underwent first thoracentesis due to pleural effusion between January 1999 and December 1999. Results : Eosinophilic pleural effusions were identified in 24 of the 446 patients (5.4%). Malignancy, parapneumonic effusion and tuberculosis were determined the major causes of pleural effusion (80.6%). Malignancy was diagnosed as frequently in eosinophilic effusions as in non-eosinophilic effusions (54.2% vs 50.5%, p=0.725). No difference was found in the prevalence of eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic effusion according to the etiology. The mean blood eosinophil ratio in patients with eosinophilic pleural effusion was 5.4% and no significant correlation existed between the blood and pleural eosinophilic count. Conclusion : Pleural eosinophilia is not helpful for differentiating benign and malignant etiology and is not related with bood eosinophilia or repeated tapping.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.676-683
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• 2000

Background : Surgery may have a role when medical treatment alone is not successful in patients with multidrug resistant (MDR) pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). To document the role of resection in MDR PTB, we analyzed 4 years of our experience. Methods : A retrospective review was performed on thirteen patients that underwent pulmonary resection for MDR PTB between May 1996 and February 2000. All patients had organisms resistant to many of the first-line drugs including isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RFP). Results : The thirteen patients were $37.5{\pm}12.4$ years old (mean${\pm}$S.D.)(M : F=5:8), and their sputum was culture positive even with adequate medication for prolonged periods ($109.7{\pm}132.0$ months), resistant to 2-8 drugs including isoniazid and rifampin. All patients had localized lesion(s) and most (92.3%) had cavities. At least 3 sensitive anti-TB medications were started before surgery in all patients according to the drug sensitivity test. The preoperative $FEV_1$ was $2.37{\pm}0.83$ L. Lobectomy was performed in 11 patients and pleuropneumonectomy in two. Postoperative mortality did not occur, but pneumonia occurred as a complication in one (7.7%). After $41.5{\pm}58.9$ days (range 1~150 days) follow up, negative conversion of sputum culture was achieved in all patients within 5 months. Only one patient (7.7%) recurred 32 months after lung resection. Conclusion : When medical treatment alone is not successful, surgical resection can be a good treatment option in patients with localized MDR PTB.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.268-274
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate the immuno-stimulatory activity of the high-molecular-weight fraction (HMWF) of Cynanchum wilfordii (CW) extracts obtained by ultrafiltration in murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells and to assess its immuno-stimulatory effect in mice. Ultrafiltration was performed with polyethersulfone membranes (30 kDa cutoff) in a cross-flow filtration system to obtain the HMWF of CW. The results showed that the HMWF increased the production of various cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, interleukin-6, and nitric oxide in dose-ependent manners. In addition, HMWF treatment increased the relative spleen weight as well as splenocyte proliferation induced by concanavalin A or bacterial lipopolysaccharide in mice. Natural killer (NK) cell activity in the HMWF-treated group was significantly increased compared to that in the control group. These results suggest that the HMWF of CW can support the immune system through secretion of macrophage cytokines, thereby enhancing NK cell activity and murine splenocyte proliferation.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.7
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• pp.862-874
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• 2002

Purpose : We tried to evaluate whether the detection rate of Helicobacter pylori in gastric biopsy specimens could be improved by using pre-embedding immunoelectron microscopy. Methods : A total of 119 children who complained of upper gastrointestinal symptoms were endoscoped at the Gyeongsang National University Hospital from July, 1996 to July, 1999. Five biopsy specimens(three for urease test, one for hematoxylin-eosin(H & E) staining, and one for preembedding immunoelectron microscopy) were obtained from each antrum and body. Immunoblotting analysis were also performed. Results : Among the 119 patients, H. pylori were found in 116 patients(97.5%) by the immunoelectron microscopy. Among three patients who were found H. pylori negative in immunoelectron microscopy, two patients showed H. pylori in H & E stained slides and one patient was urease test positive(color change within six hours). Urease tests were positive in 107 patients(89.9 %). The positive rate of immunoblotting tests was 81.5%. However, only 13 patients(10.9%) showed H. pylori on the H & E stained antrum or body tissue. Conclusion : In this study, we found H. pylori histopathologically in most of the pediatric patients who complained of upper gastrointestinal symptoms. This study showed that pre-embedding immunoelectron microscopic examinations can be used as a gold standard in the diagnosis of childhood H. pylori infection. However, this method also has limited capacity to detect widely scattered H. pylori compared to the other histopathologic diagnostic methods.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.3 s.76
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• pp.546-554
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• 2006

To understand antitumor activity of Zanthoxylum schinfolium, which has been used as an aromatic and medicinal plant in Korea, the cytotoxic effect of various organic solvent extracts of its leaves on human tumor cells were investigated. Among these extracts such as methanol extract (SL-13), methylene chloride extract (SL-14), ethyl acetate extract (SL-15), n-butanol extract (SL-16), and residual fraction (SL-17), SL-14 appeared to contain the most cytotoxic activity against leukemia and breast cancer cells tested. The methylene chloride extra.1 (SL-14) possessed an apoptogenic activity causing apoptotic DNA fragmentation of human acute leukemia Jurkat T cells via mitochondrial cytochrome c release into cytoplasm, subsequent activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3, and cleavage of PARP, which could be negatively regulated by antiapoptotic protein Bcl-xL. The GC-MS analysis of SL-14 revealed that the twenty-two ingredients of SL-14 were 9,19-cyclolanost-24-en-3-ol (15.1%), 2-a-methyl-17, b-hop-21-ene (15.1%), 15-methyl-2,3-dihydro-1H benzazepin (11.95%), phytol (10.38%), lupeol (9.92%), 12-methylbenzofuran (8.23%), hexadecanoic acid (5.96%), cis,cis,cis-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid-methyl-ester (5.49%), 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid-methylester (3.59%), 15-methyl-4-(1-methylethylidene)-2-(4-nitrophenyl) (3.36%), hexadecanoic acid methyl ester (1.93%), vitamine E (1.88%), beta-amyrin (0.96%), and auraptene (0.89%). These results demonstrate that the cytotoxicity of the methylene chloride extract of the leaves of Z. schinifolium toward Jurkat T cells is mainly attributable to apoptosis mediated by mitochondria-dependent caspase cascade regulated by Bcl-xL, and provide an insight into the mechanism underlying antitumor activity of the edible plant Z. schinifolium.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.324-332
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• 1998

In order to standardize the chinese cabbage kimchi, the preparation method, kinds of ingredients and levels of the ingredients were determined by the statistical survey of literatures obtained from cooking books, scientific papers and kimchi manufacturing factory. The standardized ingredient kinds and ratio of chinese cabbage kimchi were $13.0{\pm}7.0$ of radish, $2.0{\pm}0.5$ of green onion, $3.5{\pm}0.8\;or\;2.5{\m}0.3$ of red pepper powder, $1.4{\pm}0.4$ of garlic, $0.6{\pm}0.3$ of ginger, $2.2{\pm}1.6$ of anchovy juice, and $1.0{\pm}0.3$ of sugar in the proportion of 100 salted chinese cabbage, and the final salt concentration was adjusted to 2.7% using salt. Red pepper powder level was quite different from the literature sources, so sensory evaluation, chemical properties and antimutagenic effect and growth inhibitory effect on human cancer cells of the kimchi samples were studied to decide the proper ratio of the red pepper powder as an ingredient. Red pepper powder 3.5% (average level for kimchi manufacturing factory) added kimchi was better in quality than red pepper powder 2.5% (average level for cooking books and scientific papers) added kimchi in sensory evaluation and chemical properties. The juice of red pepper powder 3.5% added kimchi showed not only the stronger antimutagenicity against aflatoxin $B_1$ in Salmonella typhimurium TA100 but also the higher inhibitory effect on the growth of AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma cells in SRB assay than that of red pepper powder 2.5% added kimchi. In conclusion, the standardized ratio of the ingredients was 13.0 radish, 2.0 green onion, 3.5 red pepper powder, 1.4 garlic, 0.6 ginger, 2.2 anchovy juice, 1.0 sugar, and 2.7 final salt concentration in the proportion of 100 salted chinese cabbage.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2004

To develop a aceclofenac soft capsule, four preparations with various solubilizers were prepared and their dissolution test was carried out. Among four preparations tested, a preparation with ethanolamine was selected as a formula of aceclofenac soft capsule (Clanza $S^{TM}$), since it showed the fastεst dissolution rate. Bioequivalence of aceclofenac tablet, $Airtal^{TM}$ (Dae-Woong Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) and aceclofenac soft capsule, Clanza $S^{TM}$ (Korea United Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) was evaluated according to the guideline of KA Fourteen normal male volunteers (age 20 - 25 years old) were divided into two groups and a randomized $2{\times}2$ cross-over study was employed. After oral administration of one tablet or capsule containing 100 mg of aceclofenac, blood was taken at predetermined time intervals and the concentration of aceclofenac in plasma was determined with an HPLC method under UV detector The pharmacokinetic parameters ($C_{max}$ and $AUC_t$) were calculated and ANOVA was utilized for the statistical analysis of parameters using logarithmetically transformed $AUC_t$, $C_{max}$ and $T_{max}$. The results showed that the differences in $AUC_t$, $C_{max}$ and $T_{max}$ between Aral tablet and Clanza soft capsule were 2.89%, 0.18% and 43.0%, respectively. There were no sequence effects between two formulations in these parameters. The 90% confidence intervals using logarithmically transformed data were within the acceptance range of log(0.8) to log(15) (e.g. log(0.81) -log(1.23) ad log(0.89) -log(1.4)) fo $AUC_t$ and $C_{max}$, respectively. Thus, the criteria of the KFDA guidelines for the equivalence was satisfied, indicating that Clanza $S^{TM}$ soft capsule is bioequivalent to$Airtal^{TM}$ tablet.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.287-295
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• 2016

Involuntary physical activity induced by the avoidance of electrical shock leads to improved endurance exercise capacity in animals. However, it remains unknown whether voluntary stand-up physical activity (SPA) without forced simulating factors improves endurance exercise capacity in animals. We examined the effects of SPA on body weight, cardiac function, and endurance exercise capacity for 12 weeks. Twelve male Sprague-Dawley rats (aged 8 weeks, n=6 per group) were randomly assigned to a control group (CON) or a voluntary SPA group. The rats were induced to perform voluntary SPA (lifting a load equal to their body weight), while the food height (18.0 cm) in cages was increased progressively by 3.5 every 4 weeks until it reached 28.5 cm for 12 weeks. The SPA group showed a lower body weight compared to the CON group, but voluntary SPA did not affect the skeletal muscle and heart weights, food intake, and echocardiography results. Although the SPA group showed higher grip strength, running time, and distance compared to the CON group, the level of irisin, corticosterone, genetic expression of mitochondrial biogenesis, and nuclei numbers were not affected. These findings show that voluntary SPA without any forced stimuli in rats can effectively reduce body weight and enhance endurance exercise capacity, suggesting that it may be an important alternative strategy to enhance endurance exercise capacity.