• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.184-190
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• 2010

Clinical cases of pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) have been reported during the recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) therapy for the anemia patients. PRCA is a rare hematological disorder leading to a severe anemia due to an almost complete stop of red blood cell production. Antibody (Ab)-associated PRCA is caused by the EPO-neutralizing Abs that eliminate the biological activity of EPO. In order to detect anti-EPO Abs in human sera, we performed conventional ELISA, directly coated bridging ELISA, and streptavidin coated bridging ELISA, and compared their sensitivity and specificity. Some false positive results were obtained in the conventional ELISA. One positive sample was detected successfully by streptavidin coated bridging ELISA, which was not appeared in the directly coated bridging ELISA. In conclusion, streptavidin coated bridging ELISA was substantially sensitive and specific format and one out of sixty-eight serum samples was proved to be anti-EPO positive.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.243-246
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• 2000

One of recent topics in the case of hepatits B virus(HVB) is the value of hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg) concentration as a prognostic maker. We developed uantitative method of rapid immunochromatographic assay(ICA) kit for HBsAg using computer image analysis (CIA) for the purpose of home diagnosis. uantitative ICA using CIA demonstrated integrated optical density(IOD) values proportional to log of reference HBsAg concentrations in the range of 2-200 ng/mL and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) demonstrated the same in the range of 0.1-100 ng/mL however the test results with sample sear showed the same concentration on both kits. Furthermore repeated tests with the same samples revealed that this quantitative ICA using CIA would be reproducible and coefficient of variation(CV) of the results was 1.38~6.30%.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.470-475
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• 2002

In the course of screening for a novel cell cycle inhibitor, a potent Cdk 1 inhibitor, HY558, was found from the culture broth of Penicillium minioluteum F558 isolated from a soil sample. The molecular ion of HY558 was identified at m/z 329 (MH+) with a molecular formula of $C_20H_44ON_2$. HY558 exhibited selective antiproliferative effects on various human cancer cell lines. Its $IC_50$ values were estimated to be 0.29 mM on HepG2, 0.30 mM on HeLa, 0.30 mM on HL6O, 0.33 mM on HT-29, and 0.25 mM on AGS cells. Interestingly, Hy558 demonstrated no antiproliferative effect with normal lymphocytes used as the control, and a low level of inhibition on the proliferation of A549 cancer cells. A flow cytometric analysis of HepG2 cells revealed an appreciable arrest of cells at the G1 and G2/M phases of the cell cycle following treatment with Hy558. furthermore, DNA fragmentation due to apoptosis was observed in HeLa cells treated with 0.46 mM of HY558.

• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.143-147
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• 2010

Since it is of great importance to know how a ligand binds to a receptor, there have been a lot of efforts to improve the quality of prediction of docking poses. Earlier efforts were focused on improving search algorithm and scoring function in a docking program resulting in a partial improvement with a lot of variations. Although these are basically very important and essential, more tangible improvements came from the reduction of search space. In a normal docking study, the approximate active site is assumed to be known. After defining active site, scoring functions and search algorithms are used to locate the expected binding pose within this search space. A good search algorithm will sample wisely toward the correct binding pose. By careful study of receptor structure, it was possible to prioritize sub-space in the active site using "receptor-based pharmacophores" or "hot spots". In a sense, these techniques reduce the search space from the beginning. Further improvements were made when the bound ligand structure is available, i.e., the searching could be directed by molecular similarity using ligand information. This could be very helpful to increase the accuracy of binding pose. In addition, if the biological activity data is available, docking program could be improved to the level of being useful in affinity prediction for a series of congeneric ligands. Since the number of co-crystal structures is increasing in protein databank, "Ligand-Guided Docking" to reduce the search space would be more important to improve the accuracy of docking pose prediction and the efficiency of virtual screening. Further improvements in this area would be useful to produce more reliable docking programs.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.89-94
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• 1998

Marine sponges are recognized as a plentiful source of diverse biologically active secondary metabolites. Recently, we have initiated a research to discover antitumor constituents from the marine sponges collected from Korean Waters. Marine sponges collected from the South Sea of Korea were screened for several biological activities including such as brine shrimp lethality and cytotoxicity. Significant brine shrimp lethality was detected in the crude extract of a two-sponge association of Poecillastra sp. and Jaspis sp. A cross-section of this sample showed two layers of morphologically distinct sponges. The thin and dirty yellow outer layer was identified as Poecillastra sp. (Pachastrellidae), the surface of which was very rough. The light-grey inner layer was identified as Jaspis sp. (Jaspidae), the surface of which was smooth. This two-sponge association appears to be consistent as these sponges were always found in associated form regardless of collection site or collection period. Investigation of the bioactive constituents monitored by brine shrimp lethality assay led to the isolation of pectenotoxin II (PTX2) and psammaplin A as causative compounds for the brine shrimp lethality. $^1$H- and $\^$13/C-nmr signals of PTX2 was fully assigned utilizing TOCSY, HETCOR, Long-range HETCOR, and Homonuclear J-resolved 2D experiments. PTX2 displayed very potent and selective cytotoxicities in the 60 cell line panel antitumor assay at the NCI. PTX2 has progressed to acute toxicity determination and in vivo antitumor assay at the NCI (Table 1). However, significant in vitro antitumor activity of PTX2 can not be affirmed in the in vivo assay.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.99-103
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to develop a simple detection method, possibly at the species-level, that allows for large-scale screening of bifidobacteria. Human fecal samples were plated on MRS-raffinose agar containing cysteine and neomycin sulfate, serving as selective pressure for bifidobacteria, and 0.003%(w/v) bromocresol green. All of the test strains grew well on this medium at $37{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, forming white colonies surrounded by yellow halos, which presented a sharp contrast against the green background. In this disc assay, the required incubation time to develop a yellowish zone varied with the species of Bifidobacterium that was tested, allowing for differential counts and easy identification at the species-level: 10-14 hr for B. bifidum, 20-22 hr for B. catenulatum and B. infantis. and 24-25 hr for B. longum and B. breve. No apparent color was observed for B. angulatum and B. adolescentis 28 hr after inoculation. To evaluate the results of pH indicator-based identification, individual isolates were subjected to a colony-PCR experiment with genus-specific primers. The amplified products from the isolates were in good accordance with those from the reference strains at a level of 95% agreement. These results suggest that the present method could be conveniently applied to cell counts, as well as to the preliminary identification of bifidobacteria from a variety of sample types including human feces, dairy products, and commercial probiotic supplements.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.1002-1006
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• 2002

Germination method was used to screen the biological changes in soybean, kidney bean, and red bean caused by gamma irradiation. Beans were irradiated at 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 1.0 kGy. Ten beans of each sample were placed on moistened cotton and germinated at $30{\circ}C$. The root lengths were measured daily for 5 days. Root lengths of all beans grew continuously for 5 days, but the growth rate of irradiated beans decreased significantly from fourth day. Unirradiated beans showed the highest growth rate during 5 days of germination. Gamma-irradiated beans could be screened by measuring the daily growth rate and root length during germination.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 1993

The dose response of the number of micronuclei in cytokinesis-blocked (CB) lymphocytes after in vitro irradiation with $\gamma$-rays and neutrons in the 5 dose ranges was studied for a heterogeneous population of 4 donors. One thousand binucleated cells were systematically scored for micronuclei. Measurements performed after irradiation showed a dose-dependent increase in micronuclei (MN) frequency in each of the donors studied. The dose-response curves were analyzed by a linear-quadratic model, frequencies per 1000 CB cells were ($0.31{\pm}0.049$)D+($0.0022{\pm}0.0002)D^2+(13.19{\pm}1.854) (r^2=1.000,\;X^2=0.7074,\;p=0.95$) following $\gamma$ irradiation, and ($0.99{\pm}0.528$)\;D+(0.0093{\pm}0.0047)\;D^2+(13.31{\pm}7.309)\;(r^2=0.996,\;X^2=7.6834,\;p=0.11) following neutrons irradiation (D is irradiation dose in cGy). The relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of neutrons compared with $\gamma$-rays was estimated by best fitting linear-quadratic model. In the micronuclei frequency between 0.05 and 0.8 per cell, the RBE of neutrons was $2.37{\pm}0.17$. Since the MN assay is simple and rapid, it may be a good tool for evaluating the $\gamma$-ray and neutron response.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.200-208
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• 2007

Fifty-four natural plants from Jeju Island, Korea were extracted by 70% methanol. The extracts containing the highest total phenolic contents (TPC) (>250 mg gallic acid equivalents/g dry sample) were obtained from Ostrya japonica, Geranium thunbergii, Malus sieboldii, Ardisia japonica, and Agrimonia pilosa. DPPH inhibition activity was greatest in Ardisia crenata at 94.1%. A high correlation was observed between DPPH inhibition activity and TPC ($R^2=0.87$). Tyrosinase inhibition activities of more than 85% were obtained from the extracts of Persicaria filiformis, Rhus javanica, Alnus firma, and Myrica rubra. On the other hand, the P. filiformis and M. rubra extracts each showed more than 90% XOD inhibition activity. The five natural plants with the highest biological activities were also extracted by pressurized liquid (PLE, 100% methanol, 13.6 MPa, $40^{\circ}C$). The DPPH and tyrosinase inhibition activities were almost the same in both the 70% methanol and PLE extracts. The $IC_{50}$ for tyrosinase and elastase inhibition activities in PLE were 802 and 88 ppm in A. japonica, and 959 and 66 ppm in M. rubra, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.299-303
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• 2007

The objective of this study was the development of immunochromatography (ICG) for the rapid and accurate detection of Listeria monocytogenes. Here, monoclonal antibodies (MAb) were conjugated with 40 nm colloidal gold particles, where the conjugate was used as the detection reagent in the ICG. The ICG was composed of three pads (sample, conjugate, and absorbance pads) and one nitrocellulose membrane. The colloidal gold-MAb conjugate was applied to the conjugate pad, and the test line and control line on the membrane were treated with MAb (FKLM-3BI2-37) and anti-mouse IgG, respectively. The detection limit of the ICG was $10^{5}$ cell/mL and it showed no cross-reaction to food borne pathogens. We inoculated meat and lettuce samples with various counts of L. monocytogenes, and analyzed them by ICG. All the inoculated meat samples gave positive results after enrichment for 24 h in LEB. These results indicate that ICG was able to serve as a primary screening tool for L. monocytogenes in various foods and agricultural products within 20 min after enrichment.