• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.73-77
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• 2005

Nickel is the one of potent environmental, the occupational pollutants and the classified human carcinogens. It is a serious hazard to human health, when the metal exposure. To prevent human diseases from the heavy metals, it is seemingly important that understanding of how nickel exerts their toxicity and carcinogenic effect at a molecular and a genomic level. The process of nickel absorption has been demonstrated as phagocytosis, iron channel and diffusion. Uptaked nickel has been suggested to induce carcinogenesis via two pathways, a direct DNA damaging pathway and an indirect DNA damaging pathway. The former was originated from the ability of metal to generate Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and the reactive intermediates to interact with DNA directly. Ni-generated ROS or Nickel itself, interacts with DNAs and histones to cause DNA damage and chromosomal abnormality. The latter was originated from an indirect DNA damage via inhibition of DNA repair, or condensation and methylation of DNA. Cells have ability to protect from the genotoxic stresses by changing gene expression. Microarray analysis of the cells treated with nickel or nickel compounds, show the specific altered gene expression profile. For example, HIF-I (Hypoxia-Inducible Factor I) and p53 were well known as transcription factors, which are upregulated in response to stress and activated by both soluble and insoluble nickel compounds. The induction of these important transcription factors exert potent selective pressure and leading to cell transformation. Genes of metallothionein and family of heat shock proteins which have been known to play role in protection and damage control, were also induced by nickel treatment. These gene expressions may give us a clue to understand of the carcinogenesis mechanism of nickel. Further discussions on molecular and genomic, are need in order to understand the specific mechanism of nickel toxicity and carcinogenicity.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.242-249
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• 2016

A balance between production and degradation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is critical for maintaining cellular homeostasis. Increased levels of ROS during oxidative stress are associated with disease conditions. Antioxidant enzymes, such as extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD), in the extracellular matrix (ECM) neutralize the toxicity of superoxide. Recent studies have emphasized the importance of EC-SOD in protecting the brain, lungs, and other tissues from oxidative stress. Therefore, EC-SOD would be an excellent therapeutic drug for treatment of diseases caused by oxidative stress. We cloned both the full length (residues 1-240) and truncated (residues 19-240) forms of human EC-SOD (hEC-SOD) into the donor plasmid pFastBacHTb. After transposition, the bacmid was transfected into the Sf9-baculovirus expression system and the expressed hEC-SOD purified using FLAG-tag. Western blot analysis revealed that hEC-SOD is present both as a monomer (33 kDa) and a dimer (66 kDa), as detected by the FLAG antibody. A water-soluble tetrazolium (WST-1) assay showed that both full length and truncated hEC-SOD proteins were enzymatically active. We showed that a potent superoxide dismutase inhibitor, diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC), inhibits hEC-SOD activity.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.109-121
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• 2001

Water environment and freshwater algae were studied in the upstream of the Tamjin River Dam. Among the environmental factors, DO concentration in the Tamjin River ranged from 9.0 mg $O_2/l$ to 9.2 mg $O_2/l$, pH from 7.0 to 7.1 and conductivity from $98{\mu}S/cm$ to $100{\mu}S/cm$. Average concentration of $NH_4$ and $NO_3$ ranged from $40{\mu}g\;N/l$ to $56{\mu}g\;N/l$ and from $489{\mu}g\;N/l$ to $611{\mu}g\;N/l$, respectively. $NO_3$ was more plentiful above 9~15 fold than that of $NH_4$. Average concentrations of soluble reactive phosphorus and soluble reactive silicon were $2{\mu}g\;P/l$ and 1.6 mg Si/l, respectively. Particulaly, Si nutrient increased by heavy rain events during summer season. The ratios of N/P and Si/P ranged from 248 to 261 and from 640 to 740, respectively. It is assumed that P would be limiting nutrient on the freshwater algal growth. Average content of planktonic chlorophyll-a ranged from $5{\mu}g/l$ to $13{\mu}g/l$. Mean contents of chlorophyll-a, phaeo-pigment and ash-free dry matter of periphyton were $50.3mg/m^2$, $11.9mg/m^2$, $11.5g/m^2$ in the main stream and $30.1mg/m^2$, $5.6mg/m^2$, $7.8g/m^2$ in the tributary. By comparison of the epilithon biomass, the main stream was higher with 1.5~2.1 fold than the tributary. The impotant algae were composed of diatom Achnanthes linearis, A. minutissima, Fragilaria crotonensis, Gomphonema gracile, Tabellaria flocculosa and blue-green algae Microcystis aeruginosa. In the relative abundance of the phytoplankton and epilithon, the serial dominance were diatom > green algae > blue-green algae, and diatoms were very abundant in comparison with other algal phylum.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.334-339
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• 2007

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generate during electrical activation of oocytes which has detrimental effects on embryo survival when overwhelmed. The present study was designed to investigate the ability of L-ascorbic acid, a novel water soluble antioxidant, to reduce the ROS level in developing embryos and their subsequent effects on embryo development in vitro. The compact cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were cultured in tissue culture medium (TCM)-199 supplemented with 10 ng/ml epidermal growth factor, 4 IU/ml pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG), and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and 10% (v/v) porcine follicular fluid (pFF) for 44 h. After maturation culture, the denuded oocytes were activated with a single DC pulse of 2.0 kV/cm in 0.3 M mannitol solution containing 0.5 mM of HEPES, 0.1 mM of $CaCl_2$ and 0.1 mM of $MgCl_2$ for $30{\mu}s$ using a BTX Electro-cell Manipulator. The activated oocytes were cultured in modified North Carolina State University-23 (mNSCU-23) medium for 168 h. The level of $H_2O_2$ in each embryo was measured by the dichlorohydrofluorescein diacetate (DCHFDA) method at 48 h after activation. The blastocyst formation rate was significantly higher when culture medium was supplemented with 50 and $100{\mu}M$ L-ascorbic acid (31.2 and 38.7%, respectively) compared to non-supplemented (16.1%) group. Accordingly, significantly more cells in blastocyst were found for 50 and $100{\mu}M$ L-ascorbic acid (50.0 and 56.4, respectively) compared to 0 and $200{\mu}M$ L-ascorbic acid (36.5 and 39.8, respectively). L-ascorbic acid reduces the $H_2O_2$ level in developing embryos in a dose-dependant manner. The $H_2O_2$ level (pixels/ embryos) was 191.5, 141.0, 124.0 and 163.3 for 0, 50, 100 and $200{\mu}M$ L-ascorbic acid, respectively. So, we recommend to supplement 50 or $100{\mu}M$ L-ascorbic acid in porcine in vitro culture medium.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.187-197
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• 1993

Studies related to water quality in catfish ponds were conducted on commercial catfish production ponds and compared with its receiving streams' water quality in central and west-central Alabama. The ponds were stocked with 10,000 fish/ha. The ponds were aerated nightly (0000-0600 hrs). Fish were fed to satiation at about the same time, six-days a week. In order to assess the pollutional strength of effluents from commercial channel catfish ponds, water samples were collected during each calender season from fall 1990 through summer 1991, and selected water quality variables were monitored. Mean values for water temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration, pH, settleable solids, total suspended soilds, volatile solids, total phosphorus, soluble reactive phosphate, biochemical oxygen demand, total ammonia nitrogen, nitrite, nitrate, and total Kjeldahl nitrogen were basically the same (P> 0.05) between samples taken from the surface and near the bottom. Concentrations of most water quality variables of catfish ponds were higher than those of receiving streams, and especially it had much higher average concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus than streams.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1021-1026
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• 2015

Invertase (β-D-fructosfuranosidase, EC 3.2.1.26) catalyzes the hydrolysis of sucrose into D-glucose and D-fructose. Three biochemical subgroups of invertases have been investigated in plants: vacuolar (soluble acid), cytoplasmic (soluble alkaline), and cell wall-bound (insoluble acid) invertases. An isoform of neutral invertase was purified from pea seedlings (Pisum sativum L.) and treated with gibberellic acid (GA) by sequential procedures consisting of ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion-exchange chromatography, absorption chromatography, and reactive green-19 affinity chromatography. The results of the overall insoluble invertase purification were a 430-fold increase. The purified neutral invertase was not glycosylated and had an optimum pH between neutral and alkaline (pH 6.8-7.5). It was inhibited by Tris, as well as by heavy metals, such as Hg²⁺ and Cu²⁺. Typical Michaelis–Menten kinetics were observed when the activity of the purified invertase was measured, with sucrose concentrations up to 100 mM. The K_m and V_max values were 12.95 mM and 2.98 U/min, respectively. The molecular mass was around 20 kDa. The sucrose-cleaving enzyme activity of this enzyme is similar to that of sucrose synthase and fructosyltransferase, but its biochemical characteristics are different from those of sucrose synthase and fructosyltransferase. Based on this biochemical characterization and existing knowledge, neutral INV is an invertase isoform in plants.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.289-294
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• 2003

To quantify nutrient loading from emergent macrophytes through leaching in the littoral zones of Paldang Reservoir, we conducted incubation experiments using leaf litter of the emergent macrophyte, Zizaniz latifolia. To separate the leaching process from microbial decay, we used $HgCl_2$ to suppress microbial activity during the experiment. We measured electric conductivity, absorbance at 280nm, total nitrogen and dissolved inorganic nitrogen, total phosphorus and soluble reactive phosphorus, Na, K, Mg and Ca amounts in leaf litter and in water. In addition, we examined the effects of water temperature and ion concentrations of ambient water on the leaching process. A total of 6% of the initial ash-free dry mass of leaf litter was lost due to leaching during incubation (four days). Electric conductivity and A280 continued to increase and saturate during the incubation. To compare reaching rates of different nutrients, we fitted leaching dynamics with a hyperbolic saturation function [Y=AㆍX/(B+X)]. From these fittings, we found that ratios of leaching amounts to nutrient concentration in the litter were in the order of K > Na > Mg > P > Ca > N. Leaching from leaf litter of Z. latifolia was dependent on water temperature while it was not related with ion concentrations in the ambient water. Our results suggest that the leaching process of nutrients, especially phosphorus, from aquatic macrophytes provides considerable contribution to the eutrophication of the Paldang Reservoir ecosystem.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.299-304
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• 2019

In order to research the anti-oxidative activity of methanol extract of Phellinus baumii Pilat (Hymenochaetaceae), Caenorhabditis elegans model system was used. Ethyl acetate soluble fraction of the methanol extract showed the most potent DPPH radical scavenging activity. The ethyl acetate fraction was measured on its activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and oxidative stress tolerance with reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in C. elegans. Furthermore, to see if regulation of stress-response gene is responsible for the increased stress tolerance of C. elegans which treated by the ethyl acetate fraction, we checked SOD-3 expression using a transgenic strain. Consequently, the ethyl acetate fraction of P. baumii increased SOD and the catalase activities in a dose-dependent manner in C. elegans, reduced ROS accumulation dose-dependently. Besides, the ethyl acetate fraction-treated CF1553 worms showed higher SOD-3::GFP intensity than the control worms.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.42-49
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• 2019

Objective: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) is characterized by persistent airflow limitations associated with chronic inflammatory response due to noxious particles or gases in the lung. Iron deficiency is associated with chronic inflammation, such as COPD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship among iron deficiency, iron homeostasis, and inflammation in retired miners with COPD. Methods: The serum levels of ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor(sTfR), and transferrin saturation(TSat) as biomarkers for iron deficiency and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hsCRP) as a biomarker for inflammation and hepcidin as a biomarker for iron homeostasis were measured in 93 male subjects. Iron deficiency was defined as any one or more of (1) sTfR>28.1 nmol/L, (2) TSat<16%, and (3) ferritin< $12{\mu}g/L$. Results: Iron deficiency was found 28% of the study subjects. Median levels of serum hsCRP was significantly increased related to airflow limitation of COPD(GOLD 1, $0.09{\mu}g/dL$ vs. GOLD 2, $0.17{\mu}g/dL$ vs. GOLD $3{\leq}$, $0.30{\mu}g/dL$, p=0.010), and was positively correlated with hepcidin(p=0.009). Mean level of serum hepcidin was lower in COPD subjects with iron deficiency(p=0.004) and serum levels of hepcidin was negatively correlated with %$FEV_1$ predicted(p=0.030). Conclusions: These results suggest that high serum levels of hepcidin are related to severe airflow limitation or inflammation and can decrease iron availability, regardless of iron status.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.155-163
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• 2004

The objectives of this study were to characterize the wastewater flow through the VFS, and relate this to the P removal in the VFS. A total of 68 subsurface wells (20∼40 cm below the soil surface) and 35 surface wells (0~5 cm), and the application of chloride tracer were used to investigate flow paths and soluble reactive P (SRP) removal from the 21 m wide and 33 m long VFS receiving dairy milkhouse waste. The early chloride breakthroughs in wells in the center of the VFS showed that the milkhouse waste flows preferentially down in the center of the hillslope. The locally saturated area created near the discharge pipe in the center of the VFS accelerates surface flow that contributed to rapid transport of P to the down slope area. Although VFS of 33m long eventually reduced SRP to lower than 0.2 mg/L in most cases, SRP is less effectively removed in the areas where soil saturation occurred. It is suggested that the effort to distribute the wastewater uniformly to avoid soil saturation and reduce the flow velocity need to be considered in new designs.