• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.635-647
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• 2014

Unfertilized oocytes age inevitably after ovulation, which limits their fertilizable life span and embryonic development. Rapamycin affects mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) expression and cytoskeleton reorganization during oocyte meiotic maturation. The goal of this study was to examine the effects of rapamycin treatment on aged porcine oocytes and their in vitro development. Rapamycin treatment of aged oocytes for 24 h (68 h in vitro maturation [IVM]; $44h+10{\mu}M$ rapamycin/24 h, $47.52{\pm}5.68$) or control oocytes (44 h IVM; $42.14{\pm}4.40$) significantly increased the development rate and total cell number compared with untreated aged oocytes (68 h IVM, $22.04{\pm}5.68$) (p<0.05). Rapamycin treatment of aged IVM oocytes for 24 h also rescued aberrant spindle organization and chromosomal misalignment, blocked the decrease in the level of phosphorylated-p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and increased the mRNA expression of cytoplasmic maturation factor genes (MOS, BMP15, GDF9, and CCNB1) compared with untreated, 24 h-aged IVM oocytes (p<0.05). Furthermore, rapamycin treatment of aged oocytes decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) activity and DNA fragmentation (p<0.05), and downregulated the mRNA expression of mTOR compared with control or untreated aged oocytes. By contrast, rapamycin treatment of aged oocytes increased mitochondrial localization (p<0.05) and upregulated the mRNA expression of autophagy (BECN1, ATG7, MAP1LC3B, ATG12, GABARAP, and GABARAPL1), anti-apoptosis (BCL2L1 and BIRC5; p<0.05), and development (NANOG and SOX2; p<0.05) genes, but it did not affect the mRNA expression of pro-apoptosis genes (FAS and CASP3) compared with the control. This study demonstrates that rapamycin treatment can rescue the poor developmental capacity of aged porcine oocytes.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.505-510
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• 2014

This research investigated growth of ginseng regard to sunshade materials and micro metrological phenomena under the sunshade material to product high quality ginseng. Followings are results of investigation of active ingredient from raw ginseng producted under the sunshade materials. The highest temperature under the sunshade material from June to August was measured from a Three-layered blue and one-layered black polyethylene net (TBOBFN) followed by a aluminium-coated polyethylene sheet (ACPS) and blue polyethylene sheet (BPS). The highest light penetration of $381.7{\mu}mol/s/m^2$ was obtained from the BPS at August, also the temperature was highest at the ginseng field. Growth of above ground part of 2~3 year old ginseng under the ACPS was the highest, followed by the ACPS and the BPS. In case of 4 year old ginseng, the ACPS and the BPS was the same, followed by the TBOBPN. Root length and diameter of 2~3 year old ginseng showed difference among treatments, but 4 year old ginseng was not showed difference. Meanwhile, the highest amount of root of 4 year old ginseng of $896g/m^2$ was obtained from ACPS. The total amount of ginsenocide of 4 year old ginseng under the ACPS was highest, followed by the BPS and the TBOBPN. Chromaticity of ginseng root under the TBOBPN was highest, followed by the ACPS and the BPS.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.297-303
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• 2007

Orimulsion, a bitumen-in-water emulsified fuel, has been used throughout the world as a substitute fuel for heavy oil and coal. Orimulsion has relatively high levels of sulfur, nickel, and vanadium, compared to other fuel oils and coals, and has been the subject of much debate regarding the environmental impacts. In Korea, Y power plant has operated boilers with Orimulsion as a fuel, and they has some drawbacks during the plant operation, such as plume opacity. In this study, we investigated the cause of formation mechanism and factors for the plume opacity by investigating the operation data, and measuring the particle size distribution at EP(Electrostatic Precipitator), FGD(Fuel Gas Desulfurization) and TMS(Telecommunications Management System) units. Resulting data showed the primary particles below 1 ${\mu}m$ formed were regrown by the recombination of $SO_3$ in wet-limestone FGD process, and thus the secondary particles are induced to cause the plume opacity.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.87-93
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• 2010

Introduction: In our previous studies, we isolated porcine skin-derived mesenchymal stem cells (pSDMSCs) from the ears of adult miniature pigs and evaluated the pluripotency of these pSDMSCs based on expressions of transcription factors, such as Oct-4, Sox-2, and Nanog. Moreover, the characteristic of mesenchymal stem cells was revealed by the expression of various mesenchymal stem cell markers, including CD29, CD44, CD90, and vimentin. The aim of this study was to evaluate in vivo osteogenesis after maxillary sinus lift procedures with autogenous pSDMSCs and scaffold. Materials and Methods: The autogenous pSDMSCs were isolated from the 4 miniature pigs, and cultured to 3rd passage with same methods of our previous studies. After cell membranes were labeled using a PKH26, $1{\times}10^{7}$ cells/$100{\mu}L$ of autogenous pSDMSCs were grafted into the maxillary sinus with a demineralized bone matrix (DBM) and fibrin glue scaffold. In the contralateral control side, only a scaffold was grafted, without SDMSCs. After two animals each were euthanized at 2 and 4 weeks after grafting, the in vivo osteogenesis was evaluated with histolomorphometric and osteocalcin immunohistochemical studies. Results: In vivo PKH26 expression was detected in all specimens at 2 and 4 weeks after grafting. Trabecular bone formation and osteocalcin expression were more pronounced around the grafted materials in the autogenous pSDMSCs-grafted group compared to the control group. Newly generated bone was observed growing from the periphery to the center of the grafted material. Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that autogenous skin-derived mesenchymal stem cells grafting with a DBM and fibrin glue scaffold can be a predictable method in the maxillary sinus floor elevation technique for implant surgery.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.14 no.6 s.67
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• pp.967-974
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• 2004

The osteoblastic cell activity is important for born formation, thus, this study was performed to investigation of that the effect of edible sources, Rubus coreanus Miquel (RCM), on the proliferation and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic like cell. The effects of RCM extract on cell proliferation were measured by MIT assay. At 1, $10\;{\mu}g/mL$ of RCM extract treated, that were elevated of cell proliferation to 103 and $142\%$ via control, respectively. And the cell differentiation were measured as alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity at 3, 9, 18, and 27 days. As the results, the $10\;{\mu}g/mL$ was increased ALP activity more than 2.6 times compared with control, 1.4 times via positive control at 27th day (p<0.05). The optical concentration of RC extract was rechecked by ALP staining and Alizarin Red staining for investigation of the induction of ALP activity, nodule formation by mineralization. mRNA expression analysis showed that the RCM $(10\;{\mu}g/mL)$ increased in SOX9 as well as ALP in MC3T3-E1 cells. These results suggest that RC extract was stimulates the MC3T3-E1 cell proliferation and differentiation.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.55-63
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• 2007

Diethylnitrosamine (DEN) is a nitrosamine compound that can induce a variety of liver lesions including hepatic carcinoma, forming DNA-carcinogen adducts. In the present study, microarray analyses were performed with Affymetrix Murine Genome 430A Array in order to identify the gene-expression profiles for DEN and to provide valuable information for the evaluation of potential hepatotoxicity. C57BL/6NCrj mice were orally administered once with DEN at doses of 0, 3, 7 and 20 mg/kg. Liver from each animal was removed 2, 4, 8 and 24 hrs after the administration. The histopathological analysis and serum biochemical analysis showed no significant difference in DEN-treated groups compared to control group. Conversely, the principal component analysis (PCA) profiles demonstrated that a specific normal gene expression profile in control groups differed clearly from the expression profiles of DEN-treated groups. Within groups, a little variance was found between individuals. Student's t-test on the results obtained from triplicate hybridizations was performed to identify those genes with statistically significant changes in the expression. Statistical analysis revealed that 11 genes were significantly downregulated and 28 genes were upregulated in all three animals after 2 h treatment at 20 mg/kg. The upregulated group included genes encoding Gdf15, JunD1, and Mdm2, while the genes including Sox6, Shmt2, and SIc6a6 were largely down regulated. Hierarchical clustering of gene expression also allowed the identification of functionally related clusters that encode proteins related to metabolism, and MAPK signaling pathway. Taken together, this study suggests that match with a toxicant signature can assign a putative mechanism of action to the test compound if is established a database containing response patterns to various toxic compounds.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.207-212
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• 2013

Objective : Recent studies have shown encouraging progress toward the use of autogenic and allogenic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to arrest, or even lead to partial regeneration in, intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. However, this technology is still in its infancy, and further development is required. The aim of this study was to analyze whether rat adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSC) can differentiate towards IVD-like cells after treatment with transforming growth factor ${\beta}3$ (TGF-${\beta}3$) in vitro. We also performed quantitative analysis of gene expression for ADMSC only, ADMSCs treated with TGF-${\beta}3$, and co-cultured ADMSCs treated with TGF-${\beta}3$. Methods : ADMSCs were sub-cultured to homogeneity and used in fluorocytometry assays for CD11, CD45, and CD90/Thy1. ADMSCs were differentiated in spheroid culture towards the chondrogenic lineage by the presence of TGF-${\beta}3$, dexamethasone, and ascorbate. We also co-cultured pure ADMSCs and nucleus pulposus cells in 24-well plates, and performed immunohistochemical staining, western blotting, and RT-PCR for quantitative analysis of gene expression. Results : Results of fluorocytometry were positive for CD90/Thy1 and negative for CD11 and CD45. TGF-${\beta}3$-mediated induction of ADMSCs led to the expression of the differentiation markers of intervertebral disc-like cells, such as aggrecan, collagen II, and sox-9. Co-cultured ADMSCs treated with TGF-${\beta}3$ showed higher expression of differentiation markers and greater extracellular matrix production compared with ADMSCs treated with TGF-${\beta}3$ alone. Conclusion : ADMSC treated with TGF-${\beta}3$ may be an attractive source for regeneration therapy in degenerative IVD. These findings may also help elucidate the pathologic mechanism of MSC therapy in the degeneration of IVD in vivo.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.41-45
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• 2010

The physical properties of DME(Dimethyl Ether) are very similar to LPG and well-mixed. As cetane number of DME is similar to diesel fuel that can replace diesel fuel and alternative energy. DME is a clean energy source that can be manufactured from various raw materials such as natural gas, CBM(Coal Bed Methane) and biomass. DME has no carbon-carbon bond in its molecular structure and its combustion essentially generates no soot as well as no SOx. The development of DME process in KOGAS have 4 section. First, syngas section can be manufactured various syngas ratio. This completes the tri-reforming process for the synthesis gas ratio of approximately 4.0 to 1.0 range can be adjusted. Second, $CO_2$ is removed from the $CO_2$ removal section of about 92~99%, so the maximum concentration of $CO_2$ entering the DME synthesis reactor should not exceed 8%. Third, in the DME synthesis section, if the temperature of DME reactor increases, the activity of DME catalyst increased. but for the long-term activity is desirable to maintain the proper temperature. Finally, the purity of DME in the DME purification section is over 99.6%.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.136-142
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• 2010

Combustion reactivity and thermal behavior of two imported coals used as a pulverized fuel of commercially thermal power plant were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and large scale test furnace of 200 kg/hr. TGA results showed that combustion efficiency of high moisture coal has lower than reference coal due to the slow combustion completion rate although it has the low ignition temperature, and activation energies of high moisture coal with 79 kJ/mol for overall combustion was higher than reference coal of 53 kJ/mol. Test furnace results ascertained that flame of black band of high moisture coal during the combustion in boiler broke out compared to reference coal and then it becomes to unburned carbon due to the less reactivity and combustion rate. But, Blending combustion of high moisture coal with design coal of high sulfur are available because sulfur content of high moisture coal was too low to generate the low SOx content in flue gas from boiler during the combustion. The ash analysis results show that it was not expected to be associated with slagging and fouling in pulverized coal fired systems due to the low alkali metal content of $Na_2O$ and $K_2O$ compared to bituminous coal.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.306-312
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• 2008

Total sugar, crude protein, crude lipid, ash, total polyphenol, extract and betaine contents of various Lycii fructus species (Cheongyang jaerae, Myungan, Bulro, Cheongdae, Jangmyung, Cheongwoon, Cheongyang NO.6, and Cheongyang NO.7) were investigated according to harvest time at intervals of one momth from mid August to mid November. In Cheongyang NO.6, average content of total sugar and extract were the highest, 28.91% and 62.31%, respectively. In Cheongyang NO.7, crude protein (3.24%), total polyphenol (2.13%), betaine(10.77 mg/g) were the highest and crude lipid (6.82%) was the higest in Cheongdae species, and ash (5.83%) was the highest in Cheongwoon species. At the most of the species (except Cheongyang jaerae, Myungan) crude protein, crude lipid, ash and betaine contents were increased, and total sugar, total polyphenol and extract contents were decreased according to harvest time was lated. Also, a relationship among the components of Lycii fructus was found out. ; excract contents (r = 0.81) were increased as total sugar contents were increased, while crude protein (r = -0.88), crude lipid (r = -0.82), ash contents (r = -0.81) were decreased as that And betaine contents (r = 0.90) were increased as total polyphenol contents were increased.