• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.197-202
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• 2008

In our previous publication we compared the gene expression profiles on hepatotoxicants exposure to assess the comparability between in vivo and in vitro test systems. We investigated global gene expression from both mouse liver and mouse hepatic cell line treated with thioacetamide (TAA) and identified several common genes. In this study, we selected genes to validate them as potential biomarkers for hepatotoxicity on the relevance of in vitro and in vivo system. Three up-regulated, aquaporin 8 (Aqp8), glutathione peroxidase 1 (Gpx1), succinate-CoA ligase, GDP-forming, alpha subunit (Suclg1) and two down-regulated, DnaJ (Hsp40) homolog subfamily C member 5 (Dnajc5) and tumor protein D52 (Tpd52) genes were tested for their effects in vitro. For characterization of gene function, short interfering RNA (siRNA) for each gene was synthesized and transfected in mouse hepatic cell line, BNL CL.2. Cell viability, mRNA expression level and morphological alterations were investigated. We confirmed siRNA transfection against selected five genes induced down-regulation of respective mRNA expression. siRNA transfection in general decreased cell viability in different degrees and induced morphological changes such as membrane thickening and alterations of intracellular structures. This suggests that these genes could be associated with TAA-induced toxicity. Furthermore, these genes may be used in the investigation of hepatotoxicity for better understanding of its mechanism.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.7-14
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• 2010

Synthesis gas was produced by the partial oxidation of methane. For the preparation of catalysts, Ni, known to be active in this reaction and cheap, was used as the active component and $CeO_2$, having high oxygen storage capability and high redox ability, was used as the support. The catalysts were prepared by the impregnation and urea methods. The catalyst prepared by the urea method showed about 11 times higher surface area and finer particle size than that prepared by the impregnation method. The catalysts prepared by the urea method showed higher methane conversion and synthesis gas selectivity than that prepared by the impregnation method. In this reaction, carbon deposition is a problem to be solved, so La was added to the catalyst system to reduce the carbon deposition. TGA analysis results showed that there was 2% carbon deposition with La-added catalysts and 16% with La-free catalysts. It was found that the addition of La decreases the amount of carbon deposition and prevents catalyst deactivation.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.10 no.9
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• pp.259-266
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• 2010

The study focuses on the value of Micro CT, a high resolution X-ray imaging device, by using it on rats to observe the overall portal vein image of the liver and the microvasculature of each lobes, visualize the 4 segmental lobes and acquire 3D image of the microvasculature through the reconstruction of sectional image data. Less of the damage to liver of the 5 mice, the device was able to separate the liver into 4 segmental lobes and displayed the 4 portal vein microvasculature in 2D. By using the 3D MIP technique, observation of the whole portal vein system microvasculature in 3D image was made possible along with each of the portal vein segment's branches until the 6th branch. Measured the size of 6branch, the average was measured at 1branch : $0.51mm{\pm}0.08$, 2 branch : $0.32mm{\pm}0.12$, 3 branch : $0.23mm{\pm}0.11$, 4 branch : $0.19mm{\pm}0.08$, 5 branch : $0.13mm{\pm}0.06$, 6 branch : $70.5{\mu}m{\pm}14.1$. The 3D image and the images of the microvasculatures in the result of study proved that the Micro-CT can be considered many useful device in obtaining high resolution images.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 2005

To obtain regeneration system of onion, we analyzed the effects of 2,4-D and BA concentration on the embryogenic callus induction from mature embryos. The highest embryogenic callus induction ratio was shown on MS medium (Murashie and Skoog 1962) containing $2.5\;\cal{mg/L}\;or\;5\;\cal{mg/L}$ picloram after mature embryos were placed on medium. When induced callus were cultured on half strength of MS medium containing $1\;\cal{mg/L}$ Kinetin, the highest shoot formation ratio was observed on MS medium containing $1\;{mg/L}$ 2,4-D and $1\;{mg/L}$ BA. Embryogenic callus were cultured in MS liquid medium containing $1\;\ccal{mg/L}$ of 2,4-D and $1\;\cal{mg/L}$ BA. The suspension cultured cell clumps could be mass propagated. Embryogenic callus were friable, but non-embryogenic callus included a lot of moisture, hence the identification between embryogenic and non-embryogenic callus as easily achieved. When embryogenic callus as cultured on half strength of MS medium containing $1\;\cal{mg/L}$ Kinetin, shoots were induced. The whole plantlet was obtained on rooting medium containing $0.5\;\cal{mg/}$ of NAA.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.231-237
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• 2004

Oxycarotenoids are oxygenated carotenoids that perform critical roles in plants. $\beta$-Carotene hydroxylase adds hydroxyl groups to the $\beta$-rings of carotenes and has been cloned from several bacteria and plants including Arabidopsis. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of $\beta$-carotene hydroxylase gene (Chyb) on the oxycarotenoids biosynthesis in the transgenic Arabidopsis. Construct of pGCHYB containing Chyb was established onto Gateway vector system (pENTR3C gateway vector and pH2GW7 destination vector). Arabidopsis thaliana (cv. Columbia) was transformed with Agrobacterium tumerfacience GV3101 harboring pGCHYB construct driven by 35S promoter and hygromycin resistant gene. Seven hundred bases paired PCR products, indicating the presence of Chyb gene, were found in the transformants by PCR analysis using Chyb primers. Hygromycin resistance assay showed that transgenes were stably inherited to next generation. The overexpression of the Chyb gene resulted in the decrease carotenoid content. Especially, astaxanthin unusual oxycarotenoid in wild type Arabidopsis was detected in the transgenic plants. This means that decreased carotenoids might be converted into astaxanthin metabolism with the aid of silent gene in the host.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.38-48
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• 2011

Purpose: Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is the most common glomerulopathy causing pediatric renal failure. Since specific treatment targeting the etiology and pathophysiology of primary FSGS is yet elusive, the authors explored the pathophysiology of FSGS by transcriptome analysis of the disease using an animal model. Methods: FGS/kist strain, a mouse model of primary FSGS, and RFM/kist strain, as control and the parent strain of FGS/kist, were used. Kidney tissues were harvested and isolated renal cortex was used to extract mRNA, which was run on AB 1700 mouse microarray chip after reverse transcription to get the transcriptome profile. Results: Sixty two genes were differentially expressed in FGS/kist kidney tissue compared to the control. Those genes were related to cell cycle/cell death, immune reaction, and lipid metabolism/vasculopathy, and the key molecules of their networks were TNF, IL-6/4, IFN${\gamma}$, TP53, and PPAR${\gamma}$. Conclusion: This study confirmed that renal cell death, immune system activation with subsequent fibrosis, and lipid metabolism-related early vasculopathy were involved in the pathophysiology of FSGS. In addition, the relevance of methodology used in this study, namely transcriptome profiling, and Korean animal model of FGS/kist was validated. Further study would reveal novel pathophysiology of FSGS for new therapeutic targets.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.555-567
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• 2013

Slim floor system using deep decks has been developed and employed in Europe to reduce the floor height of steel structures. Although long span buildings involving the issue of reducing floor height are being increasingly built in Korea, employing deep decks in more than 7m long span structures is likely to cause problems associated with excessive deflection. This study is applied to the long-span concrete casting of the deep deck plate usability of deflection due to bending and torsional instability of open cross-section, as a way to improve the problem of cap plates are suggested, and the optimum length of reinforcement and location are derived from theoretic estimation. The cap plates are placed on the deep decks with regular intervals to overcome the instability of open sections, improve the stiffness of the sections and control the deflection at the centers. The improvement in flexural capacity associated with the location of the cap plates and the length of reinforcement are verified through analysis and test.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.185-193
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• 2016

Purpose of this study is to classify damaged lands according to the cause of the damage and their influences based on characteristic of the damaged lands in DeMilitarized Zone(DMZ) area, and utilize this study as a fundamental study for establishment of ecosystem restoration system. Literature review and field survey have been conducted to review the damage status of DMZ area. For field survey, first year and second year have been conducted, in which type of the damage has been reviewed in this study. In the result, types of damage have been classified into 6 categories: 'alteration of initial landform', 'loss of surface layer', 'land pollution', 'alteration of soil chemical property', 'decline of vegetation', and 'invasion of foreign species'. Restoration for each damage type is as following. First, for alteration of initial landform, the land is restored to the original landform prior to the damage and connection to surrounding ecosystem is considered. Second, for loss of surface layer, lost surface layer is restored or further loss is prevented with stabilization. Third, for land pollution, source of the pollution is eradicated or self-circulation with purification of polluted land is encouraged. Fourth, for alteration of soil chemical property, soil is restored of its original property with eradication of the pollution source and improvement of soil. Fifth, for decline of vegetation, current vegetation and anticipated alteration in future are considered and number of wild species is to be increased based on structure and characteristic of nearby vegetation. Sixth, for invasion of foreign species, prevention of dominance by risky species and facilitation ecological stability with ecological management are to be considered. Influence according to the cause of damage has occurred in secondary(indirect) influence or simultaneous occurrence of several damage types. Considering all these aspects, when type of the damage is complex, restoration process for each of former mentioned 6 damage types with solitary influence should be considered in unison.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.377-386
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary Indongcho(L. japonica Thunb) powder on blood glucose, serum lipid levels and antioxidative enzymes in normal and streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Four groups of rats(3-week-old inbred Sprague-Dawley male rats) were normal rats fed control diet(NC), diabetic rats fed control diet(DC), normal rats fed Indongcho powder diet(NI), and diabetic rats fed Indongcho powder diet(DI). Diabetes was induced by single injection of streptozotocin(60mg/kg B.W., i.p.). The animals were fed ad libium each of the experimental diet for 5 weeks. Food and water intakes were determined everyday. Blood glucose and serum total cholesterol levels were determined every week. After 5 weeks the animals were sacrificed and activities of antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation products were determined in their liver and kidney homogenates. We also determined serum concentrations of total lipid(TL), total cholesterol(TC), triglycerides(TG) and HDL-cholesterol(HDL-C). Blood sugar and water intake were higher in diabetic group(DC and DI group) than normal group(NC and NI group) and were not significantly decreased by dietary Indongcho intake. Body weight gain and FER(feed efficiency ratio) were reduced by STZ treatment. But, Final body weight was recovered by Indongcho-contained diet. LHR(LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol) of the DI g re up was significantly lower than the other experimental groups(NC, NI and DC groups). The hepatic glucose 6-phosphatase(G6Pase) activity of the groups fed Indongcho diet(NI and DI group) was lower than the groups fed control diet(NC and DC group) and the G6Pase activity of NI group was recovered to the normal levels(p<0.05). However, The glutathione peroxidase(GPx) and glutathione reductase(GR) activities in liver and G6Pase activity in kidney were not statistically different between the control and diabetic control groups. Renal GST activity of the DI group was recovered by Indongcho intake. In conclusion, these results confirm oxidative stress in the liver and kidney of rats with STZ diabetes and antioxidative effect of Indongcho.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.342-351
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• 2014

The present paper investigates the performance of direct wet mineral carbonation technology to fix carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) from relatively high $CO_2$ concentration feeding gas using wollastonite ($CaSiO_3$)-water (and 0.46 M acetic acid) suspension solution. To minimize the energy consumed on the process, the carbonation in this work is carried out at atmospheric pressure and slightly higher room temperature. As a result, carbon fixation is confirmed on the surface of $CaSiO_3$ after carbonation with wollastonite-water suspension solution and its amount is increased according to the $CO_2$ composition in the feeding gas. The leaching and carbonation ratio of wollastonite-water suspension system obtained from the carbonation with 50% of $CO_2$ composition feeding gas is 13.2% and 10.4%, respectively. On the other hand, the performance of wollastonite-acetic acid in the same condition is 63% for leaching and 1.39% for carbonation.