• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.100-108
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• 2014

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) is an intracellular pathogen that has evolved to survive in the phagosome of macrophages. The periplasmic copper-binding protein CueP was initially known to confer copper resistance to S. Typhimurium. Crystal structure and biochemical studies on CueP revealed a putative copper binding site surrounded by the conserved cysteine and histidine residues. A recent study reported that CueP supplies copper ions to periplasmic Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (SodCII) at a low copper concentration and thus enables the sustained SodCII activity in the periplasm. In this study, we investigated the role of CueP in copper resistance at a high copper concentration. We observed that the survival of a cueP-deleted strain of Salmonella in macrophage phagosome was significantly reduced. Subsequent biochemical experiments revealed that CueP specifically mediates the reduction of copper ion using electrons released during the formation of the disulfide bond. We observed that the copper ion-mediated Fenton reaction in the presence of hydrogen peroxide was blocked by CueP. This study provides insight into how CueP confers copper resistance to S. Typhimurium in copper-rich environments such as the phagosome of macrophages.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.171-179
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• 2010

The transport of selected salts of sulphuric acid (cobalt, copper, iron(II), manganese, nickel and zinc sulphate) through an anion-exchange membrane Neosepta-AFN was investigated in a counter-current continuous dialyzer at various salt concentrations and volumetric liquid flow rates. The basic transport characteristics - the rejection coefficient of salt and the permeability of the membrane - were calculated from measurements at steady state. The salt concentration in model mixtures was changed in the limits from 0.1 to 1.0 kmol $m^{-3}$ and the volumetric liquid flow rate of the inlet streams was in the limits from $8{\times}10^{-9}$ to $24{\times}10^{-9}m^3\;s^{-1}$. Under the experimental conditions given, the rejection coefficient of salts tested was in the range from 65% to 94%. The lowest values were obtained for iron(II) sulphate, while the highest for copper sulphate. The maximum rejection of salt was reached at the highest volumetric liquid flow rate and the highest salt concentration in the feed. The permeability ($P_A$) of the Neosepta-AFN membrane for the individual salts was in the range from $0.49{\times}10^{-7}m\;s^{-1}$ to $1.8{\times}10^{-7}m\;s^{-1}$ and it can be described by the following series: $P_{FeSO_4}$ < $P_{NiSO_4}$ < $P_{ZnSO_4}$ < $P_{CoSO_4}$ < $P_{MnSO_4}$ < $P_{CuSO_4}$. The permeability of the membrane was strongly affected by the salt concentration in the feed - it decreased with an increasing salt concentration.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.101-111
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• 1991

Polyphenol oxidase(PPO) was purified from an extract of Puerariae Radix by ammonium sulfate fractionation followed by Sephadex G-150 column chromatography, which resulted in a 56-fold increase in specific activity. The enzyme was optimum of pH 6.5. The optimum temperature of enzymic reaction was about $40^{\circ}$. The enzyme was thermostable with a half-life equal to 32 min at $70^{\circ}$. Km values of the PPO for catechol and pyrogallol from Lineweaver Burk plots were $1.3{\times}10^{-2}M$, $1.16{\times}10^{-2}M$, respectively. The substrate specificity of the Puerariae Radix PPO showed high affinity toward pyrogallol. Reducing reagents such as cysteine, potassium metabisulfite, ascorbic acid, 2-mercaptoethanol completely inhibited the PPO activity at $10^{-2}M$ level. Linewear-Burk analysis of inhibition data revealed that the inhibition by cysteine, 2-mercaptoethanol, 4-nitrocatechol, potassium cyanide was competitive with Ki values of $4.3{\times10^{-2}M,\;0.73{\times}10^{-6}M,\;6.9{\times}10^{-6}M,\;6.4{\times}10^{-7}M$, respectively. The browning reaction by PPO was observed to decrease temporarily with the addition of sodium diethyl dithiocarbamate, a well known copper chelating agent. Among the divalent cations, $Cu^{2+}$ ion was strong activator on PPO and $Mn^{2+},\;Co^{2+}$ ions was effect on PPO activity. $Zn^{2+},\;Mg^{2+}$ ions was inhibitor on PPO.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2004

This study was aimed at testing the gene expression of antioxidant enzymes and apoptosis genes for in vitro culture in porcine embryos produced by in vitro maturation/in vitro fertilization (IVM/IVF). Pocine preimplantation embryos obtainted from IVM/IVF can be successfully culture in vitro, but they are delayed or stop to develop at specific developmental stage. Many factors such as reactive oxygen species and apoptosis in an IVM/IVF system followed by in vitro culture influence the rate of production of viable blastocysts. Porcine embryos derived from IVM/IVF were cultured in the atmosphere of 5% $CO_2$ and 20% $O_2$ at $38.5^{\circ}C$ in NCSU23 medium. The patterns of gene expression for antioxidant enzymes and apoptosis genes during in vitro culture in pocine IVM/IVF embryos were examined by the modified semi-quantitative single cell reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Porcine embryos produced by in vitro procedures were expressed mRNAs for CuZn-SOD, GAPDH and GPX, whereas transcripts for Mn-SOD and catalase were not detected at any developmental stages. Expression of caspase-3 mRNA was detected at 2 cell, 8 cell 16 cell and blastocyst, but p53 mRNA was not detected at any stages. The fas transcripts was only detected in blastocyst stage. These results suggest that various antioxidant enzymes and apoptosis genes play crucial roles in vitro culture of porcine IVM/IVF embryos.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.1546-1554
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• 2010

A bacterial strain capable of producing extracellular ${\alpha}$-galactosidase was isolated from a sample of sugarcane industrial waste. Microbiological, physiological, and biochemical studies revealed that the isolate belonged to Bacillus sp. Furthermore, based on a 16S rDNA sequence analysis, the new isolate was identified as Bacillus megaterium VHM1. The production of ${\alpha}$-galactosidase was optimized based on various physical culture conditions. Guar gum and yeast extract acted as the best carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. The optimum pH was 7.5 and the enzyme remained stable over a pH range of 5-9. The enzyme was optimally active at $55^{\circ}C$ and thermostable with a half-life of 120 min, yet lost 90% of its residual activity within 120 min at $60^{\circ}C$. One mM concentrations of $Ag^2$, $Cu^2$, and $Hg^{2+}$ strongly inhibited the ${\alpha}$-galactosidase, whereas the metal ions $Fe^2$, $Mn^{2+}$, and $Mg^{2+}$ had no effect on the ${\alpha}$-galactosidase activity, and $Zn^{2+}$, $Ni^{2+}$, and $Ca^{2+}$ reduced the enzyme activity slightly. When treated with the B. megaterium VHM1 enzyme, the flatulence-causing sugars in soymilk were completely hydrolyzed within 1.5 h.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.189-204
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• 1990

In the KODOS (Korea Deep Ocean Study)-89 area, western part of clarion-Clipperton fracture zones in the northeastern equatorial Pacific, magnate nodules and sediments were sampled during the 'Farnella' cruise in Oct., 1989. Bulk chemical and mineralogical analyses have been made on a suit of ferromanganese nodules and sediments to study the origin and distribution pattern of the nodules. The nodules are classified into three groups based on their origin: diagenetic nodules with high Mn/Fe ratio, Cu, Ni, Zn, Mg, todorokite contents and rough surface texture; hydrogenetic nodules with high Fe, Co, vernadite contents and smooth surface texture; and transitional nodules with intermediate characters between diagenetic and hydrogenetic nodules. Study area is divided into four zones according to the origin and abundance of nodules: far north area where nodules are hydrogenetic and intermediate in abundance; north area where nodules are diagenetic and low in abundance; south area where nodules are diagenetic and intermediate in abundance; seamount area where nodules are hydrogenetic and high in abundance. distribution pattern of manganese nodules in the KODOS-89 area seems to be controlled by latitudinal variation of productivity in water column and sea bottom morphology.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 1979

A bacterial strain which showed a remarkable tolerance against cadmium was isolated from waste water and identified as a member of Staphylococcus aureus. Heavy metal ions, at the concentration of 10 ppm and other than cadmium, inhibited at least by 30 per cent of turbidometric growth of the organism. The organism exhibited a normal pattern of growth with increasing concentration of cadmium up to 50 ppm. However, they were unable to grow in the concomitant presence of cadmium higher than 500 ppm. In spite of the drastic growth inhibition of cadmium, the organism was able to grow even in the concomitant presence of 500 ppm cadmium when it was previously cultivated for 15 hours with exposing to 10 ppm cadmium or lead.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.139-145
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• 2008

We located a group of healthy young males (aged $20{\sim}30$) who had been taking a high dose (more than 5 g) of vitamin C daily for more than one year. We observed that this vitamin C group had plasma levels of vitamin C that were more than three times that of the control group. The control group had not taken any additional vitamin C except for that included in their diets. But the vitamin C group showed significantly lower amounts of Cu/ZnSOD, catalase and glutathione-s-transferase and lower activities of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase in erythrocyte lysates than the control group. However, there was no difference in the plasma levels of lipid peroxides between the two groups. These results suggest that vitamin C offsets its own contribution to anti-oxidant activity by repressing the expression of anti-oxidant enzymes and also excludes the possibility that vitamin C acts as a pro-oxidant in vivo.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.855-863
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• 1999

This study was performed to investigate the effect of dietary protein level throughout gestation and lactation on milk composition and on postnatal growth in infants, using rats as an animal model. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were provided with either high(25% ISP(Isolated Soy Protein)diet) or low protein diet(10% ISP diet) throughout gestation and lactation. Milk samples were taken for analysis from the lactating rats at days of 7, 14, 21, of lactation. Dams and some pups were killed after 4 weeks from parturtion (Experiment 1). Pups from dams of each diet groups were randomly selected and reared with 25% or 10% ISP diet for 4 more weeks (Experiment 2). In experiment 1, maternal protein intake and body weight gain throughout gestation and lactation was higher in 25% ISP group. Serum protein, Ca, Fe, Zn, K concentrations were significantly higher in 25% ISP group. There was no difference in birth weight between two groups, however the mean body weight at 4 weeks postpartum were significantly higher in 25% ISP group. Serum profiles of pups at weaning were similar to that of dams. Milk compositions were changed during lactation processes and were affected by dietary protein level. Lactose and Ca, Cu, Fe concentrations in milk were higher in 25% ISP group, whereas, lipid, triglyceride were higher in 10% ISP group. In experiment 2, food intake was higher in milk were higher in 25% ISP group but was unaffected by pup's dietary protein level after weaning. The weights of liver and kidney were affected by maternal protein intake. The weight of intestine was affected by pup's dietary protein level after weaning. The weight of femur and scapula were affected by maternal protein intake. There were no differences between four groups in serum profiles. Therefore, as mentioned above, it seemed that the effect of maternal protein malnutrition to fetus was able to be overcome to some extent by high protein diet intake after weaning. In conclusion, 1) Dietary protein level throughout gestation and lactation affected both nutritional status of dams and pups and milk composition: 25% ISP groups supported better nutritional status than 10% ISP group 2) It seemed that effect of dietary protein level after weaning on pups was able to be overcome the influence of maternal diet in fetus to some extent.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.418-425
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• 2019

A piezoelectric ceramic fiber composite (PCFC) was successfully fabricated using $0.69Pb(Zr_{0.47}Ti_{0.53})O_3-0.31[Pb(Zn_{0.4}Ni_{0.6})_{1/3}Nb_{2/3}]O_3$ (PZT-PZNN) for use in small-scale wind energy harvesters. The PCFC was formed using an epoxy matrix material and an array of Ag/Pd-coated PZT-PZNN piezo-ceramic fibers sandwiched by Cu interdigitated electrode patterned polyethylene terephthalate film. The energy harvesting performance was evaluated in a custom-made wind tunnel while varying the wind speed and resistive load with two types of flutter wind energy harvesters. One had a five-PCFC array vertically clamped with a supporting acrylic rod while the other used the same structure but with a five-PCFC cantilever array. Stainless steel (thickness: $50{\mu}m$) was attached onto one side of the PCFC to form the PZT-PZNN cantilever. The output power, in general, increased with an increase in the wind speed from 2 m/s to 10 m/s for both energy harvesters. The highest output power of $15.1{\mu}W$ at $14k{\Omega}$ was obtained at a wind speed of 10 m/s for the flutter wind energy harvester with the PZT-PZNN cantilever array. The results presented here reveal the strong potential for wind energy harvester applications to supply sustainable power to various IoT micro-devices.