• 생명과학회지
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• 제22권5호
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• pp.692-696
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• 2012

식품으로부터 유래되어 치명적인 질병을 유발하는 $Listeria$ $monocytogenes$는 다양한 지지체 위에 biofilm을 형성할 수 있다. 이러한 biofilm은 여러 가지 소독제나 살균과정으로부터 $L.$ $monocytogenes$의 생존력이나 저항성을 증가시켜 준다. 본 연구에서도 $L.$ $monocytogenes$는 다양한 배양용기에서 biofilm을 형성하였으며, BHI를 배지로 하여 $30^{\circ}C$에서 4일 동안 배양하였을 때 최대의 biofilm을 형성하였다. $L.$ $monocytogenes$의 biofilm의 형성에 미치는 김치의 효과를 살펴본 결과 김치를 첨가함에 따라 biofilm의 양이 줄어들기도 하고 늘어나기도 하여, 김치에 따라 다른 영향을 미치는 것으로 여겨졌으며, 이러한 결과는 $L.$ $monocytogenes$의 생육에 미치는 김치의 효과와는 차이가 있었다.

• Advances in materials Research
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• 제1권4호
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• pp.311-347
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• 2012

Infections are caused due to the infiltration of tissue or organ space by infectious bacterial agents, among which Staphylococcus aureus bacteria are clinically most relevant. While current treatment modalities are in general quite effective, several bacterial strains exhibit high resistance to them, leading to complications and additional surgeries, thereby increasing the patient morbidity rates. Titanium dioxide is a celebrated photoactive material and has been utilized extensively in antibacterial functions, making it a leading infection mitigating agent. In view of the property amelioration in materials via nanofication, free-standing titania nanofibers (pure and nominally doped) and nanocoatings (on Ti and Ti6Al4V implants) were fabricated and evaluated to assess their efficacy to mitigate the viability and growth of S. aureus upon brief (30 s) activation by a portable hand-held infrared laser. In order to gauge the effect of exposure and its correlation with the antibacterial activities, both isolated (only titania substrate) and simultaneous (substrate submerged in the bacterial suspension) activations were performed. The bactericidal efficacy of the IR-activated $TiO_2$ nanocoatings was also tested against E. coli biofilms. Toxicity study was conducted to assess any potential harm to the tissue cells in the presence of photoactivated materials. These investigations showed that the photoactivated titania nanofibers caused greater than 97% bacterial necrosis of S. aureus. In the case of titania-coated Ti-implant surrogates, the bactericidal efficacy exceeded 90% in the case of pre-activation and was 100% in the case of simultaneous-activation. In addition to their high bactericidal efficacy against S. aureus, the benignity of titania nanofibers and nanocoatings towards tissue cells during in-vivo exposure was also demonstrated, making them safe for use in implant devices.

• 치위생과학회지
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.383-392
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• 2015

치과치료를 위해 다양한 용도로 DCU에서 배출되는 물이 사용된다. 이 DCU 물의 질에 관한 계속되는 논란으로 인한 환자들의 불안감을 줄이고 양질의 치과 치료를 제공하기 위해서는 DCU 물이 음용수만큼 깨끗하게 유지되어야 한다. 따라서 본 논문은 DCU 물의 세균 오염 수준과 오염된 DCU 물의 임상적 위험성에 대하여 설명하고, 세균 오염을 방지하기 위한 여러 가지 관리 방법들을 검토하였다. 여러 국가에서 DCU 물을 대상으로 오염도를 확인하는 연구가 많이 진행되어 DCU 물이 높은 수준으로 오염되어있다는 것이 입증되었다. 오염된 DCU 물로 인해 감염된 일부 사례도 보고되었고 이는 DCU 물이 감염의 잠재적인 원인일 수 있음을 보여주었다. DCU 물로 인한 잠재적 감염의 위험성을 줄이기 위해서는 효율적인 소독방법을 사용하고 자체적인 모니터링 또한 시행되어야 한다. 하지만 제안되고 있는 여러 가지 수관관리 소독방법으로 인해 치과종사자들의 혼란이 야기되고 있으며, 효율적인 소독방법을 보편화하기 위해서는 관련 연구가 더 진행되어야 할 것으로 생각된다. 치과치료를 받는 환자들을 안심시킬 수 있는 좋은 치과서비스를 제공하기 위해서는 정책적인 개선과 국내 치과 상황에 맞는 수관 관리 지침이 빠른 시일 내에 시행되어야 할 것으로 생각된다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.28-34
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• 2008

Biofilm formation in association with the intercellular adhesion (icaADBC) gene cluster is a serious problem in nosocomial infections of Staphylococcus aureus. In all 112 S. aureus strains tested, the ica genes were present, and none of these strains formed biofilms. The biofilm formation is known to be changeable by environmental factors. We have found about 30% of phase variation in these strains with treatment of tetracycline, pristinamycin, and natrium chloride. However, this phenotype disappeared without these substances. Therefore, we have constructed stable biofilm-producing variants through a passage culture method. To explain the mechanism of this variation, nucleotide changes of ica genes were tested in strain S. aureus 483 and the biofilm-producing variants. No differences of DNA sequence in ica genes were found between the strains. Additionally, molecular analysis of three regulatory genes, the accessory gene regulator (agr) and the staphylococcal accessory regulator (sarA), and in addition, alternative transcription factor ${\sigma}^B$ (sigB), was performed. The data of Northern blot and complementation showed that SigB plays an important role for this biofilm variation in S. aureus 483 and the biofilm-producing variants. Sequence analysis of the sigB operon indicated three point mutations in the rsbU gene, especially in the stop codon, and two point mutations in the rsbW gene. This study shows that this variation of biofilm formation in S. aureus is deduced by the role of sigB, not agr and sarA.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제23권12호
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• pp.1765-1773
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• 2013

The cathode reaction is one of the most seriously limiting factors in a microbial fuel cell (MFC). The critical dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration of a platinum-loaded graphite electrode was reported as 2.2 mg/l, about 10-fold higher than an aerobic bacterium. A series of MFCs were run with the cathode compartment inoculated with activated sludge (biotic) or not (abiotic) on platinum-loaded or bare graphite electrodes. At the beginning of the operation, the current values from MFCs with a biocathode and abiotic cathode were $2.3{\pm}0.1$ and $2.6{\pm}0.2mA$, respectively, at the air-saturated water supply in the cathode. The current from MFCs with an abiotic cathode did not change, but that of MFCs with a biotic cathode increased to 3.0 mA after 8 weeks. The coulomb efficiency was 59.6% in the MFCs with a biotic cathode, much higher than the value of 15.6% of the abiotic cathode. When the DO supply was reduced, the current from MFCs with an abiotic cathode decreased more sharply than in those with a biotic cathode. When the respiratory inhibitor azide was added to the catholyte, the current decreased in MFCs with a biotic cathode but did not change in MFCs with an abiotic cathode. The power density was higher in MFCs with a biotic cathode ($430W/m^3$ cathode compartment) than the abiotic cathode MFC ($257W/m^3$ cathode compartment). Electron microscopic observation revealed nanowire structures in biofilms that developed on both the anode and on the biocathode. These results show that an electron-consuming bacterial consortium can be used as a cathode catalyst to improve the cathode reaction.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제27권11호
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• pp.1942-1951
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• 2017

Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are important foodborne pathogenic bacteria, particularly in poultry meat. In this study, the presence of extracellular DNase activity was investigated for biofilm-deficient Campylobacter strains versus biofilm-forming Campylobacter strains isolated from chickens, to understand the relationship between extracellular DNase activity and biofilm formation. A biofilm-forming reference strain, C. jejuni NCTC11168, was co-incubated with biofilm non-forming strains isolated from raw chickens or their supernatants. The biofilm non-forming strains or supernatants significantly prohibited the biofilm formation of C. jejuni NCTC11168. In addition, the strains degraded pre-formed biofilms of C. jejuni NCTC11168. Degradation of C. jejuni NCTC11168 biofilm was confirmed after treatment with the supernatant of the biofilm non-forming strain 2-1 by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Quantitative analysis of the biofilm matrix revealed reduction of extracellular DNA (16%) and proteins (8.7%) after treatment. Whereas the biofilm-forming strains C. jejuni Y23-5 and C. coli 34-3 isolated from raw chickens and the C. jejuni NCTC11168 reference strain showed no extracellular DNase activity against their own genomic DNA, most biofilm non-forming strains tested, including C. jejuni 2-1, C. coli 34-1, and C. jejuni 63-1, exhibited obvious extracellular DNase activities against their own or 11168 genomic DNA, except for one biofilm non-former, C. jejuni 22-1. Our results suggest that extracellular DNase activity is a common feature suppressing biofilm formation among biofilm non-forming C. jejuni or C. coli strains of chicken origin.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제42권1호
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• pp.59-67
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• 2015

Background Negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) induces angiogenesis and collagen synthesis to promote tissue healing. Although acetic acid soaks normalize alkali wound conditions to raise tissue oxygen saturation and deconstruct the biofilms of chronic wounds, frequent dressing changes are required. Methods Combined use of NPWT and acetic acid irrigation was assessed in the treatment of chronic wounds, instilling acetic acid solution (1%) beneath polyurethane membranes twice daily for three weeks under continuous pressure (125 mm Hg). Clinical photographs, pH levels, cultures, and debrided fragments of wounds were obtained pre- and posttreatment. Tissue immunostaining (CD31, Ki-67, and CD45) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF], vascular endothelial growth factor receptor [VEGFR]; procollagen; hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha [HIF-1-alpha]; matrix metalloproteinase [MMP]-1,-3,-9; and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase [TIMP]) were also performed. Results Wound sizes tended to diminish with the combined therapy, accompanied by drops in wound pH (weakly acidic or neutral) and less evidence of infection. CD31 and Ki-67 immunostaining increased (P<0.05) post-treatment, as did the levels of VEGFR, procollagen, and MMP-1 (P<0.05), whereas the VEGF, HIF-1-alpha, and MMP-9/TIMP levels declined (P<0.05). Conclusions By combining acetic acid irrigation with negative-pressure dressings, both the pH and the size of chronic wounds can be reduced and infections be controlled. This approach may enhance angiogenesis and collagen synthesis in wounds, restoring the extracellular matrix.

• 청정기술
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.22-27
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• 2007

옻은 전통적으로 옻칠로서 사용되었으며, 최근 많은 연구를 통하여 과학적으로 그 내구성, 항균성들이 밝혀졌기 때문에 본 연구진은 옻이 최근 대두되고 있는 친환경적 방오도료의 문제를 해결할 수 있을 것으로 예상하고 있다. 따라서 본 실험에서는 옻의 주성분인 urushiol을 화학적으로 합성하고, 그 유도체들과 함께 어느 정도의 항균효과가 있는지 알아보았다. 그 결과, 본 연구진은 합성된 urushiol이 뛰어난 항진균효과를 가짐을 알 수 있었고, 항균효과 측면에서는 그람양성균에는 좋은 효과를 보인 반면 그람음성균에서는 큰 효과를 보이지 않음을 알 수 있었다. 또한 urushiol과 그 유도체들의 항균력은 균주에 따라 서로 다른 특이적 항균성을 보이는 것을 알 수 있었다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제24권11호
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• pp.1574-1582
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• 2014

Bacteria recognize changes in their population density by sensing the concentration of signal molecules, N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs). AHL-mediated quorum sensing (QS) plays a key role in biofilm formation, so the interference of QS, referred to as quorum quenching (QQ), has received a great deal of attention. A QQ strategy can be applied to membrane bioreactors (MBRs) for advanced wastewater treatment to control biofouling. To isolate QQ bacteria that can inhibit biofilm formation, we isolated diverse AHL-degrading bacteria from a laboratory-scale MBR and sludge from real wastewater treatment plants. A total of 225 AHL-degrading bacteria were isolated from the sludge sample by enrichment culture. Afipia sp., Acinetobacter sp. and Streptococcus sp. strains produced the intracellular QQ enzyme, whereas Pseudomonas sp., Micrococcus sp. and Staphylococcus sp. produced the extracellular QQ enzyme. In case of Microbacterium sp. and Rhodococcus sp., AHL-degrading activities were detected in the whole-cell assay and Rhodococcus sp. showed AHL-degrading activity in cell-free lysate as well. There has been no report for AHL-degrading capability in the case of Streptococcus sp. and Afipia sp. strains. Finally, inhibition of biofilm formation by isolated QQ bacteria or enzymes was observed on glass slides and 96-well microtiter plates using crystal violet staining. QQ strains or enzymes not only inhibited initial biofilm development but also reduced established biofilms.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제27권7호
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• pp.1242-1248
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• 2017

Several medicinal plants are ethnomedically used in Korea as agents for treating infection, anti-inflammation, and pain relief. However, beyond typical inhibitory effects on cell growth, little is known about the potential anti-biofilm activity of these herbs, which may help to prevent cavities and maintain good oral health. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activities of the methanol extracts of 37 Korean medicinal plants against dental pathogens Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans, which synergize their virulence so as to induce the formation of plaque biofilms in the oral cavity. The antimicrobial activities were investigated by broth dilution and disk diffusion assay. The anti-biofilm and antioxidant activities were evaluated based on the inhibitory effect against glucosyltransferase (GTase) and the DPPH assay, respectively. Among 37 herbs, eight plant extracts presented growth and biofilm inhibitory activities against both etiologic bacteria. Among them, the methanol extracts (1.0 mg/ml) from Camellia japonica and Thuja orientalis significantly inhibited the growth of both bacteria by over 76% and over 83% in liquid media, respectively. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of these methanol extracts were determined to be 0.5 mg/ml using a disk diffusion assay on solid agar media. Biofilm formation was inhibited by more than 92.4% and 98.0%, respectively, using the same concentration of each extract. The present results demonstrate that the medicinal plants C. japonica and T. orientalis are potentially useful as antimicrobial and anti-biofilm agents in preventing dental diseases.