• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.343-349
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• 2012

Polysaccharides isolated from Korean black raspberry wine were examined for their chemical properties and immuno-modulating activities. The molecular mass of RB-1b-I, the main polysaccharide in black raspberry wine, was estimated as 180 kDa and it contained a significant proportion of mannose (76.8%) and 4 different minor component sugars such as galactose (15.8%), arabinose (3.8%), glucose (2.6%) and rhamnose (1.2%). This indicated that RB-1b-I was mainly present as a mannan, which had originated from the cell walls of fermenting yeasts. On the other hand, RB-1b-I induced high levels of macrophage activation as well as mitogenicity regarding murine splenocytes in vitro. The intravenous administration of RB-1b-I significantly augmented NK cytotoxicity against YAC-1 tumor cells. RB-1b-I also showed potent anti-complementary activity in a dose-dependent manner via both alternative and classical pathways. Results indicated that Korean black raspberry wine contains peculiar polysaccharides which provide beneficial immuno-stimulating activities for human health.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.87-92
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• 2006

The steam reforming of methane over Ru-promoted $Ni/Al_2O_3$ was carried out. Compared with $Ni/Al_2O_3$, which needs pre-reduction by $H_2$, $Ru/Ni/Al_2O_3$ catalysts exhibited relatively higher activity than conventional $Ni/Al_2O_3$. According to $H_2-TPR$ of reduced or used catalysts and $CH_4-TPR$, it was revealed that the reduction of $RuO_x$ by $CH_4$ decomposition begins at a lower temperature ($220^{\circ}C$) and the reduced Ru facilitates the reduction of NiO, and leads to self-activation. To improve metal dispersion, the catalyst was soaked in 7 M aqueous $NH_4OH$ for 2 h at $45^{\circ}C$ while stirring. As a result, $Ru/Ni/Al_2O_3$ catalysts with aqueous $NH_4OH$ treatment have higher activity, larger metal surface area (by $H_2$-chemisorption), and small particle size (by XRD and XPS). It is noted that the amount of noble metal could be reduced by aqueous $NH_4OH$ treatment.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 2001

The alloys $ZrMn_2Ni_x$ (x=0.0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9 and 1.2) as the alloys of Zr-Mn-Ni three component system were prepared and their hydrogen-storage properties and their electrochemical properties were investigated. The C14 Laves phase formed in all the alloys $ZrMn_2Ni_x$. Among these alloys $ZrMn_2Ni_{0.6}$ was activated relatively easily(after about 11 charge-discharge cycles), and had the largest discharge capacity(max. 45mAh/g). For all the alloys Zr was dissolved most easily into the 6M KOH solution. More Mn and Ni were dissolved from the $ZrMn_2Ni_{0.6}$ alloy than from the other alloys. Due to the active charge and discharge of the $ZrMn_2Ni_{0.6}$ alloys, related to the easier activation and the larger discharge capacity, Zr, Mn and Ni in this alloy were considered to be dissolved more easily into the 6M KOH solution, compared with the other alloys.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.115-122
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• 1998

The maintenance of a viable pregnancy has long been viewed as an immunological paradox. The deveolping embryo and trophoblast are immunologically foreign to the maternal immune system due to their maternally inherited genes products and tissue-specific differentiation antigens (Hill & Anderson, 1988). Therefore, speculation has arisen that spontaneous abortion may be caused by impaired maternal immune tolerance to the semiallogenic conceptus (Hill, 1990). Loss of recall antigen has been reported in immunosuppressed transplant recipients and is associated with graft survival (Muluk et al., 1991; Schulik et al., 1994). Progesterone $(10^{-5}M)$ has immunosuppressive capabilities (Szekeres-Bartho et al., 1985). Previous study showed that fertile women, but not women with unexplained recurrent abortion (URA), lose their immune response to recall antigens when pregnant (Bermas & Hill, 1997). Therefore, we hypothesized that immunosuppressive doses of progesterone may affect proliferative response of lymphocytes to trophoblast antigen and alloantigen. Proliferative responses using $^3H$-thymidine ($^3H$-TdR) incorporation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to the irradiated allogeneic periperal blood mononuclear cells as alloantigen, trophoblast extract and Flu as recall antigen, and PHA as mitogen were serially checked in 9 women who had experienced unexplained recurrent miscarriage. Progesterone vaginal suppositories (100mg b.i.d; Utrogestan, Organon) beginning 3 days after ovulation were given to 9 women with unexplained RSA who had prior evidence of Th1 immunity to trophoblast. We checked proliferation responses to conception cycle before and after progesterone supplementation once a week through the first 7 weeks of pregnancy. All patients of alloantigen and PHA had a positive proliferation response that occmed in the baseline phase. But 4 out of 9 patients (44.4%) of trophoblast antigen and Flu antigen had a positive proliferative response. The suppression of proliferation response to each antigen were started after proliferative phase and during pregnancy cycles. Our data demonstrated that since in vivo progesterone treated PBMCs suppressed more T-lymphocyte activation and $^3H$-TdR incorporation compare to PBMCs, which are not influenced by progesterone. This data suggested that it might be influenced by immunosuppressive effect of progesterone. In conclusion, progesterone may play an important immunological role in regulating local immune response in the fetal-placental unit. Furthermore, in the 9 women given progesterone during a conception cycle, Only two (22%) repeat pregnancy losses occured in these 9 women despite loss of antigen responsiveness (one chemical pregnancy loss and one loss at 8 weeks of growth which was karyotyped as a Trisomy 4). These finding suggested that pregnancy loss due to fetal aneuploidy is not associated with immunological phenomena.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.423-430
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• 2016

Background: The induction of cellular defensive genes such as phase II detoxifying and antioxidant enzymes is a highly effective strategy for protection against carcinogenesis as well as slowing cancer development. Transcription factor Nrf2 (nuclear factor E2-related factor 2) is responsible for activation of phase II enzymes induced by natural chemopreventive compounds. Methods: Red ginseng oil (RGO) was extracted using a supercritical $CO_2$ extraction system and chemical profile of RGO was investigated by GC/MS. Effects of RGO on regulation of the Nrf2/antioxidant response element (ARE) pathway were determined by ARE-luciferase assay, western blotting, and confocal microscopy. Results: The predominant components of RGO were 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (31.48%), bicyclo[10.1.0] tridec-1-ene (22.54%), and 22,23-dihydrostigmasterol (16.90%). RGO treatment significantly increased nuclear translocation of Nrf2 as well as ARE reporter gene activity, leading to upregulation of heme oxygenase-1 and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1. Phosphorylation of the upstream kinases such as apoptosis signal-regulating kinase (ASK)1, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase (MKK)4/7, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 MAPK were enhanced by treatment with RGO. In addition, RGO-mediated Nrf2 expression and nuclear translocation was attenuated by JNK inhibitor SP600125 and p38 MAPK inhibitor SB202190. Conclusion: RGO could be used as a potential chemopreventive agent, possibly by induction of Nrf2/ARE-mediated phase II enzymes via ASK1-MKK4/7-JNK and p38 MAPK signaling pathways.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.562-567
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• 2013

A 90 wt% Mg-10 wt% $NbF_5$ sample was prepared by mechanical milling under $H_2$ (reactive mechanical grinding). Its hydriding and dehydriding properties were then examined. Activation of the 90 wt% Mg-10 wt% $NbF_5$ sample was not required. At n=1, the sample absorbed 3.11 wt% H for 2.5 min, 3.55 wt% H for 5 min, 3.86 wt% H for 10 min, and 4.23 wt% H for 30 min at 593K under 12 bar $H_2$. At n=1, the sample desorbed 0.17 wt% H for 5 min, 0.74 wt% H for 10 min, 2.03 wt% H for 30 min, and 2.81 wt% H for 60 min at 593K under 1.0 bar $H_2$. The XRD pattern of the 90 wt% Mg-10 wt% $NbF_5$ after reactive mechanical grinding showed Mg, ${\beta}-MgH_2$ and small amounts of ${\gamma}-MgH_2$, $NbH_2$, $MgF_2$ and $NbF_3$. The XRD pattern of the 90 wt% Mg-10 wt% $NbF_5$ dehydrided at n=3 revealed Mg, ${\beta}-MgH_2$, a small amount of MgO and very small amounts of $MgH_2$ and $NbH_2$. The 90 wt% Mg-10 wt% $NbF_5$ had a higher initial hydriding rate and a larger quantity of hydrogen absorbed for 60 min than the 90 wt% Mg-10 wt% MnO and the 90 wt% Mg-10 wt% $Fe_2O_3$, which were reported to have quite high hydriding rates and/or dehydriding rates. The 90 wt% Mg-10 wt% $NbF_5$ had a higher initial dehydriding rate (after an incubation period) and a larger quantity of hydrogen desorbed for 60 min than the 90 wt% Mg-10 wt% MnO and the 90 wt% Mg-10 wt% $Fe_2O_3$.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.1347-1354
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• 2006

The aims of this study were to establish a simple and effective method for isolating male germline stem cells (GSCs), and to test the possibility of using these cells as a new approach for male infertility treatment. Testes obtained from neonatal and adult mice were manually decapsulated. GSCs were collected from seminiferous tubules by a two-step enzyme digestion method and plated on gelatin-coated dishes. Over 5-7 days of culture, GSCs obtained from neonates and adults gave rise to large multicellular colonies that were subsequently grown for 10 passages. During in vitro proliferation, oct-4 and two immunological markers (Integrin ${\beta}1,\;{\alpha}6$) for GSCs were highly expressed in the cell colonies. During another culture period of 6 weeks to differentiate to later stage germ cells, the expression of oct-4 mRNA decreased in GSCs and Sertoli cells encapsulated with calcium alginate, but the expression of c-kit and testis-specific histone protein 2B(TH2B) mRNA as well as the localization of c-kit protein was increased. Expression of transition protein (TP-l) and localization of peanut agglutinin were not seen until 3 weeks after culturing, and appeared by 6 weeks of culture. The putative spermatids derived from GSCs supported embryonic development up to the blastocyst stage with normal chromosomal ploidy after chemical activation. Thus, GSCs isolated from neonatal and adult mouse testes were able to be maintained and proliferated in our simple culture conditions. These GSCs have the potential to differentiate into haploid germ cells during another long-term culture.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.249-257
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• 1991

To elucidate enzymatic properties of ${\alpha}-galactosidase$ (EC 3, 2, 1, 22) from germinated soybean, changes in the enzyme activities and oligosaccharide contents during germination of soybean were determined. ${\alpha}-Galactosidase$ from germinated soybean was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation, ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. Their chemical and enzymatic properties was investigated. ${\alpha}-galactosidase$ activity of sobeam was maximized when it was germinated at $25^{\circ}C$ for 120 hour. Raffinose and stachyose in soybean were decomposed completely after 96 hours and 120 hours of germination, respectively. Soybean ${\alpha}-galactosidase$ was purified by 6.6 fold by ammonium sulfate fractionation, ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-Cellulose and Sephadex A-50, and gel filtration on Sephadex G-150. Its specific activity was 825 Units/mg protein and the yield was 2.5% of the total activity of crude extracts. The purified ${\alpha}-galactosidase$ of soybean was found to be homogeneous by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by HPLC. Isoelectric point of soybean ${\alpha}-galactosidase$ was determined analytical isoelectric focusing to be pH 4.8. The soybean ${\alpha}-galactosidase$ was monomeric and its molecular weight was estimated to be 30,000 by SDS-PAGE. The optimal temperature and pH for the soybeam ${\alpha}-galactosidase$ activity were $40^{\circ}C$ and pH 6.0 and 75% of its activity was lost by heating at $60^{\circ}C$ for 10 min. The enzyme was appeared to have higher affinity to raffinose than to stachyose. The Km value of soybean enzyme was 5.3 mM for ${\rho}-nitrophenyl-{\alpha}-D-galactopyranoside$ and the activation energy on PNPG was calculated to be 13.02 Kcal per mole.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.149-156
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• 2011

Golgi SNAP receptor complex 1 (GS28) has been implicated in vesicular transport between intra-Golgi networks and between endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi. Additional role(s) of GS28 within cells have not been well characterized. We observed decreased expression of GS28 in rat ischemic hippocampus. In this study, we examined the role of GS28 and its molecular mechanisms in neuronal (SK-N-SH) cell death induced by hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$). GS28 siRNA-transfected cells treated with $H_2O_2$ showed a significant increase in cytotoxicity under glutathione (GSH)-depleted conditions after pretreatment with buthionine sulfoximine, which corresponded to an increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cells. Pretreatment of GS28 siRNA-transfected cells with p38 chemical inhibitor significantly inhibited cytotoxicity; we also observed that p38 was activated in the cells by immunoblot analysis. We confirmed the role of p38 MAPK in cotransfected cells with GS28 siRNA and p38 siRNA in the cell viability assay, flow cytometry, and immunoblot. Involvement of apoptotic or autophagic processes in the cells was not shown in the cell viability, flow cytometry, and immunoblot analyses. However, pretreatment of the cells with necrostatin-1 completely inhibited $H_2O_2$-induced cytotoxicity, ROS generation, and p38 activation, indicating that the cell death is necroptotic. Collectively these data imply that $H_2O_2$ induces necroptotic cell death in the GS28 siRNA-transfected cells and that the necroptotic signals are mediated by sequential activations in RIP1/p38/ROS. Taken together, these results indicate that GS28 has a protective role in $H_2O_2$-induced necroptosis via inhibition of p38 MAPK in GSH-depleted neuronal cells.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.220-225
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• 2013

The adsorption characteristics of phenol by the powdered activated carbon (PAC) were investigated by series of batch experiments. The pseudo-second-order model described the adsorption kinetics adequately with correlation coefficients over 0.999, indicating chemical adsorption as the rate-limiting step. The kinetic rate constants were from 0.55 to 19.81 mg $mg^{-1}min^{-1}$. The adsorption isotherm followed the Langmuir isotherm, indicating the homogeneous mono-layer adsorption onto the surface of the adsorbent. The values of activation energy, enthalpy and entropy were 17.44 kJ $mol^{-1}$, -8.26 kJ $mol^{-1}$ and -18.94 J $mol^{-1}K^{-1}$, respectively. The Gibbs free energy was in the range of -2.89~-2.14 kJ $mol^{-1}$. The results show that the phenol adsorption is physical, spontaneous and exothermic reaction.