• Applied Microscopy
• /
• v.38 no.4
• /
• pp.293-306
• /
• 2008

The essential factor of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), an acute lung injury accompanied commonly by sepsis syndrome is accumulation of neutrophils in lung tissue. The study attempted to confirm whether a lung injury would be decreased with the anti-inflammatory effect of germanium by the treated germanium prior to the development of ARDS and whether nitric oxide influence in suppressing a lung injury. Test groups were divided in the following structure for experiment; CON that has been administered with sodium chloride to airway, LPS administered with endotoxin for 5 hours in the same amount and 5 hours of endotoxin administered Ge+LPS following 1 hours of pre-treated germanium. The result of a test using experimental animals, infilteration of neutrophils (p<0.001) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was significantly decreased, the structure of lung tissue was preserved relatively well, and much neutrophils with distinct positive were observed on tunel staining which showed increase of apoptotic neutrophils in the pre-treated germanium group compare to the endotoxin administrated group. In observation of ultrastructural changes of cell in BALF, phagocytic alveolar macrophage was increased in alveolar space, the nucleus of most engulfed neutrophils were condensed, and some apoptosis neutrophils appears to be DNA fragmentation and effacement of cellular organelles were found in intercellular matrix in the pre-treated germanium group. However, the nitric oxide showed increase in all the groups excluding CON, and the nitric oxide effect such as degranulation diminishing of mast cells and apoptosis increase of neutrophils in the pre-treated group only. The situation appears that there was change in internal environment of the experimental animal by the pre-treated germanium before the nitric oxide is produced and the anti-inflammatory effect activated the pre-processed germanium by nitric oxide which activated following the change. Therefore, the nitric oxide created from macrophage in accordance with the pre-treated germanium appears to influence in alleviating a lung injury. Accordingly, acute lung injury is alleviated by the anti-inflammatory effect of germanium such as inhibition of neutrophils migration, induction of neutrophil apoptosis and increase of phagocytic function of phagocyte, and the nitric oxide produced from activated macrophage by germanium would influence in suppressing a lung injury.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.203-213
• /
• 2011

Agriculture modern environments can vary due to factors such as land consolidation and ditch enhancement projects. But, these improvements projects can include cover-ing-up of irrigation ditches with concrete, increasing the drop between paddy field and drainage ditches, which might decrease the abundance and diversity of fish fauna around paddy fields. In this study, for the management of agrobiodiversity on fish in paddy fields, we installed a small-scale fishways between paddy fields and drainage ditches, and evaluated the effects on the eco-connection of the paddy fields, ditches and stream. Five fish species were recovered at the drainage ditches. The species exhibited characteristics spawning and growth based on the paddy field. The results indicate that the five fish species could ascend the paddy fields through the small-scale fishways. There are no difference of species numbers at ditches of environment-friendly agriculture paddy fields (A) and good agricultural practices (B) region, but individual numbers were higher at the B region. This result could be interpreted as indicating that ditch diversity was affected by positional properties rather than farming practices because the water flow and connection to adjacent stream of B region were better than A region. After ascertaining the fish species capable of ascending in a pre-survey of the drainage ditches, we set up small-scale fishways at the drop between paddy fields and drainage ditches. Three species of fish (Aphyocypris chinensis, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, M. mizolepis) arrived at the paddy fields via small-scale fishways. The main movement time was from 18:00~24:00 and 00:00~06:00, indicating a preference for the night time period rather than the day period for migration. Concentrating the operation time from night to dawn seems prudent for effective management of small-scale fishways.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.54 no.1
• /
• pp.80-90
• /
• 2003

Background : Goblet cell hyperplasia is a critical pathological feature in hypersecretory diseases of the airways. A bacterial infection of the lung is also known to induce inflammatory responses, which can lead to the overproduction of mucus. Recently, mucin synthesis in the airways has been reported to be regulated by neutrophilic inflammation-induced epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression and activation. In addition, it was reported that migration of the activated neutrophils is dependent on the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), especially MMP-9. In this study, bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced goblet cell hyperplasia and mucus hypersecretion by EGFR cascade, resulting from the MMPs-dependent neutrophilic inflammation were investigated in the rat airways. Methods : Pathogen-free Sprague-Dawley rats were studied in vivo. Various concentrations of LPS were instilled into the trachea in $300{\mu}{\ell}$ PBS (LPS group). Sterile PBS ($300{\mu}{\ell}$) was instilled into the trachea of the control animals (control group). The airways were examined on different days after instilling LPS. For an examination of the relationship between the LPS-induced goblet cell hyperplasia and MMPs, the animals were pretreated 3 days prior to the LPS instillation and daily thereafter with the matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor (MMPI; 20 mg/Kg/day of CMT-3; Collagenex Pharmaceuticals, USA). The neutrophilic infiltration was quantified as a number in five high power fields (HPF). The alcian blue/periodic acid-Schiff (AB/PAS) stain were performed for the mucus glycoconjugates and the immunohistochemical stains were performed for MUC5AC, EGFR and MMP-9. Their expressions were quantified by an image analysis program and were expressed by the percentage of the total bronchial epithelial area. Results : The instillation of LPS induced AB/PAS and MUC5AC staining in the airway epithelium in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Treatment with the MMPI prevented the LPS-induced goblet cell hyperplasia significantly. The instillation of LPS into the trachea induced also EGFR expression in the airway epithelium. The control airway epithelium contained few leukocytes, but the intratracheal instillation of LPS resulted in a neutrophilic recruitment. A pretreatment with MMPI prevented neutrophilic recruitment, EGFR expression, and goblet cell hyperplasia in the LPS-instilled airway epithelium. Conclusion : Matrix metalloproteinase is involved in LPS-induced mucus hypersecretion, resulting from a neutrophilic inflammation and EGFR cascade. These results suggest a potential therapeutic role of MMPI in the treatment of mucus hypersecretion that were associated with a bacterial infection of the airways.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.25 no.7
• /
• pp.801-809
• /
• 2015

Homotypic cell adhesion (homotypic aggregation) in activated monocytes plays a central role in physiological and pathological processes including inflammatory responses, differentiation and migration. The extract of the Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc. fruit (Maesil) has potential benefits to human health; such as anti-viral, anti-microbial, and anti-cancer activities. Indeed, Maesil extract may modulate inflammatory responses via interference with homotypic aggregation in monocytes. In the present study, the molecular mechanisms underpinning the therapeutic efficacy of Maesil extract in inflammatory diseases were investigated. It was found that Maesil extract inhibited homotypic aggregation in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated monocytes. This was mediated by reduction of nitric oxide (NO) production, partly via inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in LPS-activated THP-1 cells. It was confirmed that NO inhibition is a key mechanism in Maesil induced blockade of monocyte aggregation through identification of reversal of this inhibitory effect by the NO-producing agent S-nitroso-N-acetyl penicillamine (SNAP). In addition, Maesil extract significantly attenuated LPS-induced IκB-α phosphorylation and NF-κB translocation into the nucleus. In conclusion, Maesil extract exerts anti-inflammatory effects via inhibition of homotypic aggregation of LPS-activated monocytes through mechanisms involving the suppression of NO production and NF-κB activity, suggesting Maesil extract as a potential therapeutic candidate for the prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.463-471
• /
• 2006

Electrical resistivity surveys were conducted at areas of abandoned landfills in Cheonan and Wonju. Geology and extent of leachate migration around the landfills were evaluated with collected resistivity data by 2-D and 3-D resistivity inverse modeling. The Cheonan landfill is located above the paddy fields and the resistivity survey lines were crossed to examine possible pollution at the paddy fields by leakage of the landfill leachate. In Wonju, the landfill and the downgradient paddy fields are divided by a concrete barrier wall. At the bottom of the landfill, there is a leachate settlement system, which has not been in operation. To evaluate leachate leakage into the paddy fields, a total of 4 survey lines were used. According to the resistivity survey results, the landfill leachate in Cheonan appeared to be restricted only within the interior of the landfill, not to migrate into the subsurface of the paddy fields. These results are well consistent with electrical conductivity values of groundwaters obtained from a periodic analysis of water qualities. In Wonju, however, it was inferred that the leachate emanating from the landfill migrated beneath the abandoned leachate settlement system and the leachate would reach the downgradient paddy fields. Low resistivity area was observed in the old reservoir area and it appeared to be derived from convergence of groundwater flows from the surrounding valley and the moist wet land. In addition, groundwater flow into the paddy fields occurs beneath the old reservoir embankment at depths of $7{\sim}8m$. This paper reports details of the resistivity surveys for the uncontrolled landfills.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.360-377
• /
• 2016

Since after the 1986 economic reform policy(Doi Moi), the central highland in Vietnam has transformed into one of the largest coffee producing areas. The transformation had been supported by mass migration of ethnic Kinhs from the coastal lowland. It did not take long for the Kinh migrants to be the ethnic majority in the region. Meanwhile the growth of coffee industry entailed in socio-economic disparity, specially between Kinh migrants and native ethnic minorities. The disparity has becomed obvious not only between coffee farming Kinhs and non-coffee farming ethnic minorities but also between coffee farming Kinhs and ehtnic minorities. The previous literatures highlight the lack of human and social capital and the lagging modernization in ethnic minority societies. However, they fall short in showing the explicit processes why ethnic minority coffee farmers earn less than ethnic majority counterparts. With a case study of Dak Lak province, this research attempts to show the reason why there is income gap between Kinh and ethnic minority Ede coffee farmers by comparing their ways of producing coffee and selling their products. The results show that Ede's land productivity is significantly lower than Kinh's. It is because Ede farmers use less fertilizer due to the shortage of the capital. Also they often get into debt for coffee production and should pay it back right after the harvest. It deprives them of chance to raise earning by selling the coffee beans at a higher price.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
• /
• v.26 no.2 s.55
• /
• pp.153-162
• /
• 1996

Rapid maxillary expansion is widely used for the correction of anteroposterior discrepancies, constriction of the maxillary arch, etc. This experiment was undertaken to examine the serial changes in the osteogenesis as well as the collagen fiber bundles in the intermaxillary suture during the rapid maxillary expansion treatment. Four young female dogs aged 6 to 8 months old and not showing menarche yet were used for the experiment. The maxillary impression of dogs were taken, expansion device cast and Hyrax screw soldered at the midline in the 1st premolar area. RME device was delivered to the dogs and the activation of 0.25 mm per quarter-turn was done 2 times per day for 10 days until 5 mm separation was made. Separation of the maxilla was confirmed by X-ray. The animals were sacrificed on 0, 15, 30, 60 days from the finish of maxillary separation and preparations for light microscopy and surface electron microscopy were made. The sutures were cut into frontal serial sections for examination of the histological reactions. The following results were obtained and the conclusions made. 1. The edges of the two palatal plates bordering the midpalatal suture which at the beginning of the retention period were mainly composed of compact bone, underwent extensive resorption followed by new bone formation and gradually became spongy bone rich in bone marrow which in the 60 day retention animal became the compact bone with short intermaxillary suture space. During this transformation, newly formed trabecular bone tissues were added to the original margin. 2. Throughout the expansion period, the collagen fibers underwent successive changes such as stretching, loss of polarity, and finally fibrillogenesis. Towards the end of the expansion procedure, sharpey's fiber formation in newly formed bones were observed. 3. Bony spicules were found in the initial stage of retention on occlusal topographic X-rays, which later were confirmed to have ossified. 4. Judging from the histological changes occuring during the experimental expansion, excessive expansion will cause an excessive bleeding, and retard the remodeling of intermaxillary suture. According to the above results, the bone remodeling after rapid maxillary expansion was preceded by the migration of migratory cells into the intermaxillary suture area. The bone remodeling phenomena were on-going during the 2 months retention sample.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.38 no.11
• /
• pp.1492-1498
• /
• 2009

In the dermis, fibroblast plays an important role in the turnover of the dermal extracellular matrix. Collagen I and III, which are the most important dermal proteins of the extracellular matrix, function as a stabilizing scaffold of dermal connective tissues, as well as a regulator of differentiation and migration of dermal cells. In this study, we investigated the effect of various nutrients, such as ascorbic acid, silicon, Fe, lysine and proline which function as cofactors or building blocks on collagen synthesis. When the physiological concentrations of ascorbic acid (0-100 ${\mu}M$), silicon (0-50 ${\mu}M$), Fe (0-50 ${\mu}M$), lysine (0-150 ${\mu}M$) and proline (0-300 ${\mu}M$) were treated at HS27 for either 3 or 5 days, 5 day treatment of ascorbic acid at the low concentration (5-10 ${\mu}M$) increased the expression of collagen I and III protein by 115-1300% without increasing cell proliferation. 3 or 5 days treatment of Fe increased the expression of collagen I and III proteins up to 323% in parallel with cell proliferation by 164%. However, cell proliferation and expression of collagen I and III protein in silicon treated HS27 did not differ. Proline and lysine only increased cell proliferation up to 247.9%. Taken together, we demonstrate that the physiological concentrations of ascorbic acid and Fe enhance the expression of collagen I and III protein for treatment of 3 or 5 days.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.171-182
• /
• 2018

We performed the seismic field data processing using an open-source software (Madagascar) to verify if it is applicable to processing of field data, which has low signal-to-noise ratio and high uncertainties in velocities. The Madagascar, based on Python, is usually supposed to be better in the development of processing technologies due to its capabilities of multidimensional data analysis and reproducibility. However, this open-source software has not been widely used so far for field data processing because of complicated interfaces and data structure system. To verify the effectiveness of the Madagascar software on field data, we applied it to a typical seismic data processing flow including data loading, geometry build-up, F-K filter, predictive deconvolution, velocity analysis, normal moveout correction, stack, and migration. The field data for the test were acquired in Gunsan Basin, Yellow Sea using a streamer consisting of 480 channels and 4 arrays of air-guns. The results at all processing step are compared with those processed with Landmark's ProMAX (SeisSpace R5000) which is a commercial processing software. Madagascar shows relatively high efficiencies in data IO and management as well as reproducibility. Additionally, it shows quick and exact calculations in some automated procedures such as stacking velocity analysis. There were no remarkable differences in the results after applying the signal enhancement flows of both software. For the deeper part of the substructure image, however, the commercial software shows better results than the open-source software. This is simply because the commercial software has various flows for de-multiple and provides interactive processing environments for delicate processing works compared to Madagascar. Considering that many researchers around the world are developing various data processing algorithms for Madagascar, we can expect that the open-source software such as Madagascar can be widely used for commercial-level processing with the strength of expandability, cost effectiveness and reproducibility.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.223-233
• /
• 2006

The annual and spatial changes in the species composition of catch off Yeosu were analyzed using the daily sales slip catch data by a set net in the inshore waters off Dolsan Islands in Yeosu from April to October 2001, off Yeon Islands of Yeosu from April to October 2002 and in the offshore waters off Dolsan Islands of Yeosu from April to December 2003, respectively. Scomberomorus niphonius, Seriola spp., Trichiurus lepturus, Engraulis japonicus, Sarda orientalis, Todarodes pacificus, Pampus echinogaster, Sardinella zunasi, Scomber japonicus, Lophius litulon and Loligo beka were dominant species in abundance, indicating that pelagic fish were mainly caught by a set net off Yeosu. S. zunasi, P. echinogaster, Platycephalus indicus and L. beka inhabited mainly in the inshore waters, and S. niphonius, Seriola spp., T. lepturus, P. echinogaster, T. pacificus, Takifugu porphyreus and Pagrus major resided mainly in the offshore waters as the pelagic resident species. E. japonicus was a representative dominant species moving between the inshore and the offshore waters seasonally. S. zunasi and E. japonicus occurred in the inshore waters, and E. japonicus, L. litulon and Seriola spp. begain to be caught in the deep offshore waters in spring. Total catch was high during the summer season by migration of the open sea species such as T. lepturus, S. niphonius, S. japonicus, Seriola spp., S. orientalis, P. echinogaster and T. pacificus. In fall, S. niphonius, E. japonicus, Sphyraena pinguis, Siganus fuscescens and Leiognathus nuchalis were dominant in the inshore waters, and S. niphonius, P. echinogaster, Hyporhamphus sajori, S. japonicus and T. lepturus continued to occur from summer in the offshore waters but total catch decreased, indicating the typical seasonal variation pattern of the temperate region. Most of catchable fishes by a set net were the pelagic species showing a significant temporal variation. Collection and analysis of daily catch data by large set nets can be used to determine seasonal variation in species composition of pelagic fish in a study area.