• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.946-950
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• 2012

The antioxidant activity and whitening effect of the distilled water (DW) and ethanol extracts of the Prunus persica flower and calyx were studied. In the oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC) assay for antioxidant activity measurement, it was confirmed that the flower extract was stronger than the calyx extract, and that the ethanol extract was relatively stronger than the DW extract. To define the whitening effect, an experiment was conducted involving tyrosinase inhibitory assay and measurement of the melanin content of B16F10. As a result of the use of tyrosinase, the DW extract of calyx showed 53% inhibition as the highest activity. The melanin content inhibitory rates were defined as 57% for the ethanol flower extract and 63% of the ethanol calyx extract, based on a $10{\mu}g/mL$ concentration. Based on these results, mixture with the whitening effect in the extract of P. persica and another compounds should be researched for development as a cosmetic ingredient.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.325-333
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• 2017

This study aimed to investigate the various biological activities of Geranium thunbergii such as antimicrobial activity and protective effect against oxidative damage. To evaluate its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, we first performed methanol extraction; this methanol extract was further partitioned using various solvents. And then, its antioxidant activity was measured using various assays including total phenolic content and protection against oxidative DNA damage, and antimicrobial activities were examined using minimum inhibiting concentration (MIC) test, and paper disc method. In addition, high-performance liquid chromatography was performed to analyze the major chemical components of ethyl acetate fraction. The G. thunbergii fraction with ethyl acetate exhibited higher antioxidant and antimicrobial activities than the other fractions. The results showed that G. thunbergii ethyl acetate fraction at $50{\mu}g/mL$ had strong DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities of 80.88% and 80.12%, respectively. In addition, the ethyl acetate fraction protected DNA from the oxidative damage induced by ferrous ion and hydroxyl radicals and showed high antimicrobial activity with diameter of inhibition zones ranging from 13.33 to 15.67 mm. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed the major phenolic compounds of G. thunbergii to be ellagic acid and gallic acid. These results suggest that G. thunbergii might protect DNA against oxidative stress induced by reactive oxygen species and can be utilized as a natural source of antioxidant and antimicrobial agent in the food industry.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.7-14
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• 2013

The objectives of this study were to identify the characteristics of groundwater in the petroleum contaminated site and to evaluate the applicability of house-type landfarm facilities heated with briquette stoves in winter season. The six monitoring wells were installed at the site where pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature were all measured. Also groundwater contaminants, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene and total petroleum hydrocarbon, were analyzed twice. House-type two landfarm facilities ($12m{\times}40m{\times}4.8m$) each installed with four briquette stoves were constructed. During four rounds treatment process, VOCs, moisture, temperature were monitored and soil contaminants were analyzed. The pH was 6.37 and considered subacid and DO was measured to be 3.12 mg/L. The temperature of groundwater was measured to be $9.48^{\circ}C$. The groundwater contaminants were detected only in the monitoring wells within the contaminated area or close to it showing that the groundwater contaminated area was similar to the soil contaminated area. During the landfarm process, 73.3% of VOCs concentration in interior gas was decreased and moisture was lowered from 17.7% to 13.4%. In the morning, at 8:00 am, the temperature was decreased showing soil ($5.5^{\circ}C$) > interior ($4.8^{\circ}C$) > exterior ($3.5^{\circ}C$). In the afternoon, at 2:00 pm, the temperature was soil ($8.6^{\circ}C$) < interior ($9.9^{\circ}C$) < exterior ($11.5^{\circ}C$) with solar radiation. The temperature difference between interior and exterior was $0.7^{\circ}C$ in the morning, but it was $1.6^{\circ}C$ in the afternoon. A total of 130 days were taken for four round landfarm processes. Each process was completed within 33 days showing 80% of cleanup efficiency ($1^{st}$ order dissipation rate(k) = 0.1771).

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.397-403
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• 2015

Heavy metals reduce the photosynthetic efficiency and disrupt metabolic reactions in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, by replacing the metal ions in metalloproteins that use essential metal ions, such as Cu, Zn, Mn, and Fe, as co-factors, heavy metals ultimately lead to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These, in turn, cause destruction of the cell membrane through lipid peroxidation, and eventually cause the plant to necrosis. Given the aforementioned factors, this study was aimed to understand the physiological responses of rice to cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) toxicity and the effect of essential metal ions on homeostasis. In order to confirm the level of physiological inhibition caused by heavy metal toxicity, hydroponically grown rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Dongjin) plants were exposed with $0-50{\mu}M$ cadmium (Cd, $CdCl_2$) and arsenic (As, $NaAsO_2$) at 3-leaf stage, and then investigated malondialdehyde (MDA) contents after 7 days of the treatment. With increasing concentrations of Cd and As, the MDA content in leaf blade and root increased with a consistent trend. At 14 days after treatment with $30{\mu}M$ Cd and As, plant height showed no significant difference between Cd and As, with an identical reduction. However, As caused a greater decline than Cd for shoot fresh weight, dry weight, and water content. The largest amounts of Cd and As were found in the roots and also observed a large amount of transport to the leaf sheath. Interestingly, in terms of Cd transfer to the shoot parts of the plant, it was only transported to upper leaf blades, and we did not detect any Cd in lower leaf blades. However, As was transferred to a greater level in lower leaf blades than in upper leaf blades. In the roots, Cd inhibited Zn absorption, while As inhibited Cu uptake. Furthermore, in the leaf sheath, while Cd and As treatments caused no change in Cu homeostasis, they had an antagonist effect on the absorption of Zn. Finally, in both upper and lower leaf blades, Cd and As toxicity was found to inhibit absorption of both Cu and Zn. Based on these results, it would be considered that heavy metal toxicity causes an increase in lipid peroxidation. This, in turn, leads to damage to the conductive tissue connecting the roots, leaf sheath, and leaf blades, which results in a reduction in water content and causes several physiological alterations. Furthermore, by disrupting homeostasis of the essential metal ions, Cu and Zn, this causes complete heavy metal toxicity.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.684-689
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• 2021

In this paper, we develop a cost effective and disposable voltammetric sensing platform involving screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) modified with the nanocomposites composed of multi-walled carbon nanotubes, polyelectrolyte, and tyrosinase for bisphenol A. This is known as an endocrine disruptor which is also related to chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular and female reproductive diseases, precocious puberty, and infertility. A negatively charged oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) wrapped with a positively charged polyelectrolyte, e.g., polydiallyldimethylammonium, was first wrapped with a negatively charged tyrosinae layer via electrostatic interaction and assembled onto oxygen plasma treated SPCE. The nanocomposite modified SPCE was then immersed into different concentrations of bisphenol A for a given time where the tyrosinase reacted with OH group in the bisphenol A to produce the product, 4,4'-isopropylidenebis(1,2-benzoquinone). Cyclic and differential pulse voltammetries at the potential of -0.08 V vs. Ag/AgCl was employed and peak current changes responsible to the reduction of 4,4'-isopropylidenebis(1,2-benzoquinone) were measured which linearly increased with respect to the bisphenol A concentration. In addition, the SPCE based sensor showed excellent selectivity toward an interferent agent, bisphenol S, which has a very similar structure. Finally, the sensor was applied to the analysis of bisphenol A present in an environmental sample solution prepared in our laboratory.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.582-594
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• 2018

In this study, the vertical and horizontal flow wetlands were combined in series to create conditions for flow in the exhalation and anaerobic state with the aim of monitoring the variability and reduction of dissolved organic matterin the bio-reactive artificial wetlands, and the performance assessment was conducted as acrylic reaction groups by designing artificial wetlands that filled the functionalresiduals. In case of artificial wetlands in vertical and horizontal planes, the concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) in the reaction tank was measured as 2.7 mg/L in the vertical flow wetlands under exhalation, and N.D. in the horizontal flow artificial wetlands under anaerobic conditions. The test was carried out by changing the operation time to 140 min, 80 min, and 60 min. The test was conducted with the same natural operation time of 20 min depending on the operation time. All hours of operation were shown to be due to microbial activity. In 3D-EEM, it was found that the longer the driving time was taken, the more reduction the organic compounds in the areas of insoluble human resources, III and V. Further research on the mechanism analysis of future reduction effects is expected to be carried out, but the findings are expected to contribute to the development of technologies for reducing obfuscated substances using artificial wetlands in the future.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1268-1276
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• 2018

The cytidine analog decitabine (DEC) acts as a nucleic acid synthesis inhibitor, whereas ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) is an inhibitor of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible synergistic inhibitory effect of these two inhibitors on proliferation of human gastric cancer AGS cells. The inhibitory effect of PDTC on AGS cell proliferation was significantly increased by DEC in a concentration-dependent manner, and this inhibition was associated with cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and the induction of apoptosis. This induction of apoptosis by the co-treatment with PDTC and DEC was related to the induction of DNA damage, as assessed by H2AX phosphorylation. Further studies demonstrated that co-treatment with PDTC and DEC induced the disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, increased the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the expression of pro-apoptotic Bax, and down-regulated the expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, ultimately resulting in the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytoplasm. Co-treatment with PDTC and DEC also activated caspase-8 and caspase-9, which are representative caspases of the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways. Co-treatment also activated caspase-3, which was accompanied by proteolytic degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. Taken together, these data clearly indicated that co-treatment with PDTC and DEC suppressed the proliferation of AGS cells by increasing DNA damage and activating the ROS-mediated extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.20-31
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• 2019

Objectives: The seeds from Arctium lappa have been considered for its various pharmacological properties, which include anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and anti-viral activities. Methods: In the present study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of the ethanol extract from the seeds of Arctium lappa L (EAL) on cytokine-induced vascular inflammation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Results: Pretreatment with EAL significantly decreased tumor necrosis factor alpha ($TNF-{\alpha}$)-induced cell adhesion molecules expression such as intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and endothelial-selectin (E-selectin) in a dose-dependent manner. Cell adhesion assay showed that pretreatment with EAL suppressed HUVEC-monocyte adhesion by $TNF-{\alpha}$ over $1{\mu}g/ml$ concentration. We investigated the involvement of nuclear transcription factor kappa-B ($NF-{\kappa}B$) in $TNF-{\alpha}$-induced vascular inflammation. $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65 nuclear expression was induced by $TNF-{\alpha}$, however, pretreatment with EAL was attenuated that nuclear translocation. In cytoplasm, EAL was also attenuated $TNF-{\alpha}$-induced decrease of inhibitor of ${\kappa}B-{\alpha}$ ($I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$) expression. Moreover, EAL significantly decreased $TNF-{\alpha}$-induced production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Conclusions: Taken together, our findings suggest that seeds of Arctium lappa L could be a therapeutic herb for prevention of cardiovascular diseases throughout the inhibition of vascular endothelial inflammation.

• ALGAE
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.111-126
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• 2019

The phototrophic dinoflagellate Biecheleriopsis adriatica is a small suessioid species characterized by a fragile thin wall. Although the morphology of this dinoflagellate is well established, there is currently little information available on its distribution and the environmental factors that influence this distribution. Thus, to investigate the spatial and seasonal distributions of the vegetative cells of B. adriatica in Korean waters, surface water samples were collected on a seasonal basis from 28 stations in the East, West, and South Sea of Korea and Jeju Island from April 2015 to October 2018, and abundances of the vegetative cells of B. adriatica were quantified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions, for which we developed the species-specific primer and probe set. Simultaneously, major environmental parameters, including temperature, salinity, nutrient concentrations, and dissolved oxygen concentrations were measured. The vegetative cells of B. adriatica were detected at 20 of the 28 sampling stations: 19 stations in summer and 6 in autumn, although from no stations in either spring or winter. The ranges of water temperature and salinity at sites where this species was detected were $17.7-26.4^{\circ}C$ and 9.9-34.3, respectively, whereas those of nitrate and phosphate concentrations were not detectable-96.2 and $0.18-2.66{\mu}M$, respectively. Thus, the sites at which this species is found are characterized by a narrow range of temperature, but wide ranges of salinity and concentrations of nitrate and phosphate. The highest abundance of the vegetative cells of B. adriatica was $41.7cells\;mL^{-1}$, which was recorded in Jinhae Bay in July 2018. In Jinhae Bay, the abundance of vegetative cells was significantly positively correlated with the concentration of nitrate, but was negatively correlated with salinity. On the basis of these findings, it appears that the abundance of B. adriatica vegetative cells shows strong seasonality, and in Jinhae Bay, could be affected by the concentrations of nitrate.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.57-63
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• 2019

This study was conducted to find out the effect that ${\kappa}-Carrageenan$ has on the properties of dog sperm when it was added to the cryoprotectant. Extender basically was contained 1.21 g Trizma base, 0.67 g citric acid, 0.4 g glucose, 0.03 g penicillin G, 0.05 g streptomycin sulfate. Extender1 was added with 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, and 0.5% carrageenan, while extender2 was supplemented with glycerol. After freezing-thawing, the motility, viability, acrosome integrity, apoptosis, and ROS (reactive oxygen specifications) of sperm were measured to analyze the effects of the supplementation of carrageenan. Total Motile (TM), Rapid Progressive Motile (RPM), Medium Progressive Motile (MPM), and Immotile were measured through the CASA system after thawing in 37 degree water. Extender with 0.2% ${\kappa}-carrageenan$ ($64.26{\pm}0.49$) was significantly higher than control ($40.24{\pm}8.27$) (p < 0.05). RPMs of extender with 0.1%, 0.2% ${\kappa}-carrageenan$ ($57.64{\pm}6.34$, $56.47{\pm}1.35$) were significantly higher than the other groups (p < 0.05). Acrosome integrity was measured by dyeing to PSA-FITC with an epifluorescence microscope. Normal acrosome ratio of extender with 0.5% ${\kappa}-carrageenan$ ($61{\pm}8.03$) was higher than the other groups (p < 0.05). Apoptosis was measured with a FACSCalibur flow cytometer using FITC (FITC Annexin V Apoptosis Detection Kit). Treated groups of ${\kappa}-carrageenan$ of 0.1% ($0.81{\pm}0.05$), 0.2% ($0.85{\pm}0.05$) were significantly higer (p < 0.05) than control. Modified SYBR/PI staining was used for determination of viability and DCF staining was used for evaluation of ROS. Viability and ROS were not significantly different from other groups. In conclusion, adding a certain concentration of carrageenan to the extender of cryopreservation, carrageenan contributes to the improvement of the sperm motility, acrosome integrity and prevention of apoptosis.