• 한국환경농학회지
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.108-116
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• 2013

BACKGROUND: Certain crop-based waste materials have been recognized as cost-effective and highly efficient adsorbents for removal and recovery of different kind of heavy metals from aqueous solutions. The ability is strongly attributed to the carboxyl functional group of some pectin substances such as galacturonic acid often found in fruit peels. The present manuscript was aimed at assessing the potential applicability of banana peel for metal removal from contaminated waters. METHODS AND RESULTS: As revealed by laboratory investigations, banana peel contains pectin (10-21%), lignin (6-12%), cellulose (7.6-9.6%), and hemicelluloses (6.4-9.4%). The pectin extraction is reported to have glucose, galactose, arabinose, rhamnose, xylose, and galactouroninc acid. Several studies conducted under different conditions proved that banana peel is capable of adsorbing 5.71, 2.55, 28.00, 6.88, 7.97, and 5.80 mg/g of $Cd^{2+}$, $Co^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, $Ni^{2+}$, $Pb^{2+}$, and $Zn^{2+}$, respectively, from aqueous solutions. Adsorption capacity is, however, dependent upon several factors including solution pH, dose of adsorbent and metal concentration, contact time and shaking speed. CONCLUSION(S): Since the annual world production of banana exceeds 100 million tons, about 40 million tons of banana peel (40% of total weight of the fresh fruit) remains vastly unused. Exploring a sound technology with banana peel would therefore, not only address the much needed sustainable tool for cleaning contaminated waters, but of course bring an additional value to the banana industry worldwide.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제16권5호
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• pp.773-788
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• 2003

Ostrich farming is a developing industry in most countries in the world, with farm profitability being largely dependent on the quality of the products, especially skins and meat. To produce quality products, it is essential to ensure that nutrient supply matches the nutrient requirements of ostriches during their growth. To achieve this, information on feed utilisation efficiency and nutrient requirements of ostriches at different maturity stages is required. In South Africa, a number of experiments were carried out to assess the nutritive value of feed and to define the nutrient requirement of ostriches. These data were derived from limited number of birds and the direct application of the results to ostrich farming in Australia and other countries is questionable due to the difference in environment and feed resources. Initially ostrich farmers used data from poultry as a guideline for feed formulation, but in recent years more data has become available for ostriches. Ostriches have a better feed utilisation efficiency and a larger capacity of using high fibre feeds such as pastures than poultry. This review revealed that there are a number of areas there further nutritional research and development is required to ensure the ostriches are provided suitable diets to maximise farm profitability. These include the assessment of the nutritive value of feed ingredients for ostrich chicks and adult birds, the determination of nutrient requirements of ostriches under different farming systems, the development of ostrich diet for producing specific product, and grazing management strategies of ostriches in a crop-pasture rotation system.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제24권6호
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• pp.756-764
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• 2014

Apoptin, a chicken anemia virus-encoded protein, induces apoptosis in chicken or human tumor cells, localizing in their nuclei as opposed to the cytoplasm of non-transformed cells. The present study was undertaken to investigate whether ABPs1 could potentiate apoptin-induced apoptosis in HeLa cells. ABPs1 and the apoptin genes were successfully cloned into pIRES2-EGFP expression vector and expressed in HeLa cells. We report that ABPs1 augments apoptin cell growth inhibition in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The DAPI staining and scanning electron microscopy observations revealed apoptotic bodies and plasma membrane pores, which were attributed to apoptin and ABPs1, respectively. Further, ABPs1 in combination with apoptin was found to increase the expression of Bax and to decrease the expression of survivin compared with either agent alone or the control. The apoptotic rate of HeLa cells treated with ABPs1 and apoptin in combination for 48 h was 53.95%. The two-gene combination increased the caspase-3 activity of HeLa cells. Taken together, our study suggests that ABPs1 combined with apoptin significantly inhibits HeLa cell proliferation, and induces cell apoptosis through membrane defects, up-regulation of Bax expression, down-regulation of survivin expression, and activation of the caspase-3 pathway. Thus, the combination of ABPs1 and apoptin could serve as a means to develop novel gene therapeutic agents against human cervical cancer.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제41권2호
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• pp.249-252
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• 2013

닭분변으로부터 면역활성능이 뛰어난 KU801 균주를 분리하고 16S rRNA 서열분석을 통해 Bacillus amyloliquefaciens KU801로 동정하였다. B. amyloliquefaciens KU801의 영양세포와 아포세포는 인공위액 (pH 2.5, 1% pepsin)과 인공담즙 (0.3% oxgall)에 대한 저항성을 나타내었다. B. amyloliquefaciens KU801은 산화질소 (NO)의 생산을 감소시켰으나 인터루킨-$1{\alpha}$ (IL-$1{\alpha}$)의 생산은 증가시키는 것을 확인하였다. Commet assay를 통한 유전독성능에 미치는 영향을 확인한 결과, B. amyloliquefaciens KU801을 첨가하였을 때 DNA 손상을 처리 농도에 비례하여 감소시키는 것을 확인하였다. 이들 결과를 토대로, B. amyloliquefaciens KU801은 사료용 정장제로서의 이용 가능성을 확인할 수 있었다.

• 대한약리학회지
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.51-59
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• 1986

Lidocaine의 심근수축력 억제 작용에 관한 기전연구 일환으로 lidocaine에 의해 수축력이 감소된 흰쥐 적출심방에 대한 fructose의 효과를 검토하였다. Fructose는 기질제거에 의해 감소된 적출심방의 수축력을 현저히 증가시켰으며, 30mM에서 최대 증가효과를 나타냈다. Krebs-Ringer glucose용액에 현수한 적출심방의 수축력은 0.1mM lidocaine에 의해 약 50%의 감소를 나타냈으며, 30mM fructose의 투여는 이 감소된 수축력을 현저히 증가 시켰다. Lidocaine 억제심방에 대한 fructose의 실험 성적은 pyruvate나 acetate에서 얻은 실험성적과 유사하였다. 그러나 같은 농도의 fructose는 저 calcium(1/2)농도의 Krebs-Ringer glucose medium에서 감소(약 50% 감소)된 적출심방의 수축력을 증가시키지 못하였다. 이상의 결과에서 lidocaine은 심근내 포도당 대사를 해당과정에서 억제한다는 가능성을 재확인하고 있으며, 나아가서 lidocaine은 해당과정의 phosphofructokinase step 이전의 초기단계에서 억제하고 있을 가능성을 시사하고 있다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.511-517
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• 2016

Scabraside D, a sulfated triterpene glycoside extract from sea cucumber Holothulia scabra, shows various biological activities, but effects on human cholangiocarcinoma cells have not previously been reported. In the present study, we investigated the activity of scabraside D against human cholangiocarcinoma (HuCCA) both in vitro and for tumor growth inhibition in vivo using a xenograft model in nude mice. Scabraside D ($12.5-100{\mu}g/mL$) significantly decreased the viability and the migration of the HuCCA cells in a dose-dependent manner, with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of $12.8{\pm}0.05{\mu}g/mL$ at 24 h. It induced signs of apoptotic cells, including shrinkage, pyknosis and karyorrhetic nuclei and DNA fragmentation on agarose gel electrophoresis. Moreover, by quantitative real-time PCR, scabraside D effectively decreased Bcl-2 while increasing Bax and Caspase-3 gene expression levels suggesting that the scabraside D could induce apoptosis in HuCCA cells. In vivo study demonstrated that scabraside D (1 mg/kg/day, i.p. for 21 days) significantly reduced growth of the HuCCA xenografts without adverse effects on the nude mice. Conclusively, scabraside D induced apoptosis in HuCCA cells and reduced the growth of HuCCA xenographs model. Therefore, scabraside D may have potential as a new therapeutic agent for cholangiocarcinoma.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권6호
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• pp.2533-2539
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• 2012

Annona muricata L (Annonaceae), commonly known as soursop has a long, rich history in herbal medicine with a lengthy recorded indigenous use. It had also been found to be a promising new anti-tumor agent in numerous in vitro studies. The present investigation concerns chemopreventive effects in a two-stage model of skin papillomagenesis. Chemopreventive effects of an ethanolic extract of A. muricata leaves (AMLE) was evaluated in 6-7 week old ICR mice given a single topical application of 7,12-dimethylbenza(${\alpha}$)anthracene (DMBA 100ug/100ul acetone) and promotion by repeated application of croton oil (1% in acetone/twice a week) for 10 weeks. Morphological tumor incidence, burden and volume were measured, with histological evaluation of skin tissue. Topical application of AMLE at 30, 100 and 300mg/kg significantly reduced DMBA/croton oil induced mice skin papillomagenesis in (i) peri-initiation protocol (AMLE from 7 days prior to 7 days after DMBA), (ii) promotion protocol (AMLE 30 minutes after croton oil), or (iii) both peri-initiation and promotion protocol (AMLE 7 days prior to 7 day after DMBA and AMLE 30 minutes after croton oil throughout the experimental period), in a dose dependent manner (p<0.05) as compared to carcinogen-treated control. Furthermore, the average latent period was significantly increased in theAMLE-treated group. Interestingly, At 100 and 300 mg/kg, AMLE completely inhibited the tumor development in all stages. Histopathological study revealed that tumor growth from the AMLE-treated groups showed only slight hyperplasia and absence of keratin pearls and rete ridges. The results, thus suggest that the A.muricata leaves extract was able to suppress tumor initiation as well as tumor promotion even at lower dosage.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.165-170
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• 2008

In the present study, we aimed to identify the synergistic effects of concurrent treatment of low concentrations of cilostazol and probucol to inhibit the oxidative stress with suppression of inflammatory markers in the cultured human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs). Combination of cilostazol (0.3${\sim}3{\mu}$M) with probucol (0.03${\sim}0.3{\mu}$M) significantly suppressed TNF-${\alpha}$-stimulated NAD(P)H-dependent superoxide, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and TNF-${\alpha}$ release in comparison with probucol or cilostazol alone. The combination of cilostazol (0.3${\sim}3{\mu}$M) with probucol (0.1${\sim}0.3{\mu}$M) inhibited the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) more significantly than did the monotherapy with either probucol or cilostazol. In line with these results, combination therapy significantly suppressed monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells. Taken together, it is suggested that the synergistic effectiveness of the combination therapy with cilostazol and probucol may provide a beneficial therapeutic window in preventing atherosclerosis and protecting from cerebral ischemic injury.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.55-65
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• 1974

The effect of ginseng on the ATPase activity of rabbit ref cell membrane has been investigated. The experiments were also designed to determine whether the components of ginseng could be attributed to the effect on ATPase activity which dependent upon sodium plus potassium and is sensitive to ouabain. The following results were observed. 1. The activity of the $Na^{+}-K^{+}-ATPase$ from red cell membrane is stimulated by ginseng, and the concentration of ginseng for half-maximal activity is about 15 mg%. The pH optimum for the ginseng sensitive component is 7.6. 2. The portion of the enzyme activity stimulated by ginseng is completely abolished by ouabain. 3. The activating effect of ginseng on the ATPase, with a given concentration of sodium in the medium, is increased by raising the potassium concentration but activity ratio is decreased. 4. The activating effect of ginseng on the ATPase, with a given concentration of potassium in the medium, is increased by raising the sodium concentration but the activity ratio is decreased. 5. The ATPase activity is increased by small amounts of calcium but inhibited by larger amounts and the rate of activity by ginseng is constant. 6. The action of ginseng on the ATPase activity was not related to the sulfhydryl group of cysteine, the amino group of lysine, the imidazole group of histidine, the quanidinium group of arginine, the carboxyl group of aspartic acid, or the hydroxyl group of threonine. 7. The activating effect of ginseng on the ATPase activity may be not due to a saponin which is contained in ginseng.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제22권11호
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• pp.1591-1595
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• 2012

We previously isolated a novel compound, HY251, with the molecular structure of 3-propyl-2-vinyl-1,2,3,3a,3b,6,7,7a,8,8a-decahydrocyclopenta[a]indene-3,3a,7a,8a-tetraol from the roots of Aralia continentalis. The current study was designed to evaluate the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying the apoptotic induction by HY251 in human ovarian cancer PA-1 cells. TUNEL assay and Western blot analyses revealed an appreciable apoptotic induction in PA-1 cells treated with $60{\mu}M$ of HY251 for 24 h. This apoptotic induction was associated with caspase-8-dependent Bid cleavage, which in turn resulted in the formation of pro-apoptotic truncated Bid (tBid), and activation of caspase-9 and -3, as well as the cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Moreover, we found that this death event was also associated with the significant up-regulation and activation of the p53 tumor-suppressor protein through phosphorylation at Ser15. Therefore, we suggest that HY251 may be a potent cancer chemotherapeutic candidate for the treatment of ovarian cancer.