• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.219-223
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• 1989

Inflammation scan using radiolabelled leukocytes has high sensitivity and specificity. Several methods for labelling leukocytes have been evaluated using P-32 diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP-32), H-3 thymidine, Cr-51 chromate, Ga-67 citrate and Tc-99m-sulfur colloid. In-111-oxine has proved so far to be the most reliable agent for labelling leukocytes. In-111-oxine is, however, expensive, not easily available when needed, and its radiation dose to leukocytes is relatively high. Moreover, resolution of the resultant image is relatively poor. Tc-99m is still the agent of choice because of, as compared with the indium, its favorable physical characteristics, lower cost and availability. Now the technique for labelling the leukocytes with technetium is successfully obtained using the lipophilic HAPAO with higher efficiency for granulocytes than for other cells. With this technique it is possible to label leukocytes in plasma to improve the viability of the leukocytes. Inflammation scan using Tc-99m-HMPAO has been evaluated in several laboratories, and difference in methods for separation and labelling accounts for difference in efficiency, viability and biodistribution of the labelled leukocytes. We performed inflammation scan using leukocytes labelled with Tc-99m-HMPAO in three dogs 24 hours after inoculation of live E. Coli and A. Aureus in their right abdominal wall. We separated mixed leukocytes by simple sedimentation using 6% hetastarch (HES) and labelled the leukocytes with Tc-99m-HMPAO in 20% cell free plama diluted with phosphate buffer solution(Fig. 1). Uptake was high in the liver and spleen but is was minimal in the lungs on whole body scan. Kidneys and intestine showed minimal activity although it was high in the urinary bladder(Fig. 2). Uptake of labelled leukocytes in the inflammation site was do(mite on 2 hour-postinjection scan and abscess was clearly delineated on 24 hour-delayed scan with high target-to-nontarget ratio(Fig. 3, 4). Inflammation scan using mixed leukocytes labelled with Tc-99m-HMPAO is very sensitive and specific in early detection of inflammation.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.438-444
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• 2010

Fermented skate has a unique ammonia-like flavor. The flavor is preferred by a few lovers of skate muscle, while women and young people may be sensitive to the odor. Organic acids were used to reduce the ammonia-like odor in fermented skate and to investigate the physicochemical properties. Fermented skate muscles were sprayed with 20 mL of acetic acid or citric acid (3, 5, and 7%) for 30 seconds and stored at $4^{\circ}C$ for 15 days. The physicochemical properties of organic acid-treated fermented skate were investigated during storage. The control, which was treated with distilled water, showed a higher pH value than the samples treated with organic acids. The $L^*$ value increased with increasing organic acid concentration, while the $a^*$ and $b^*$ values were not significantly different among the samples. The trimethylamine (TMA) decreased with increasing in the organic acid concentration, but it was not significantly different after 9 days of storage. Ammonia-type nitrogen and ammonia-like flavoring, decreased with increasing in the organic acid concentration, whereas ammonia-type nitrogen increased with a storage period more than 6 days. In conclusion, fermented skate treated with 7% citric acid was the best treatment to reduce the ammonia-like odor.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.9
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• pp.656-663
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• 2014

Gintonin, a novel, ginseng-derived G protein-coupled lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor ligand, elicits $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ transients in neuronal and non-neuronal cells via pertussis toxin-sensitive and pertussis toxin-insensitive G proteins. The slowly activating delayed rectifier $K^+$ ($I_{Ks}$) channel is a cardiac $K^+$ channel composed of KCNQ1 and KCNE1 subunits. The C terminus of the KCNQ1 channel protein has two calmodulin-binding sites that are involved in regulating $I_{Ks}$ channels. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of gintonin-mediated activation of human $I_{Ks}$ channel activity by expressing human $I_{Ks}$ channels in Xenopus oocytes. We found that gintonin enhances $I_{Ks}$ channel currents in concentration- and voltage-dependent manners. The $EC_{50}$ for the $I_{Ks}$ channel was $0.05{\pm}0.01{\mu}g/ml$. Gintonin-mediated activation 1 of the $I_{Ks}$ channels was blocked by an LPA1/3 receptor antagonist, an active phospholipase C inhibitor, an $IP_3$ receptor antagonist, and the calcium chelator BAPTA. Gintonin-mediated activation of both the $I_{Ks}$ channel was also blocked by the calmodulin (CaM) blocker calmidazolium. Mutations in the KCNQ1 $[Ca^{2+}]_i$/CaM-binding IQ motif sites (S373P, W392R, or R539W)blocked the action of gintonin on $I_{Ks}$ channel. However, gintonin had no effect on hERG $K^+$ channel activity. These results show that gintonin-mediated enhancement of $I_{Ks}$ channel currents is achieved through binding of the $[Ca^{2+}]_i$/CaM complex to the C terminus of KCNQ1 subunit.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.34-41
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• 1994

To better understand the allelopathic effect of sorghum(Sorghum vulgare L.), the inhibitory activities of water extracts of the stem, leaf and root, and of residues of the stem to major crops and weeds associated with them were evaluated. The allelopathic activity of sorghum plants was species specific, and depended on source and concentration. Germination, and shoot and root length of all test species were inhibited by the different concentrations of the stem extract. Among the crop species, radish showed the most inhibition, followed by wheat and rice. Maize was the least sensitive species. Of the weed species, Ipomoea triloba was most inhibited, followed by Echinochloa colona and Rottboellia cochinchinensis. The water extracts of leaves, stems, and roots significantly inhibited germination and seedling growth in E. colona and radish. The stem extract gave the greatest inhibitory effect on E. colona while all three extracts produced similar response in radish. In the greenhouse trial, sorghum stem residue placed on the soil surface as mulch significantly inhibited seedling growth in E. colona and radish, but not that in rice.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.412-415
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• 2018

The objective of this study was to establish a quantitative count method of Vibrio vulnificus cells. Plate count method is often used to count the number of V. vulnificus cells using thiosulfate citrate bile salts sucrose (TCBS) agar plate. However, this method is unsuitable for counting V. vulnificus cells due to growth inhibition and cell injuries in TCBS medium. In this study, we suggested a most probable number-polymerase chain reaction (MPN-PCR) method using alkaline peptone water medium for the quantification of V. vulnificus. This MPN-PCR method showed 2 log higher cell number than TCBS agar plate method. Similar results were also found in the control using, Luria-Bertani agar containing 2% NaCl. Thus, this MPN-PCR method can be used a sensitive method for quantitative count of viable V. vulnificus cells in fish and shellfish samples.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.460-464
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• 1999

Methicillin-resistant Staphyloccus aureus (MRSA) has been known to be resistant to many kinds of antibiotics and causes a problem of nosnocomial infection since the third generation of cephalosporines has been introduced in the 1980s. As antibiotic sensitivity tests which have been routinely used to detect MRSA in the laboratory depend on the culture conditions such as, pH, temperature, and time, etc., it is difficult to decide in the case of borderline- or low-level of MRSA. Therefore it would be necessary to develope a new method based on the molecular biological technique to overcome these problems. In this study, we extracted DNA from S. aureus and performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify mec A gene, encoding penicillin-binding protein 2' (PBP-2'), which is known to confer bacteria resistance to the bacteriostatic action of methicillin. The results were compares with those of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) test. When MIC test with oxacillin was performed on the 120 isolates of S. aureus from each patient's specimens, 64 of them were MRSA and 56 of them were methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). In pus specimen, more precisely, 61.9% (26/42) of MRSA was detected, and 44.2% (19/43), 60% (9/15) and 50% (10/20) of MRSA were detected in sputum, body fluid, and other specimen respectively. When 40 isolates of MRSA and MSSA were tested by PCR method and compares with the results of MIC method, different results were obtained from 1 isolate of MRSA (2.5%) and in 2 isolates of MSSA (5%) suggesting that PCR method should be performed at the same time for more accurate clinical test of MRSA.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.479-486
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• 2013

The DNA-binding protein from starved cells (DPS), originally identified as a DNA binding protein in Escherichia coli, is known to play an important role in DNA protection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the functional roles of DPS in E. coli against various kinds of external stresses by comparing the properties of wild-type E. coli cells and dps knockout mutant E. coli (${\Delta}dps$) cells. Under various stress conditions, we measured the cell growth of the wild-type E. coli and the dps knockout mutant E. coli (${\Delta}dps$) cells using a UV spectrophotometer. The growth rate of the cells was compared to investigate the functional roles of the DPS protein in E. coli. In comparison to the properties of the wild-type E. coli cells, the dps knockout mutant E. coli (${\Delta}dps$) cells showed highly sensitive phenotypes under various stress conditions, such as heat shock, acidic pH, nutrient deficiency, and different concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS), suggesting that DPS plays key roles in E. coli in combating diverse external stresses. The DPS DNA-binding protein in E. coli plays crucial roles in bacterial cell growth and in the protection of the cells from environmental stresses by tightly binding and preserving their DNA molecules.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.1271-1284
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• 1997

Background : Tumor necrosis factor(TNF) has been considered as an important candidate for cancer gene therapy based on its potent anti-tumor activity. However, since the efficiency of current techniques of gene transfer is not satisfactory, the majority of current protocols is aiming the in vitro gene transfer to cancer cells and re-introducing genetically modified cancer cells to host. In the previous study, it was shown that TNF-sensitive cancer cells transfected with TNF-$\alpha$ cDNA would become highly resistant to TNF, and the probability was shown that the acquired resistance to TNF might be associated with synthesis of some protective protein. Understanding the mechanisms of TNF-resistance in TNF-$\alpha$ cDNA transfected cancer cells would be an important step for improving the efficacy of cancer gene therapy as well as for better understandings of tumor biology. This study was designed to evaluate whether the levels of TNF receptor mRNA expression and soluble TNF receptor release from cancer cells are changed after TNF-$\alpha$ cDNA transfection. Method : We transfected TNF-$\alpha$ c-DNA to WEHI164(murine fibrosarcoma cell line), NCI-H2058(human mesothelioma cell line), A549(human non-small cell lung cancer cell line), ME180(human cervix cancer cell line) cells using retroviral vector(pLT12SN(TNF)) and confirm the expression of TNF with PCR, EUSA, MTT assay. Then we determined the TNF resistance of TNF-$\alpha$ cDNA transfected cells(WEHI164-TNF, NCIH2058-TNF, A549-TNF, ME180-TNF) and evaluated the TNF receptor mRNA expression with Northern blot analysis and soluble TNF receptor release with EUSA. Results : The TNF receptor mRNA expressions of parental cells and genetically modified cells were not significantly different. The soluble TNF receptor levels of media from genetically modified cells were lower than those from parental cells. Conclusion : The acquired resistance to TNF after TNF-$\alpha$ cDNA transfection may not be associated with the change in the TNF receptor and the soluble TNF receptor expression.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.209-217
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• 2002

Two different QSAR methods, the comparative molecular similarity indices analyses (CoMSIA) and hologram quantitative structure activity relationship (HQSAR) are studied for the fungicidal activities ($pI_{50}$) of 2-N-benzyl-5-phenoxy-3-isothiazolone derivatives against sensitive (SPC: 95CC7105) and resisitive (RPC: 95CC7303) phytophthora blight fungus (Phytaphthora capsici). According to the findings from these QSAR investigation, the cross-validation value, $q^2$ and Pearson correlation coefficient, $r^2$ in the two methods were CoMSIA: RPC; $q^2=0.675,\;r^2=0.942$, SPC; $q^2=0.350,\;r^2=0.876$ and HQSAR: RPC; $q^2=0.519,\;r^2=0.869$, SPC; $q^2=0.483,\;r^2=0.990$, respectively. Therefore, the two models of comparative statistical significance were obtained. From the CoMSIA contour maps, the important factors for selective fungicidal activity against RPC are to be expected that the lower hydrophobic and not bulkiness substituent as hydrogen bonding acceptor have to introduce to meta and para-position (C1-C6) on the phenoxy moiety. And the results of prediction suggest that HQSAR method showed higher fungicidal activity than CoMSIA method.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1999.10b
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• pp.11-11
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• 1999

;It has been reported that suspension-cultured rice cells grown on mixed carbon sources of glucose (GIc) and acetate exhibited diauxic growth in which acetate was the preferred carbon source (Lee and Lee, 1996). Carrot (Daucus carota L.) suspension cells, showing a diauxic growth very similar to that of rice cells, were used to delineate the mechanisms underlying this preferential use of acetate over GIc. Uptakes of both GIc and 3-0-methylglucose (3-0MG), a non-metabolizable GIc analogue, were similarly inhibited when acetate or butylate, weak acids which are capable of transporting protons into the cytosol, were present in the uptake assay mixture containing cells harvested during the GIc-utilizing second growth phase. Inhibition of GIc uptake by these weak acids was similar when equivalent experiments were carried out with isolated plasma membranes. It was further shown that Glc uptake, which requires a proper proton gradient across the plasma membranes, was inhibited during the first growth phase by acetate-mediated alkalization of growth medium and/or simultaneous acidification of cytosol. This study strongly suggests that Glc utilization in plant cells is inhibited by co-presenting carbon source(s) which can alter the proton gradient across the plasma membrane. We further examined diauxic growth in culture containing GIc and malate. Unlike the case in the culture with GIc and acetate, carrot cells used GIc first. Malate was utilized only after Glc is depleted from medium. These results indicate that GIc can be a preferred or less-preferred carbon source depending on the competing carbon source. It was noted that malate was not directly taken up by cells. Instead it was converted extracellularly into fumarate which was subsequently transported into cells. During the malate-growth phase malate uptake was negligible, and fumarate uptake was active and pH-sensitive. It was shown that fumarase released into medium was responsible for the extracellular conversion of malate into fumarate. An immunoblot experiments showed that fumarase antibody raised against Arabidopsis fumarase provided positive signals only in medium in malate culture, not in fumarate or GIc cultures. This study demonstrates the first example in that fumarase, a mitochondria marker enzyme, can be present in places other than mitochondria.ndria.