• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.1638-1644
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• 2007

The effect of carbon sources on tacrolimus production by a mutant strain of Streptomyces clavuligerus CKD 1119, an isolate from soil, was examined. Among the carbohydrates and oils tested in this work, a mixed carbon source of soluble starch and com oil was the best. An analysis of the culture kinetics also showed that, in contrast to the carbohydrates, the com oil was consumed later in the antibiotic production phase, implying that the oil substrate was the principal carbon source for the biosynthesis of tacrolimus, and this was directly proven by experiments using $^{14}C$-glucose and $^{14}C$-oleate substrates. Furthermore, com oil induced the formation of lipase by the mutant strain, whereas the addition of glucose significantly repressed lipase activity. The lipase activity exhibited by the FK-506-overproducing mutants was also observed to be directly proportional to their tacrolimus yield, indicating that a high lipase activity is itself a crucial factor for tacrolimus production. A feasibility study with a 200-1 pilot-scale fermentor and the best strain (Tc-XII-15322) identified in this work revealed a high volumetric and specific productivity of about 495 mg/l and 0.34 mg/mg dry mycelium, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.277-280
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• 2006

Extracerebral cavernous hemangiomas are rare vascular tumors that are very difficult to remove because of severe intraoperative bleeding. We report a case of 57-year-old male with extracerebral cavernous hemangioma with review of 126 cases in the literature. Patient presented with blurred vision, diplopia, numbness on the left side of his face. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a well defined mass of $3{\times}4{\times}3cm$ size with heterogenous iso-or hypointensity on T1-weighted image showing strong homogenous contrast enhancement and marked hyperintensity on T2-weighted image. Digital subtraction angiography[DSA] revealed a faint tumor blush by feeders from the left internal carotid artery[ICA] and left external carotid artery[ECA] in the delayed phase. Even with profuse intratumoral bleeding, near total removal was achieved. In addition to preoperative neurologic deficits such as ophthalmoplegia, facial numbness in the V1-2 dermatomes, ptosis appeared postoperatively.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.23
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• pp.10495-10500
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• 2015

Background: To evaluate the effects of bufalin in A549 human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cells in vitro and assess the underlying mechanisms. Materials and Methods: Human A549 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells were treated with various concentrations of bufalin. Cell proliferation was measured by CCK-8 assay, apoptotic cell percentage was calculated by flow cytometry and morphological change was observed by inverted phase contrast microscopy/transmission electron microscopy. In addition, the membrane potential of mitochondria was detected by JC-1 fluorescence microscopy assay, and the related protein expression of cytochrome C and caspase-3 was analyzed by Western blotting. Results: Bufalin could inhibit the proliferation of A549 cells via induction of apoptosis, with the evidence of characteristic morphological changes in the nucleus and mitochondria. Furthermore, bufalin decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential with up-regulation of cytochrome C in the cytosol, and activation of caspase-3. Conclusions: Bufalin inhibits the proliferation of A549 cells and triggers mitochondria-dependent apoptosis, pointing to therapeutic application for NSCLC.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2013

In the present study, we systematically investigated the effect of Mn addition on nitrogenation behavior and magnetic properties of Sm-Fe powders produced by reduction-diffusion process. Alloy powders with only $Sm_2(Fe,Mn)_{17}$ single phase were successfully produced by the reduction-diffusion process. The coercivity of $Sm_2(Fe,Mn)_{17}$ powder rapidly increased during nitrogenation and reached the maximum of 637 Oe after 16 hours. After further nitrogenation, it decreased. In contrast, the coercivity of $Sm_2Fe_{17}$ powder gradually increased during nitrogenation for 24 hours. The coercivity of $Sm_2(Fe,Mn)_{17}$ powder was higher than that of $Sm_2Fe_{17}$ powder at the same condition of nitrogenation. It was considered that the Mn addition facilitates the nitrogenation of $Sm_2Fe_{17}$ powder and enhances the coercivity.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.15-26
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• 1990

Hemoglobin was purified from the outdated human red blood cells. Phospholipids were purified from egg yolk and stored in chloroform. The artificial red blood cells (hemosome) were prepared by encapsulation of hemoglobin with phospholipid mutilayer using rotary vacuum evaporator. The shape and size of hemosomes were measured by phase contrast microscope and image analyzer. The function of hemosomes was tested by measuring oxygen dissociation curve using blood gas analyzer. In order to test whether hemosomes are useful as blood substitute they were infused into rats of which one third of total blood were drawn. The results obtained are summarized at followings. 1) Hemosomes were spherical shape and their mean diameter was 0.7 um. 2) Oxygen dissociation curve of hemosomes showed the same figure as that of normal red blood cells. 3) All rats given 1/3 transfusion with hemosomes survived until sacrificed whereas three of four rats given 1/3 transfusion with saline died within 1 hour and the rest of them died within 24 hours.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.197-202
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• 1995

The surface morphology and grain growth of amophous silicon (a-Si) films deposited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) have been investigated as a function of deposition and in sltu annealing condition. The film deposited at the amorphous to polycrystalline transition temperature has an extra-rough, rugged surface with (311) t.exture. At the same deposition temperature, the grain structure tends to shirr. from the polycrystalline to the amorphous phase with increasing the film thickness. It is found that nucleation of a-Si during in situ annealing at the transition temperature without breaking the vacuum starts to occur from surface Si atom migration in contrast to a heterogeneous nucleation during film deposition.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.2807-2811
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• 2015

Scorpion venom peptides recently have attracted attention as alternative chemotherapeutic agents that may overcome the limitations of current drugs, providing specific cytotoxicity for cancer cells with an ability to bypass multidrug-resistance mechanisms, additive effects in combination therapy and safety. In the present study, BmKn-2 scorpion venom peptide and its derivatives were chosen for assessment of anticancer activities. BmKn-2 was identified as the most effective against human oral squamous cells carcinoma cell line (HSC-4) by screening assays with an $IC_{50}$ value of $29{\mu}g/ml$. The BmKn-2 peptide killed HSC-4 cells through induction of apoptosis, as confirmed by phase contrast microscopy and RT-PCR techniques. Typical morphological features of apoptosis including cell shrinkage and rounding characteristics were observed in treated HSC-4 cells. The results were further confirmed by increased expression of pro-apoptotic genes such as caspase-3, -7, and -9 but decrease mRNA level of anti-apoptotic BCL-2 in BmKn-2 treated cells, as determined by RT-PCR assay. In summary, the BmKn-2 scorpion venom peptide demonstrates specific membrane binding, growth inhibition and apoptogenic activity against human oral cancer cells.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1829-1832
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• 2013

In the present study, investigations were carried out to screen the anticancer activities of fenugreek seed oil against cancer cell lines (HEp-2, MCF-7, WISH cells), and a normal cell line (Vero cells). Cytotoxicity was assessed with MTT and NRU assays, and cellular morphological alterations were studied using phase contrast light microscopy. All cells were exposed toi 10-1000 ${\mu}g/ml$ of fenugreek seed oil for 24 h. The results show that fenugreek seed oil significantly reduced the cell viability, and altered the cellular morphology in a dose dependent manner. Among the cell lines, HEp-2 cells showed the highest decrease in cell viability, followed by MCF-7, WISH, and Vero cells by MTT and NRU assays. Cell viability at 1000 ${\mu}g/ml$ was recorded as 55% in HEp-2 cells, 67% in MCF-7 cells, 75% in WISH cells, and 86% in Vero cells. The present study provides preliminary screening data for fenugreek seed oil pointing to potent cytotoxicity against cancer cells.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1-4
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• 2013

We investigated the effect of Nb substitution for Ru on the structural and magnetic properties of $(Ru_{1-x}Nb_x)\;Sr_2(Sm_{1.4}Ce_{0.6})Cu_2O_z$ Samples. X-ray diffraction measurements indicated that nearly single-phase samples are formed in the range from x = 0 to 1.0. The superconducting transition temperature determined from the inflection in the field-cooled magnetic susceptibility decreased only slightly from $T_c$ = 25 K for x = 0 to $T_c$ = 22 K for x = 1.0, in consistent with the change in room temperature thermopower of the samples. However, the Nb substitution for Ru above x = 0.25 significantly suppressed the weak ferromagnetic component of the field-cooled magnetic susceptibility. It was also found that the Nb substitution for Ru results in an enhanced diamagnetic susceptibility with Nb content above x = 0.5 in both zero field-cooled and field-cooled magnetization measurements, in contrast to the behavior of the samples with $x{\leq}0.5$ in which the diamagnetic susceptibility decreases as the Nb content increases.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.57-63
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• 2011

Crocidolite quality control (QC) sampling created by the wet generation method has been validated by validation tests such as the accuracy, precision, and storage tests. For this study we designed and developed a manufacturing apparatus and standard operating procedure for making these QC samples. The most important step in the procedure of making QC samples was the stage eliminating static electricity in asbestos fibers. This static electricity hampers the fibers clog functioning. In accuracy and precision tests by phase contrast microscopy analysis, the difference between the reference values and the studied values was at maximum 17.8%. This satisfies the AIHA proficiency analytical test criteria for asbestos. We could confirm the nearly even distribution of crocidolite fibers on the membrane filter. Also, there was no loss of fibers in the storage test after the one month.