• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.392-399
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• 2007

Objective : Arsenic trioxide ($As_2O_3$) has been used as an anticancer agent in traditional Chinese medicine for thousand years and berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid present that has indicated significant antimicrobial activity. We have examined the combined anticancer effects of $As_2O_3$ and berberine against the human neuroblastoma (HNB) SH-SY5Y cells in vitro, and to elucidate underlying molecular mechanism. Methods : HNB SH-SY5Y cells were treated with $2\;{\mu}M\;As_2O_3$ and $75\;{\mu}g/ml$ berberine, and their survival, cell death mechanism as well as synergistic cytotoxic effects were estimated by using MTT assay, DAPI staining, agarose gel electrophoresis, flow cytometric analysis, and western blot analysis. Results : The combined treatment of two drugs also markedly decreased cell viability. The cytotoxic effects of two drugs were revealed as apoptosis characterized by chromatin condensation, DNA fragmentation, and the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. The apoptotic cytotoxicity was accompanied by activation of caspase-3 protease as well as decreased the expression of Bcl-2, Bid, and Bcl-x/L. In addition, the cells treated with combination of two drugs also showed significantly increased intracellular reactive oxygen species levels and lipid peroxidation compared to cells $As_2O_3$or berberine only. Conclusion : Combined treatment of $As_2O_3$ with berberine induced activation of apoptotic signaling pathways in HNB SH-SY5Y cells. These results suggest that the possibility of the combined treatment of two chemotherapeutic agents with low concentration improving cytotoxic effect for cancer cells with minimal side effects.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.257-262
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• 2017

This study was conducted to investigate the growth and skin color of red- and white-colored fancy carp Cyprinus carpio var. koi juvenile reared at different water temperatures (21, 24, 27, and $30^{\circ}C$) for eight weeks. Two experimental diets were prepared to contain 10% Arthrospira platensis or 10% Arthrospira pacifica powder. After the feeding trial, survival was 100% in all group. Weight gain of fish reared at 24, 27, and $30^{\circ}C$ was higher than $21^{\circ}C$ group. Feed efficiency was not affected by water temperature and dietary Arthrospira sp. Daily feed intake tended to increase with water temperature. The $a^*$ value of skin coloration was affected by Arthrospira sp., but not by water temperature. Fish fed the diet containing A. pacifica powder reared at $27^{\circ}C$ had the highest $a^*$ value among the groups. Total carotenoids were highest in fish fed the diet containing A. pacifica powder reared at $21^{\circ}C$. Based on the results of this study, we conclude that 24-$30^{\circ}C$ water temperature was the optimal range for growth, and dietary inclusion of A. pacifica improved the skin redness of red- and white-colored fancy carp reared at $27^{\circ}C$.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.425-429
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• 2002

Saccharomyces cerevisiae KNU5377 was examined to assay the recovering capacity against heat and other stressors. Along with a particular fermentation ability that is able to produce ethanol even at high temperature such as $40^{\circ}C$ with a comparable rate to the fermentation at $33^{\circ}C$, this strain also exhibited higher viability than a reference strain owing to its own thermotolerance that conferred the survival after the severe heat shock at $60^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes. Furthermore, this strain showed outstanding tolerances against $H_2O_2$, ethanol and some chemical compounds. But, especially due to the thermotolerance, this strain has been suspected of other species of yeast. However, ITS (internally transcribed spacer) 1 and 2 sequencing data confirmed this strain was a typical strain of S. cerevisiae. The outstanding tolerances to various environmental stressors Indicate this S. cerevisiae KNU5377 is enough to use both as an on-site potential strain for world-wide alcohol fermentation industry and as a model strain for researches into the routes to acquire the tolerance to various stressors.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.22-27
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• 2001

It have been investigated how algal and bacterial symbiotic reaction influences on removal of organic carbon in river ecosystem. And artificial experimentation apparatus was made for algae'and bacteia'culture as lab scale. Investigating and researching minutely the change of concentration of organic carbon substrate and the change of population density of algae'and of bacteria'with this artificial experimentation apparatus, the next results could be obtained. 1. Successful decrease of DOC(dissolved organic carbon) could not be expected unless algal and bacterial biomass floe was nut formed effectively and unless biosorption was not proceeded effectively in the very culture system in which artificial synthetic wastewater was supplied continuously at constant rate. 2. In conditions of culture liquid of 1335 glucnse mg/L(type 1) and of 267 glucose mg:L(type 2), the algal dominant species was always Chlorella vulgaris in both types in which artificial synthetic wastewater were supplied continuously at constant rate and algae population density was around maximum 107 cells/mL. 3. It was around 108 ~ 107 cells/mL that the population density of heterotrophic bacterium. In culture medium systems type 1 and type 2 in which artificial wastewater were supplied continuously at constant rate, the same density appeared initially when using the population density of Escherichia coli w 3110 as indirect indicator. And this density decreased rapidly till the culturing date 35 days were passed away, while this density increased with gentle slope after same date and then the trend of change at type 2 was more severe than one at type 1. 4. When seeing such a change of population density of Escherichia coli w 3110, the growth of heterotrophic bacterium appeared as survival instinct pattern of broader requirement of nutrient at condition of low concentration of organic carbon substrate than condition of high concentration of same substrate.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.202-212
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• 2017

Background: To reveal establishment strategy of Sparganium erectum, we tried to find realized niche of adults through field survey and effects of water level on the establishment process through mesocosm experiments. Results: In the field survey, the height and coverage of community living in deeper water were greater than those of community living in shallow water. There was no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) in the means of water and soil properties between the two communities. In mesocosm experiments, we found no correlation between water levels and germination rates, but S. erectum seedlings have characteristics of post germination seedling buoyancy when S. erectum seeds germinated in inundation conditions. Shoot height, total leaf length, and survival rates of sinking seedlings in shallow water levels at -5, 0, and 5 cm were higher than those in deeper water levels at 10 and 20 cm. Floating seedlings established in water levels of 3 and 6 cm only. The seedlings could live up to 6 weeks in floating state but died if they were unable to establish. Conclusions: The water level around adult S. erectum communities in the field were different from the water level at which S. erectum seedlings can survive in the mesocosm experiments. The findings provided not only understanding of S. erectum habitat characteristics but also evidence to connect historical links between the early seedlings stage and adult habitat conditions. We suggested the logical establishment strategy of S. erectum based on the data.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.1469-1476
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• 2012

Hydrophilic polymer is suitable as soil conditioners for green roofs that use rainwater, due to promotion of water retention capacity as well as enhancement of the water absorbing capacity. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of different levels of hydrophilic polymer concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8% w/w) on the water holding capacity and growth response of 6 species in soils amended with hydrophilic polymer in 5 cm of soil thickness on green roofs. The results showed that the water holding capacity of the amended soil improved with increasing amount of applied polymer. The application of 0.8% w/w of the polymer increased the soil moisture by 87% compared to the control, and decreased slowly in green roofs during an arid period. The growth of Sedum spurium 'Dragon's blood' and Lampranthus spectabilis increased significantly and had greater than 60% relative coverage with higher hydrophilic polymer concentrations. However, Juniperus chinensis var. sargentii and Euonymus fortunei var. radicans had no significant differences upon change of hydrophilic polymer concentrations. In Carex kujuzana and Carex morrowii 'Aurea variegata', growth decreased with increase of hydrophilic polymer concentrations. 30 days after planting, Juniperus chinensis var. sargentii, Euonymus fortunei var. radicans, Carex kujuzana, and Carex morrowii 'Aurea variegata' died back due to lowest soil thickness (5 cm), but Sedum spurium 'Dragon's blood' and Lampranthus spectabilis had greater than 90% survival.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.303-309
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• 2013

The extract from Lysimachia foenum-graecum (LFE) has been known to possess various instructive characters including anti-oxidant, anti-obesity, fungicidal activities. However, the accurate mechanism of those effects of LFE is not well known. In that respect, we evaluated the apoptotic effect and anti-cancer efficacy of extracts of LFE in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. In this study, we hypothesized that LFE may exert cancer cell apoptosis through regulating p53 and mitochondria-mediated apoptotic proteins. And this substance can generate ROS to cause free radical-induced apoptosis. Accordingly, the generation of ROS by LFE triggers the activation of p53 which are accompanied by pro-apoptotic protein activation and suppression of pro-survival proteins. We determined with MTT assay, flow cytometry for detection of intracellular ROS and Annexin V-PI staining, Western blotting. Consequently, our researches demonstrated that the treatment of LFE to breast cancer cells resulted in an activation of p53, Puma, Bax, cleaved-PARP and an inhibition of Bcl-2 expressions.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.485-499
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• 1994

This study was focused on the effect of the altitude on the geographical variations of germination characteristics in the populations of Plantago asiatica L. distribute in Mt. Chiri. There was a significant difference among the 14 groups in the phenological pattern in relation to altitudes. When the altitude becomes higher, the thermal time which was required for 10 to 80% germination rate showed higher and wider distribution. On the other hand, the germination response of increasing temperature (IT) and secreasing temperature (DT) regime was classified into 3 group. The first group was the spering germination type. This group showed that the IT regime hadhigher germination rate than that of the DT regime, and was distributed in Macheon(300m) and Packmudong (500m). The second was the spring-fall germination type which was distributed in Hadong (900m) and Saemt대 (1100m). This group also showed higher germination rate in the IT regime, but the difference of the germination rate between IT and DT regime was less than that in the first group (the spring type). The third group was the early fall germination type which was found in the Nogodan (1507m), Changetomok (1750m) and Cheonwangbong (1915m). The germination rate of this group showed almost 100% similarity between IT and DT regime. These data suggested that the geographical varations of germination characteristics within species was an important ecological strategy for the survival from severe environmental conditions.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.1509-1519
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• 2011

The protective effect of nitric oxide (NO) on the antioxidant system under paraquat(PQ) stress was investigated in leaves of 8-week-old lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) plants. PQ stress caused a decrease of leaf growth including leaf length, width and weight. Application of NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), significantly alleviated PQ stress induced growth suppression. SNP permitted the survival of more green leaf tissue preventing chlorophyll content reduction and of higher quantum yield for photosystem II than in non-treated controls under PQ exposure, suggesting that NO has protective effect on chloroplast membrane in lettuce leaves. Flavonoids and anthocyanin were significantly accumulated in the leaves upon PQ exposure. However, the rapid increase of these compounds was alleviated in the SNP treated leaves. PQ treatment resulted in lipid peroxidation and induced accumulation of hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) in the leaves, while SNP prevented PQ induced increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) and $H_2O_2$. These results demonstrate that SNP serves as an antioxidant agent able to scavenge $H_2O_2$ to protect plant cells from oxidative damage. The activities of two antioxidant enzymes that scavenge reactive oxygen species, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in lettuce leaves in the presence of NO donor under PQ stress were higher than those under PQ stress alone. Application of 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4, 4, 5, 5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (PTIO), a specific NO scavenger, to the lettuce leaves arrested SNP mediated protective effect on leaf growth, photosynthetic pigment and antioxidant systems. However, PTIO had little effect on lettuce leaves under PQ stress compared with that of PQ stress alone. The obtained data suggest that the damage caused by PQ stress is in part due to increased generation of active oxygen by maintaining increased antioxidant enzyme activities and SNP protects plants from oxidative stress. From these results it is suggested that NO might act as a signal in activating active oxygen scavenging system that protects plants from oxidative damage induced by PQ stress and thus confer PQ tolerance.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.190-193
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• 2007

Viability, early growth and sex ratio of induced gynogenetic diploid bagrid catfish (Leiocassis ussuriensis, Siluriformes) were examined. Survival rates of gynogenetic diploids and normal bi-parental diploids up to 180 days post hatching were not significantly different (P>0.05), and consequently resulted the mean percent survivals of 76% (gynogens) and 78% (bi-parental progeny) at the end of growth trial. Growth in both body weight and total length of gynogenetic diploids was also similar to those of normal diploid controls (P>0.05). Gynogenetic bagrid catfish displayed a similar level of ovarian development when compared to bi-parental diploid females, as judged at 10 weeks post hatching. Sex ratio of bi-parental progeny was normal 1:1 whereas all-femaleness was observed in gynogenetic progeny (P<0.05), suggesting that the genetic sex determination mechanism of this species should be XX-XY based female homogamety.