• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.265-271
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• 2009

Concentrations of industrial, agricultural and natural chemicals have been increasing in secondary effluents without their combined sub-lethal effects having been elucidated. In this study, two assays (the comet and acetylcholinesterase assays) were combined to evaluate the genotoxic and neurotoxic effects of effluent from the Noksan wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) on two local marine fish species (flounder and sea eel). The fish were exposed to WWTP secondary effluent that had been diluted with filtered seawater to final concentrations of 1%, 10% and 50%. Analysis of fish samples collected 3 and 5 days after exposure showed that DNA damage occurred in flounder exposed to 50% effluent and in sea eels exposed to 10% or 50% effluent. Furthermore, it was found that acetylcholinesterase (EC:3.1.1.7, AChE) activity decreased in both species when exposed to 10% effluent, indicating the presence of large amounts of genotoxic and neurotoxic chemicals in the effluent. Our results indicate that the comet and AChE assays are promising tools for biomonitoring of secondary effluents.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.864-870
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• 2010

Air embolism can be a lethal complication of surgical procedures during which venous pressure at the site of surgery is sub-atmospheric or air is forced under pressure into a body cavity. To solve the problem, we developed the air detector using relative dielectric constant change, which is expected to be used broadly in industrial circles. We designed air detection system with air control equipment, detection circuit and LabVIEW system for air sensing. In experiments with a mock system, the proposed system showed a signal difference depending on the amount of air in the Tygon tube of the mock system.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.187-194
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• 2013

Microalgae are sensitive indicators of environmental changes, and hence they are widely used in environmental risk assessments and for the development of discharge guidelines. Here we evaluated the toxicity of metals and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) to the marine green microalga, Tetraselmis suecica. The toxicants investigated included the metals, Cu, Ni, and Pb; and the EDCs, bisphenol A (BPA), endosulfan (ES), and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB). The endpoints were variations in cell counts and chlorophyll a levels. T. suecica displayed a varied pattern of sensitivity to the toxicants. Based on the 72-h median effective concentration ($EC_{50}$), ES (0.045 mg/L) was most toxic to T. suecica, followed by PCB (3.96 mg/L) and Pb (9.62 mg/L). Interestingly, T. suecica was relatively tolerant to Cu (43.03 mg/L). The 72-h $EC_{50}$ values of Ni and BPA were approximately 16 mg/L. Our data suggest that this species may be relatively tolerant to most of the chemicals within their permissible limits in the environment.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2004

Olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) was exposed to waterborne iron (0.1, 0.5, 1, 5 and 10 mg/L) for 50 days. The effects of iron on blood iron status and iron binding capacity were studied. The serum iron concentration was significantly higher than in the group exposed to iron (1, 5 and 10 mg/L) in comparison to the control after 30 days of exposure to iron. A significant decrease in unsaturated iron binding capacity was found between the control and the group exposed to iron (5 and 10 mg/L, respectively) at 40 and 50 days, respectively. The total iron binding capacity of serum in the fish exposed to iron concentrations (5 and 10 mg/L) showed a significant decrease compared to that of the control at 40 days after iron exposure. Serum iron saturation values increased in the flounder exposed to iron concentration (5 and 10 mg/L) at 50 days. Our data suggest that sub-lethal exposure of waterborne iron alters the blood iron concentration and iron binding capacity, and these parameters seems to be valuable factors for screening and diagnosis of iron overload syndromes in fish.

• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.298-302
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• 2010

Extracorporeal circulation support system is a device for repiratory and heart failure treatment, and there have been many trials for development and clinical application in the world. These devices need to be careful while using is air embolism. Air embolism can be a lethal complication of surgical procedures during which venous pressure at the site of surgery is sub-atmospheric or air is forced under pressure into a body cavity or using extracorporeal circulation support system. To solve the problem, we developed the air detector using relative dielectric constant change. In experiments with a mock circulation system, the proposed system showed a signal difference depending on the amount of air in the tube.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.2-8
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• 2021

Dimethachlor is a synthetic herbicide, belonging to the chloroacetanilide group, that inhibits the undesirable growth of weeds via the suppression of very long-chain fatty acid synthesis. Although dimethachlor has been shown to run off from agricultural fields into aquatic ecosystems, the toxicity of dimethachlor on aquatic invertebrates and vertebrates is unknown. In our study, we assessed the toxicity of dimethachlor on developing zebrafish embryos by analyzing viability, hatching ability, and phenotypic changes. Embryonic viability decreased from 48 h post-fertilization (hpf) at the highest concentration of dimethachlor. Decreased hatching ratio, shortened body length, and pathological changes in the eye, heart, and yolk sac were observed at sub-lethal concentrations. Additionally, dimethachlor increased the number of apoptotic cells and level of reactive oxygen species 120 hpf. Our results indicate that dimethachlor may act as an anti-developmental toxicant when accumulated in an aquatic environment.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.110-117
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• 2020

Background: The aim of this pilot study was to assess the safety and dosing of scolopendrid pharmacopuncture (SPP). Methods: A total of 40 healthy Sprague-Dawley rats (males and 20 females 20) were selected following a 7-day inspection and acclimation period. SPP was administered via intramuscular injection, over a 2-week period using 3 doses including a high-dose [0.84 mg of scolopendrid per kg of body weight (BW)], a med-dose (0.42 mg/kg BW), and a low-dose (0.21 mg/kg BW). The control group was injected with sterile water into the muscles. Unusual changes caused by administration of the test substance were observed. Weight, feed intake, organ weight, and hematological examinations were compared among the groups. Using the SPSS statistical program, Levene's test was performed to evaluate the homogeneity of variances, and a one-way ANOVA test was subsequently performed to assess the significance between each test group. Results: During the experiment no animals died. Weight change, food consumption, organ weight, hematological test, and blood biochemical tests showed no significant differences in the treatment groups compared to controls. Conclusion: No toxicological changes related to the administration of test substances were observed. Therefore, the LD₅₀ (lethal-dose that kills 50%) of scolopendrid pharmacoupuncture in rats was greater than 0.84 mg/kg.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.954-964
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• 2021

Mirror carp Cyprinus carpio nudus (weight 42.0±3.8 g, length 14.3±0.4 cm) were exposed to different concentrations of waterborne copper (0, 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1,600 ㎍ Cu²⁺·L^-1) at 20.3℃ for 96 h. The lethal concentration 50 of waterborne copper was 1,176.45 ㎍ Cu²⁺·L^-1. Among hematological parameters, red blood cell count was significantly decreased, whereas there were no significant changes in the hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit value. Among the inorganic plasma components, calcium was significantly decreased following copper exposure. Conversely, organic plasma components such as glucose and total protein were significantly increased. Similarly, enzymatic components, such as aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase, were also significantly increased. These findings suggest that the copper exposure is detrimental to the survival rates and physiology of C. carpio nudus.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.88.1-88.13
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• 2020

Background: Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive bacterium that causes listeriosis mainly in immunocompromised hosts. It can also cause foodborne outbreaks and has the ability to adapt to various environments. Peptide uptake in gram-positive bacteria is enabled by oligopeptide permeases (Opp) in a process that depends on ATP hydrolysis by OppD and F. Previously a putative protein Lmo2193 was predicted to be OppD, but little is known about the role of OppD in major processes of L. monocytogenes, such as growth, virulence, and biofilm formation. Objectives: To determine whether the virulence traits of L. monocytogenes are related to OppD. Methods: In this study, Lmo2193 gene deletion and complementation strains of L. monocytogenes were generated and compared with a wild-type strain for the following: adhesiveness, invasion ability, intracellular survival, proliferation, 50% lethal dose (LD₅₀) to mice, and the amount bacteria in the mouse liver, spleen, and brain. Results: The results showed that virulence of the deletion strain was 1.34 and 0.5 orders of magnitude higher than that of the wild-type and complementation strains, respectively. The function of Lmo2193 was predicted and verified as OppD from the ATPase superfamily. Deletion of lmo2193 affected the normal growth of L. monocytogenes, reduced its virulence in cells and mice, and affected its ability to form biofilms. Conclusions: Deletion of the oligopeptide transporter Lmo2193 decreases the virulence of L. monocytogenes. These effects may be related to OppD's function, which provides a new perspective on the regulation of oligopeptide transporters in L. monocytogenes.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.167-179
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• 2023

The rifampicin-resistant strain E9-302 of Edwardsiella ictaluri strain 669 (WT) was generated by continuous passage on BHI agar plates containing increasing concentrations of rifampicin. E9-302 was attenuated significantly by 119 times to zebrafish Danio rerio compared to WT in terms of the 50% lethal dose (LD₅₀). Zebrafish vaccinated with E9-302 via intraperitoneal (IP) injection at a dose of 1 × 10³ CFU/fish had relative percentage survival (RPS) rates of 85.7% when challenged with wild-type E. ictaluri via IP 14 days post-vaccination (dpv). After 14 days of primary vaccination with E9-302 via immersion (IM) at a dose of 4 × 10⁷ CFU/ml, a booster IM vaccination with E9-302 at a dose of 2 × 10⁷ CFU/ml exhibited 65.2% RPS against challenge with wild-type E. ictaluri via IP 7 days later. These results indicated that the rifampicin-resistant attenuated strain E9-302 had potential as a live vaccine against E. ictaluri infection. A previously unreported amino acid site change at position 142 of the RNA polymerase (RNAP) β subunit encoded by the gene rpoB associated with rifampicin resistance was identified. Analysis of the whole-genome sequencing results revealed multiple missense mutations in the virulence-related genes esrB and sspH2 in E9-302 compared with WT, and a 189 bp mismatch in one gene, whose coding product was highly homologous to glycosyltransferase family 39 protein. This study preliminarily explored the molecular mechanism underlying the virulence attenuation of rifampicin-resistant strain E9-302 and provided a new target for the subsequent study of the pathogenic mechanism of E. ictaluri.