Mitis-salivarius sucrose bacitracin(MSB) medium is widely used in the selective isolation of mutans streptococci(MS), a designation for a group of oral cariogenic species. Recently, we have isolated three bacterial strains grown on MSB agar from human dental plaques. The three strains exhibited biochemical characteristics similar to those of the biotype IV of MS, with the exception that they manifested a positive reaction for arginine deaminase. The objective of this study was to identify and characterize these three clinical isolates. The bacteria were identified with biochemical tests as well as by 16S rDNA cloning and sequencing. In order to compare the antibiotics susceptibility of the clinical isolates with that of type strain, the minimum inhibitory concentrations of 9 antibiotics were determined using broth dilution assays. The results identified all of our three clinical isolates as Enterococcus faecalis. All E. faecalis strains were found to be susceptible to penicillin G, amoxicillin, augmentin, and vancomycin, but were resistant to ciprofloxacin, cefuroxim axetil, and clindamycin. Our findings indicate that E. faecalis is capable of growing on MSB agar, and suggest that the MSB medium be improved so that only MS should be recoverable on the medium, as originally devised for their selection.

Immuno-MemBlot is a technique for detecting, analyzing, and identifying proteins, similar to the Western blot technique but differing in that protein samples are not separated electrophoretically but are spotted through circular or slot templates directly onto the membrane. Recently we developed a new Immuno-MemBlot (IMB) method applying immunoreactions and coloring procedures directly in the wells of MemBlot apparatus, which were connected by canals to perform drainage for reagent application and buffer irrigation. This IMB method was designed to get theimmunoblot results more rapidly and clearly than the previous immunoblot ones. This study is aimed to evaluate the analytical accuracy of IMB using different biological assay. In the sensitivity test of IMB the monoclonal antibody can clearly detect the 30 ng (about 12 pM) of Mucocidin peptide (35 mer), and is also available to detect at least 10 ng (about 4 pM) of Mucocidin peptide (35 mer). The IMB was effective in the quantitative analysis of methothrexate (MTX) assay for cellular apoptosis. And more, this IMB is useful to screen large number of specific samples with ease and accuracy in a short time. In the screenings for the presence of Mucocidin in saliva the quantitative comparison is conspicuous among 48 persons depend on the different conditions ofgender, drinking and smoking habits, and oral diseases. Therefore, it is presumed that, even though the target proteins were partly degraded, a specific epitope can be detected if a monoclonal antibody was still reactive. Conclusively, these data suggest that the IMB can be useful in the primary qualitativeand quantitative analysis of proteins in various fluids, i.e., blood, saliva, tear, urine, etc.

Gene reg비 at i o n during the human craniofacial development is not well understood In effort to understand n ewly identifï ed genes that may play role(s) in the human craniofacial development, non-redundan t genes were isolated from the s ubtracted cDNA libra ry of human embryonal craniofacial tissues and examined their possible structu ral rolc in parallcl with thosc gcncs from isolatecl human c h o nclroc)πes cDNA library. Fifty genes were init ia ll y chosen from 398 clones iso latecl were used for selective dominant expression in both chondrocytes and the craniofacial sections of 10 weeks old human embryo by in situ hybridization method. Based upon the high levels 。f expression, we have identifi ecl seven unknown genes; ch89, ch96. ch129. ch 153. ch 276 ch285. and ch334 . In 。rder to unde rs tancl the possi ble role of these genes‘ the structural simulation of the expressed proteins were constructecl by Sybyl 6.6 program. Ch 276 gene was same with a clone, c14 0 1' f173. registered in GenBank(NM_022489) a nd is composed 0 1' 323 amino acids having a reverse s ignaling domain from the extra- cellular matrix(C-terminal) to cell membrane(N-terminal) and 12 turns of helical structure. Gene protein also r etains a famil iar fïbronectin binding domain(RGD). three s ites 0 1' Ca ion binding motifs. cAMP- and cGMP-dep endent protein kinase phos phorylation site, two regions of protein kinase C phosphorylation s ites. glyco- saminoglycan attachment s ite ancl N-glycosylation site. transmembrane and Al kaline Phosphatase active s ite domains This newly iclentifï ed human protein from human choncl rocytes cDNA library appearecl to be related to a known calcification s ignaling protein. was named as Ca lsin(Ch276) . Ch153 appeared to be related a family of anti-microbial peptide acting as an inflammation mediator and Ch334 clone as a zinc finger protein whose expression in creases in human adult ti ssue‘ These results suggest that these novel genes ident i!ï ed from human chondrocytes rnay provide a new path 0 1' embryonic cartilage development and human craniofacial development.

Hemangiomas are different from true vascular malformations in thei l‘ pathogenesis and cl inical prognosis. There are sti ll no standardized antibodies to distinguish hemangioma and vascular malformation apparently. We compared juvenile hemangioma and vascular malformation with immunohistochemjstry using va ri OllS antibodies, i.e. , ANG, bFGF, VEGF. EGFR, vWF. PCNA. p53. maspin, and TNF- . A very st rong positive expression of ANG and vWF was observed mainly in the vascular endothelial cells of juvenile hemangioma. VEGF s howed st rong positive reaction in the juveni le hemangioma, but p53 showed no positive reaction. Ancl a strong positive reaction of ANG was observed in the vascular endothelial walls of vascular malformation. p53 was frequently positive in the lining endothel ial cells in the vascular malformatJOn Using a ntiboclies such as VEG F'. ANG. vWF which a re related to the proliferation and matllrity of the vessel components. and p53 antibodies in order to confirm between juvenile hemangioma and vascular malformation would be helpful

Transient luminous events (TLEs; sprites, elves, jets and etc.) are lightning-related optical flashes occurring above thunderstorms. Since the first discovery of sprites in 1989, scientists have learned a great deal about the morphological, spectroscopic and electromagnetic characteristics of TLEs through ground and spacecraft campaigns. However, most of the TLE studies were based on events recorded over US High Plains. To elucidate the possible biasing effects, space-borne observations are needed and have their merits. Imager of sprites and Upper Atmospheric Lightning (ISUAL) on the FORMOSAT-2 satellite is the first instrument to carry out a true global measurement of TLEs from a low- earth orbit. In this short paper, we apply a common astronomical data analysis technique, two-color diagram, on the ISUAL spectrophotometer (SP) data. By choosing appropriated bandpasses and converting the measured flux of TLEs into the unit of magnitude, two-color diagrams of TLEs can be constructed. We demonstrate that two-color diagrams, which were constructed from the narrow-band spectrophotometer data, can be used to classify different types of TLEs and trace their temporal evolution. The amount of reddening due to Earth's atmosphere can also be estimated from two-color diagrams assembled from the broad-band spectrophotometer data.

Plasma carbon blacks of 20~30 nm diameter were synthesized by direct decomposition of natural gas using a hybrid plasma torch system with 50 kW direct current and 4 MHz of radio frequency. The insulating rector which inside diameter of 400 mm and length of 1500 mm, respectively was kept at 300~400℃ during the preparation. The ultimate analysis of plasma carbon blacks reveals that the raw plasma carbon blacks contains a large quantity of volatile which is mainly consist of hydrogen. Therefore devolatilization of raw plasma carbon blacks were carried out at 900℃ for one hour under nitrogen atmosphere. The devolatilization leads to the decrease in electrical resistivity and surface oxygen functional groups of plasma carbon black significantly. In order to investigate the plasma carbon as a catalyst support, devolatilized plasma black at 900℃ (DPB) supported PtAu catalyst was synthesized by sodium boronhydride reduction method. Electrochemical measurements and direct formic acid fuel cell test indicated that catalytic activity of DPB supported PtAu catalyst for formic acid oxidation was similar to that of Vulcan XC-72 of commercial carbon black supported one.