Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Tp) as a storage mite inhabitats in stored grains, hay, and straw at agricultural areas. T. putrescentiae stimulates an immune response and triggers inflammatory cytokines release, and thus it is a source of allergen that sensitize and induce allergic reactions. Also, T. putrescentiae has been reported to cause asthma and atopic disease by cross-reactivity with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp). The study on T. putrescentiae in human monocytic THP-1 cells is not enough to understand cytokine expression and pathological mechanisms. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of T. putrescentiae extract (TpE) on production of inflammatory cytokines and expression of mRNA level in THP-1 cells. THP-1 cells are treated with TpE and supernatants were analyzed for the production of cytokines using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). mRNA level in the culture cells was measured by a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). As a result of this study, TpE significantly induced secretion of interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) in THP-1 cells in time- and dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that TpE may play a role in contributing to inflammatory disease through stimulation of immune cell. Further research of T. putrescentiae is needed to understand the elucidation of the pathogenic mechanism.

A fabrication method to improve the processability of thermoplastic carbon nanotube (CNT) mat composites was investigated by using in-situ polymerizable and low viscous cyclic butylene terephthalate oligomers. The electrical conductivity of the CNT mat composites strongly depended on the compression pressure, and the trend can be explained in terms of two cases, low and high compression pressure, respectively. High CNT mat content in the CNT mat composites and the surface of the CNT mat composites with fully contacted CNTs was achieved under high compression pressure, and direct contact between four probes and the surface of the CNT mat composites with fully contacted CNTs gave resistance of 2.1Ω. In this study the maximum electrical conductivity of the CNT mat composites, obtained under a maximum applied compression pressure of 27 MPa, was 11 904 S m-1, where the weight fraction of the CNT mat was 36.5%.

Chronic inflammatory diseases such as Crohn′s disease and ulcerative colitis are associated with increased risk of colon adenocarcinoma. Apoptic induction of colon cancer cells by cytokines and death receptors is an important anti-cancer therapy. We observed that co-administration of TNFα and IFNγ in human colon cancer cell line, HCT116, resulted in cell death and expression of IL-32. Cleavage forms of caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP were increased in TNFα / IFNγ-treated HCT116. mRNA expression of death receptors, including TNFR1 and Fas were not changed and NO generation was not induced by combination of TNFα and IFNγ. However, mRNA expression of IL-32α, β, and γ was increased in TNFα / IFNγ-treated HCT116. To determine the effect of IL-32 in HCT116 cell apoptosis by TNFα / IFNγ stimulation, IL-32 siRNA-transfected HCT116 cells were cultured with TNFα / IFNγ and cell proliferation was measured. IL-32 siRNA induced slight recovery of cell viability of TNFα / IFNγ-stimulated HCT116. These results suggest that IL-32 is not directly related to apoptosis of HCT116 by TNFα / IFNγ stimulation. However, IL-32 expression by TNFα or TNFα / IFNγ in a colon cancer cell line is very interesting because of the unknown effect of IL-32 in colon cancer. Our study will contribute to development of studies for IL-32 function in human colon cancer and anti-cancer therapies using cytokines.

House dust mites (HDMs) play an important role in the occurrence of allergic diseases such as asthma and atopic dermatitis. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p) is one of the most prevalent HDMs. It mediates the activation of T cells and monocytes, and induces the elevation of immunoglobulin E levels in allergic diseases. However, the effects of Der p on human monocytes have not been fully understood. In the present study, we investigated whether or not Der p has a great effect on the chemotactic activity of the human monocytic cell line, THP-1 cells, as induced by CC chemokines. We also show that the Der p extract (DpE) increased the chemotactic activity of THP-1 cells in response to MCP-1, RANTES, MIP-1α, and TARC, but has no effect on the expressions of CC chemokine receptors (CCRs) binding to CC chemokines in THP-1 cells. Protease inhibitors, such as aprotinin and E64, blocked the increased chemotaxis, while cytoplasmic Ca2+ influx mediated by these chemokines was inhibited by DpE. These results indicate that DpE increases the chemotactic activity of THP-1 cells in response to CC chemokines by regulating the cells’ protease-dependent mechanism. This finding may be useful in identifying the pathogenesis of allergic diseases induced by Der p.

ReαlITent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) appears to be one of the most common oral diseases. However, the defmitive etiology of RAS is not well established, though many etiologic faαors have been suggested and examined. The present study was petformed to investigate the association between HIA and Korean recurrent aphthous stomatitis pa디ents. πle proportions of class 1 and class II HIA types expressed in 49 Korean subjects affected by recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) and in 50 healthy controls were deteffi1Í11ed by microlymphocytotoxicity test. 까le sig띠ficance of the data was analyzed by chi-square test and Fisher' s exact test. πle proportions of HIA-Cw1 and -DR9 antigens were significantly higher in RAS pa디ents (p(0.05), whereas those of HIA-DR4 and -DQ2 antigens were significantly lower (p(0.05). 까le odds ratio (OR) were 2.8 for HIA-Cw1 and 2.7 for -DR9. πle etiologic fractions (EF) were 0.262 and 0.193, respectively. The results s맹gest that, in Koreans, there Í$ a sig띠ficant relation between HIA antigens and RAS. Genetic faαors ， reflected in the HIA type, may play an in1portant role in the development of RAS.

In order to improve rice dough functionality, we cloned 4 kinds of high-molecular-weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS) genes from bread wheat, ‘Jokyeong’. Among them, we first examined Dx5 gene to generate marker-free transgenic rice for advanced quality processing of bread and noodles. The GluB1 promoter was inserted into binary vector for seed specific expression of the Dx5 gene. Two expression cassettes comprised of separate DNA fragments containing only the high-molecular-weight glutein subunit (HMW-GS) protein (Dx5) and hygromycin phosphotransferase II (HPTII) resistance genes were introduced separately to tumefaciens EHA105 strain for co-infection. Each EHA105 strain harboring Dx5 or HPTII was infected to rice calli at 3: 1 ratio of Dx5 and HPTII, respectively. Then among 66 hygromycin-resistant transformants, we obtained two transgenic lines inserted both with Dx5 and HPTII gene to rice genome. We reconfirmed integration of the Dx5 and HPTII genes into the rice genome by Southern blot analysis. Wheat Dx5 transcriptsin rice seeds was examined with semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Finally, the marker-free plants containing only Dx5 gene were successfully screened at T1 generation. This result also provides that co-infection system with two expression cassettes could be efficient strategy to generate marker-free transgenic rice plants.

An unbalance of rice productions and consumptions caused serious problems in both of agricultural area and grain market of korea. In recently, various efforts for rice processing products such as rice noodles and rice wines are in progress to overcome the unstable rice market. Among them, waxy rice is predominant items in processing rice. However, varietal features of starch viscosity are not considered in the processing industries and rice breeding field. In this study, 12 waxy rices and 2 cultivars Ilmibyeo(japonica) and IR72(Indica) were studied for physicochemical and amylogram to characterize the use of waxy rices. The amylose contents of waxy rices were from 7.1 to 8.1% with soft gel consistency and relatively low alkali digestion value(1.4% KOH) compare to Ilmibyeo. In the amylogram analysis(RVU) of waxy rices, unlikely normal rices, very fast peak time(about 3.5 min.) was obtained compare to that of 6.2 min. of Ilmibyeo. And 2 to 3 groups were classified based on peak viscosity and consitency of RVU. Wangchal, Odorokimochi and Hangangchal showed relatively high peak viscosity seemed not suitable for rice cake due to the hardness speed. And most of waxy rices developed in korea were believed to be suitable for oil fried cakes(Hankwa) because of a certain grade of starch degradation speed. And Mochiminori and Midoromochi originated from japan could be a good sources in waxy rice breeding program to improve the cooking properties especially in slow down of hardness speed with very low peak viscosity, hot viscosity and cool viscosity.

The removal of nitrogen compounds from a wastewater is essential and it is often accomplished by biological process. An aerobic nitrate-removing bacterium was isolated from a municipal sewage treatment plant and soil. On the basis of its morphological, cultural and physiological characteristics and 16S rRNA sequencing data, this strain was identified as Pseudomonas fluorescens, and named as P. fluorescens K4. The optimal conditions of the initial pH and temperature of media for its growth were 7.0~8.0 and 30℃, respectively. P. fluorescens K4 was able to remove 99.9% of nitrate after 24 h in a culture. The strain could grow with a nitrate concentration up to 800 mg/l and was able to remove 99.9% of nitrate after 104 h of incubation. The optimal electron donor was sodium citrate for a nitrate removal. The strain K4 showed a capability of a complete nitrate removal when the initial C/N ratio was 1.0. An effect of the initial seed concentration was observed for a cell of 10% (v/v) for a nitrate removal. Especially P. fluorescens K4 could completely remove 200 mg/l ammonium for 3 days.