• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.45-50
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• 2008

It has been found that the colony size of bacteria grown on an agar plate decreases with increasing agar gel concentration. Evidenc from recent studies suggests that the bacterial colony dynamics is closely related with the mechanical properties of the substrate. We investigate whether bacterial growth on the agar substrate is controlled mostly by the nutrients' diffusion which is hindered more in porous medium than in solution. The number of bacterial cells in single colonies is found to be inversely correlated with agar concentration. High-resolution live cell imaging at the single bacterium level confirms that the bacterial growth rate is reduced with increasing agar concentration. There is a strong correlation between the slowed diffusion and the reduced number of cells in a high concentration of agar medium.

• Food Engineering Progress
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.36-41
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• 2017

The release profiles of nisin from nisin-incorporating gel foods and the antimicrobial activities of the gels on the growth of Brochothrix thermosphacta in an aqueous system containing the gels have been investigated. A linear regression model was applied to determine the diffusion coefficient (D) for the diffusion of nisin in the gel. The antimicrobial activities of nisin released from 1, 2 and 3% (w/v) agar gels on the growth of B. thermosphacta in a broth medium with and without nisin were investigated. The D decreased from $1.2{\times}10^{-2}$ to $8.2{\times}10^{-3}$ and $6.4{\times}10^{-3}cm^2/s$ as the agar concentration in the gel increased from 1 to 2 and 3% (w/v), demonstrating the diffusion rate in the gels can be controlled by the agar concentration in gel. The agar gel incorporating nisin inhibited the B. thermosphacta growth in the broth medium by prolonging the lag phase. The growth inhibition was enhanced by the addition of nisin in the medium. The results of this study exhibited that the gel food is a feasible nisin delivery system with a controlled release achieved by the adjustment of agar concentration in the system, demonstrating the potential of nisin-incorporating gel for preserving particulate-containing drinks.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.1320-1324
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• 2006

The pancreatic and neutrophil elastases are associated with several illnesses including lung and vascular diseases, various cancers, and pancreatitis. The development of a potent and specific inhibitor to the elastases could lead to new therapies. In this study, an agar diffusion method was modified to include a substrate-dye conjugate (Elastin-Congo red) as a substrate of elastase and an indicator of elastase inhibitory activity. The Elastin-Congo red agar plates consisted of 0.1 % Elastin-Congo red and 2.5% agar. The elastase and elastase inhibitors were simultaneously loaded into wells, ultimately resulting in halo formations in which the halo diameter decreased as the concentration of elastase inhibitor increased. The concentration of elastase inhibitor in the samples, therefore, was inversely proportional to the halo diameters. This simplified method provided an excellent correlation with the standard microplate technique, which uses a chromogenic substrate. The concentration of elastase inhibitor obtained from the culture supernatant of a recombinant elastase inhibitor produced by the yeast Pichia pastoris was easily determined. This study has established a simple modified and inexpensive agar diffusion method that is potentially useful for the identification, quantification, and screening of new elastase inhibitors.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.345-352
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• 2011

The rheological and diffusion properties of blends of agar/guar gum, agar/Phytagel and Phytagel/guar gum were analysed and compared to those properties of agar or Phytagel applied alone at two different gelling concentrations. Moreover, their effects on the shoot multiplication of the apple scion Galaxy and two black locust clones (SF63, SF82) were studied, and their cost benefits over agar were calculated. Elastic hydrogel formation was demonstrated for each blend by rheological measurements, but the gel strength depended on the types and concentrations of the applied gelling agents and blends. Guar gum was able to speed the diffusion in the different blends, and diffusion was independent of gel strength. The rate of shoot multiplication increased (to 8.9 shoots per explant) and the percent of hyperhydrated shoots decreased (to 12%) when the blend of agar/guar gum was used for the shoot multiplication of apple. Similarly, the highest multiplication rates of black locust clones (between 3.9 and 4.1) were obtained on media solidified by blends containing guar gum. The best shoot performance with the lowest percent of hyperhydrated shoots (11-12% in SF63 and 2-23% in SF82) was achieved using agar alone or the agar/guar gum blend. The shoot multiplication was improved of both species and the production cost was reduced by 42% by using the agar/guar gum blend.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.79-84
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• 1991

The agar diffustion method using Escherichia coli was investigated for determination of Vitamin $B_{l2}$ instead of turbidimetric method using Lactobacillus leichannii (USP XXII method). The turbidimetric method is difficult to control the test organism and it has complicated procedure. From this study, it was found that the agar diffusion method on the determination of Vitamin $B_{12}$ in pharamaceutical preparation is simple and convenient as compared with turbidimetric method. Also we found that the coefficient of variation in reproducibility and the standard error in recovery were 2.18% and 1.83%, respectively.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.174-184
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• 1998

Biosorption characteristics were investigated to discuss the use of agar entrapped Spirulina to remove of heavy metal ions from polluted waters. Agar immobilized algae were used as bioadsorbent in continuous reactor for heavy metal ions removal. The process solution contains Pb, Cu, and Cd as single ion and binary ions. In the adsorption of single heavy metal ions by agar immobilized Spirulina, the adsorption reached within 1hr and observed diffusion limitation differed from the free algal cell adsorption. The optimum pH for the adsorption of heavy metals was 4.5 but the influence of pH decreased less than that of free algal cell. Also, the adsorption characteristics of single heavy metal ions with agar immobilized Spirulina fitted the BET isotherm. Both of experiments of free algal cell and agar immobilized algae showed higher removal efficiency in the single ion solutions than binary ions solutions. The experimental results in the packed column with agar immobilized algae were over 90% of removal efficiency for the Pb, Cu, and Cd in single ion solutions.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.305-312
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• 2019

This study was conducted to effect the cell activity and cytotoxicity of dentifrice. For the study, 6 kinds of general dentifrice, 3 kind of whitening dentifrice, 2 kinds of natural dentifrice and SLS(sodium lauryl sulfate) of positive control group. Immortalized human gingiva fibroblast cell was used for the study, WST test for cell activity and Agar diffusion test for cytotoxicity. Agar diffusion test showed high cytotoxicity in general dentifrice test group and whitening dentifrice test group, but low cytotoxicity in natural dentifrice test group. As a result of cell nucleus staining, cell shape and nuclear activity showed that the highest activity in natural dentifrice group, followed by whitening dentifrice group and general dentifrice group. As a result of this study, the cytotoxicity of different ingredient and according to the use to dentifrice. As a result of this study, we confirm cytotoxicity of kind and components according to the purpose of using dentifrice. Therefore, it is necessary to indicate the detailed ingredients of dentifrice for the smart choice of consumers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.9-13
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• 2009

Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) has been widely used for the measurement of molecular diffusion in living cells and tissues. We developed an image-based FRAP (iFRAP) technique using a modified real-time microscope and a 488 nm Ar-ion laser. A fractional intensity curve was obtained from the time-lapse images of fluorescence recovery in the bleached spot to determine the diffusion coefficient of fluorescently labeled macromolecules in porous medium. We validated iFRAP through experiments with agar gels (0.5% and 1.5% w/v) containing FITC-Dextrans (10, 70 and 500 kDa MW). Further validation was performed by a Monte Carlo approach, where we simulated the three-dimensional random walk of macromolecules in agar gel model. Diffusion coefficients were deduced from the mean square displacement curves and showed good agreements with those measured by iFRAP.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.217-223
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• 1991

A capillary method was used to evaluate the properties of mass transfer process and diffusion coefficients in the gel food. Amaranth dye was selected as a diffusant material to visualize the degree of diffusion procedure easily. After contacting cylinder containing agar gel with amaramth dye solution for some hours, the gel was cut to five segments by 0.5 cm in length. The diffusant concentration from the segments were measured by the spectrophotometer at 523 nm. Prediction models for the diffused quantities in gel food were established by the regression program of SPSS package program. Generally, diffusion coefficient can be calculated by Fick's second law, however, it will be determined by using numerical analysis method more easily. Finally the diffusion coefficients in this research were calculated by arithmetic mean of the measured values. As raising gel agent concentration, the mean diffusion coefficient tended to decrease because the obstruction effect came to become significant.

• 한국가시화정보학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.88-91
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• 2007

Animal cells show different behaviors in response to the mechanical properties of the substrates. We hypothesize that the rigidity of the substrates also affects the bacterial motility and controls the colony dynamics. It is found that the colony size of Escherichia colis and Bacillus subtilis grown on the agar plates is correlated with agarose gel concentrations and thus with the substrate rigidity. High- resolution microscopic imaging reveals that bacteria in single colonies form different aggregation patterns on the agar plates with varying gel concentration. We measured the apparent diffusion coefficients in the agarose gel plates made with different gel concentrations. Mathematical modeling and quantitative imaging of dye dispersion in the agar plates suggest that there is a close connection between the diffusion rate and the colony size. Nanoscale pore structures and kinetic constraints in the porous media may have an effect on bacterial colony dynamics.