• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 2009

A B cell-specific growth substance (BGS) was isolated from the slime layer of Bacillus licheniformis E1. Unlike LPS, the BGS was not affected by polymixin B, an inhibitor of LPS, or by TLR4, and resulted in the growth of B cells. When BALB/c mice were treated with the BGS, the B cell population was found to increase in both the bone marrow and the spleen, with a marked increase after 24 h in the bone marrow and after 48 h in the spleen. When using antibodies to B cell lineage-restricted surface molecules to analyze the B cell population changes resulting from treatment with the BGS, an increase in immature B cells ($IgM^+$ and $AA4.1^+$) and mature B cells ($IgM^+$ and $IgD^+$) was found in the bone marrow 24 h after treatment with the BGS, whereas a decrease in mature B cells and increase in $IgG^+$ B cells were found in the spleen. When the BGS and OVA antigen were injected into the peritoneal cavity of BALB/c mice, this resulted in a high OVA-specific antibody titer in the sera, similar to that induced by aluminum hydroxide. Therefore, it is anticipated that the mass production of the BGS by B. licheniformis E1 could be used for studies of B cells in immunology, and contribute to the development of a new adjuvant for vaccine manufacture.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.242-247
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• 2002

Background: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-$\alpha$) is known to play an important role in various conditions such as inflammation, autoimmunity, apoptosis, insulin resistance and sleep induction. Five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been known to affect the transcriptional activities of TNF-$\alpha$: -1,031T/C, -863C/A, -857C/T, -308G/A and -238G/A. Methods: We have investigated 5 SNPs of the promoter region of TNF-$\alpha$ gene, the distribution of 5-locus TNF-$\alpha$ haplotypes, and their haplotypic associations with previously typed HLA-A, -B and -DRB1 loci in 107 healthy unrelated Koreans. TNF-$\alpha$ SNPs were typed using PCR-single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) methods. Results: The allele frequencies of -1,031C, -863A, -857T, -308A, and-238A, which are known as the high-producer-type, were 19.3%, 15.9%, 14.0%, 5.9%, and 2.9%, respectively. The frequency of -308A allele, known to be associated with autoimmune diseases, was 5.9% in Koreans which was lower than Caucasians (14~17%) and somewhat higher than Japanese (1.7%). Five most common TNF-$\alpha$ haplotypes (-1,031/-863/-857/-308/-238) comprised over 95% of total haplotypes: TCCGG (58.4%), CACGG (14.8%), TCTGG (13.7%), TCCAG (5.3%), and CCCGA (3.1%). Strong positive associations (P<0.001) were observed between TCCGG and B62; between CACGG and B51, $DRB1^*0901$; between TCTGG and B35, B54, B59, $DRB1^*1201$; and between TCCAG and A33, B58, $DRB1^*0301$, $DRB1^*1302$. Five most common extended haplotypes (>3%) comprised around 16% of total haplotypes: A33-B58-TCCAG-$DRB1^*1302$, A24-B52-TCCGG-$DRB1^*1502$, A33-B44-TCCGG-$DRB1^*1302$, A24-B7-TCCGG-$DRB1^*0101$, and A11-B62-TCCGG-$DRB1^*0406$. The distribution of extended HLA and TNF-$\alpha$ haplotypes showed that most of HLA haplotypes were almost exclusively associated with particular TNF-$\alpha$ haplotypes. Conclusion: The results obtained in this study would be useful as basic data for anthropologic studies and disease association studies in Koreans.

• Bulletin of the Korean Mathematical Society
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.1149-1159
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• 2018

A quadratic polynomial ${\Phi}_{a,b,c}(x,y,z)=x(ax+1)+y(by+1)+z(cz+1)$ is called universal if the diophantine equation ${\Phi}_{a,b,c}(x,y,z)=n$ has an integer solution x, y, z for any nonnegative integer n. In this article, we show that if (a, b, c) = (2, 2, 6), (2, 3, 5) or (2, 3, 7), then ${\Phi}_{a,b,c}(x,y,z)$ is universal. These were conjectured by Sun in [8].

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.258-265
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• 2016

In metastatic breast cancer, the acquisition of malignant traits has been associated with the increased rate of cell growth and division, mobility, resistance to chemotherapy, and invasiveness. While screening for the key regulators of cancer metastasis, we observed that neurotrophin receptor TrkB is frequently overexpressed in breast cancer patients and breast cancer cell lines. Additionally, we demonstrate that TrkB expression and clinical breast tumor pathological phenotypes show significant correlation. Moreover, TrkB expression was significantly upregulated in basal-like, claudin-low, and metaplastic breast cancers from a published microarray database and in patients with triple-negative breast cancer, which is associated with a higher risk of invasive recurrence. Interestingly, we identified a new TrkB-regulated functional network that is important for the tumorigenicity and metastasis of breast cancer. We demonstrated that TrkB plays a key role in regulation of the tumor suppressors Runx3 and Keap1. A markedly increased expression of Runx3 and Keap1 was observed upon knockdown of TrkB, treatment with a TrkB inhibitor, and in TrkB kinase dead mutants. Additionally, the inhibition of PI3K/AKT activation significantly induced Runx3 and Keap1 expression. Furthermore, we showed that TrkB enhances metastatic potential and induces proliferation. These observations suggest that TrkB plays a key role in tumorigenicity and metastasis of breast cancer cells through suppression of Runx3 or Keap1 and that it is a promising target for future intervention strategies for preventing tumor metastasis and cancer chemoprevention.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.306-312
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• 1986

Color changes of a mixture of 0.8 M glucose, fructose or sucrose and 0.8 M glycine were evaluated by Hunter 'L', 'a', 'b' values during Maillard reaction at the temperature range of $70^{\circ}-100^{\circ}C$. The results suggested the reaction to be devided into three stages. In initial reaction the 'L' and 'a' values decreased slowely, and 'b' rapidly increased to maximum, which were followed by a rapid decrease in 'L' and 'b' and rapid increase in 'a' values at intermediate stage. At final reaction period the both 'L' and 'b' were slowed down in their reduction rate while 'a' decreased rapidly from its maximum point. All of the Hunter values were reached to nea. zero. Linear equations, which can be used for prediction of cole. change in Maillared reaction, of $1/\sqrt{(L_t-L_{\circ})^2\;+\;(a_t-a_{\circ})^2\;+\;(b_t-b_{\circ})^2}\;=\;a(1/t)\;+\;b$ for Hunter values and $1/\sqrt{X\;+\;Y\;+Z}\;=\;a(1/t)\;+\;b$ for CIE tristimulus values were found to have a very high correlation coefficient. Relationships between 'L' and 'a', 'L' and 'b' and 'a' and 'b' were also graphcally compared.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.787-796
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• 1996

The biodegradation experiment, the TOD analysis and the element analysis for dispersant, Bunker-A oil and Bunker-B oil were conducted to study the biodegradation characteristics of a mixture of Bunker-A oil with dispersant and a mixture of Bunker-B oil with dispersant in the seawater. The results of biodegradation experiment showed 1mg of dispersant to be equivalent to 0.26 mg of $BOD_5$ and to 0.60 mg of $BOD_{20}$ in the natural seawater. The results of TOD analysis showed each 1 mg of dispersant, Bunker-A oil and Bunker-B oil to be equivalent to 2.37 mg, 2.94 mg and 2.74 mg of TOD, respectively. The results of element analysis showed carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and phosphorus contents of dispersant to be $82.1\%,\;13.8\%,\;1.8\%\;and\;2.2\%$, respectively. Carbon and hydrogen contents of Bunker-A oil were found to be $73.3\%\;and\;13.5\%$, respectively, and carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen contents of Bunker-B oil to be $80.4\%,\;12.3\%\;and\;0.7\%$, respectively. Accordingly, the detection of nitrogen and phosphorus in dispersant shows that dispersants should be used with caution in coastal waters, with relation to eutrophication. The biodegradability of dispersant expressed as the ratio of $BOD_5/TOD$ was found to be $11.0\%$. As the mix ratios of dispersant to Bunker-A oil (3 mg/l) and a mixture of Bunker-B oil (3mg/l) were changed from 1 : 10 to 5 : 10, the biodegradabilities of a mixture of Bunker-A oil with dispersant and Bunker-B oil with dispersant increased from $2.1\%\;to\;7.2\%$ and from $1.0\%\;to\;4.4\%$, respectively. Accordingly, the dispersant belongs to the organic matter group of middle-biodegradability while mixtures in the mix ratio range of $1:10\~5:10$ belong to the organic matter group of low-biodegradability. The deoxygenation rate constant $(K_1)$ and ultimate biochemical oxygen demand $(L_0)$ obtained from the biodegradation experiment and Thomas slope method were found to be 0.125/day and 2.487 mg/l for dispersant (4 mg/l), respectively. $K_1\;and\;L_0$, were found to be $0.079\~0.131/day$ and $0.318\~2.052\;mg/l$ for a mixture of Bunker-A oil with dispersant and to be $0.106\~0.371/day$ and $0.262\~1.106\;mg/l$ for a mixture of Bunker-B oil with dispersant, respectively, having $1:10\~5:10$ mix ratios of dispersant to Bunker-A oil and Bunker-B oil. The ultimate biochemical oxygen demands of the mixtures increased as the mix ratio of dispersant to Bunker-A, B oils changed from 1 : 10 to 5 : 10. This suggests that the more dispersants are applied to the sea for the cleanup of Bunker-A oil or Bunker-B oil, the more decreases the dissolved oxygen level in the seawater.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.471-475
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• 1998

The aim of the present research program was to develop a strain of gastrointestinal bacteria containing antitumor substances. Fecal samples were collected from neonates and a number of gastrointestinal bacteria were isolated from the fecal samples by applying selective agar for intestinal bacteria. Among 127 isolates, a strain 2B4-1 containing an antitumor substance against stomach cancer, SNU-1, was selected. The strain 2B4-1 was identified as a strain similar to Enterococcus faecalis NCTC 775 with respect to morphological characteristics, growth temperature, salt and acid tolerance, growth under facultative anaerobic conditions and utilization of carbon sources such as arabinose and melibiose and so on. However, it showed some differences such as a negative reaction to hippurate hydrolysis and negative reaction to $\beta$-hemolysis. We assigned to the strain 2B4-1 to Enterococcus faecalis.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.58-63
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• 2003

Ginseng has been recommended to alleviate the menopausal symptoms, which indicates that components of ginseng very likely contain estrogenic activity. We have examined the possibility that a component of Panax ginseng, $ginsenoside-R_{b1}$ acts by binding to estrogen receptor. We have investigated the estrogenic activity of $ginsenoside-R_{b1}$ in a transient transfection system using estrogen-responsive luciferase plasmids in MCF-7 cells. $ginsenoside-R_{b1}$ activated the transcription of the estrogen-responsive luciferase reporter gene in MCF-7 breast cancer cells at a concentration of 50 $\mu$M. Activation was inhibited by the specific estrogen receptor antagonist ICI 182,780, indicating that the estrogenic effect of $ginsenoside-R_{b1}$ is estrogen receptor dependent. Next, we evaluated the ability of $ginsenoside-R_{b1}$ to induce the estrogen-responsive gene c-fos by semi-quantitative RT-PCR assays and Western analyses. $ginsenoside-R_{b1}$ increased c-fos both at mRNA and protein levels. However, $ginsenoside-R_{b1}$ failed to activate the glucocorticoid receptor, the retinoic acid receptor, or the androgen receptor in CV-1 cells transiently transfected with the corresponding steroid hormone receptors and hormone responsive reporter plasmids. These data support our hypothesis that $ginsenoside-R_{b1}$ acts a weak phytoestrogen, presumably by binding and activating the estrogen receptor.

• Communications of the Korean Mathematical Society
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.889-899
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• 2018

In this paper, we present some upper bounds for unitarily invariant norms inequalities. Among other inequalities, we show some upper bounds for the Hilbert-Schmidt norm. In particular, we prove $${\parallel}f(A)Xg(B){\pm}g(B)Xf(A){\parallel}_2{\leq}{\Large{\parallel}}{\frac{(I+{\mid}A{\mid})X(I+{\mid}B{\mid})+(I+{\mid}B{\mid})X(I+{\mid}A{\mid})}{^dA^dB}}{\Large{\parallel}}_2$$, where A, B, $X{\in}{\mathbb{M}}_n$ such that A, B are Hermitian with ${\sigma}(A){\cup}{\sigma}(B){\subset}{\mathbb{D}}$ and f, g are analytic on the complex unit disk ${\mathbb{D}}$, g(0) = f(0) = 1, Re(f) > 0 and Re(g) > 0.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.323-328
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• 1993

Benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P], one of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is known as a potent carcinogen. As lipid consumption increases recently, the toxic effect of overheated lipid foods and fats ＆ oils were reported increasingly. In this study, the contents of B(a)p, other PAHs and rancidities of soybean oil were determined, and then the proper heating temperature, time and frequency were recommended, The work was carried out using soybean oil heated at $180\pm$5^{\circ}C$$, $200\pm$5^{\circ}C$$, and $300\pm$5^{\circ}C$$,for 50 hours. Acid Value(AV) and Conjugated Diene Value of samples were determined. The contents of B(a)P and other PAHs contents of all samples were masured by HPLC/UV method. The results obtained were as follows; Each content of PAHs in the fresh soybean oil was: Pyr 1.093, B(a)A 0.986, Ch 1.147, DMBA 1.082, B(e)P 0.664, Per 1.135, B(a)P 0.146, DBA 1.053, 3-MC 0.05 rg/kg. When the soybean oil was heated at $180\pm$5^{\circ}C$$, for 10, 20, 30, and 50 hours, B(a)P conterlts in heated soybean oils were 0.391, 0.692, 0.451, and 0.372 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg respectively. Acid value of them were 0.26, 0.26, 0.29, and 0.33, and conjugated diene value was 0.67, 0.76, 0.99, and 1.04, respectively. When the soybean oil was heated at $200\pm$5^{\circ}C$$,and $300\pm$5^{\circ}C$$,for 10, 20, 30, and 50 hours, B(a)P coiltents in soybean oil heated at $200\pm$5^{\circ}C$$,were 0.844, 0.512, 0.479 and 0.247 Ig/kg respectively, Acid value 0.22, 0.21, 0.23 and 0.51 and CDNV 0.39, 0.49, 3.27, and 3.89. B(a)P contents in soybean oil heated at $300\pm$5^{\circ}C$$,were 0.466, 0.706, 0.607 and 0.247$\mu\textrm{g}$/kg respectively, Acid value 0.47, 1.57, 3.90, and 6.42 and CDNV 0.65, 2.15, 3.00, and 3.88.