• Genes and Genomics
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• 제40권11호
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• pp.1199-1211
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• 2018

Soil acidification is one of major problems limiting crop growth and especially becoming increasingly serious in China owing to excessive use of nitrogen fertilizer. Only the STOP1 of Arabidopsis was identified clearly sensitive to proton rhizotoxicity and the molecular mechanism for proton toxicity tolerance of plants is still poorly understood. The main objective of this study was to investigate the transcriptomic change in plants under the low pH stress. The low pH as a single factor was employed to induce the response of the wheat seedling roots. Wheat cDNA microarray was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). A total of 1057 DEGs were identified, of which 761 genes were up-regulated and 296 were down-regulated. The greater percentage of up-regulated genes involved in developmental processes, immune system processes, multi-organism processes, positive regulation of biological processes and metabolic processes of the biological processes. The more proportion of down-regulation genes belong to the molecular function category including transporter activity, antioxidant activity and molecular transducer activity and to the extracellular region of the cellular components category. Moreover, most genes among 41 genes involved in ion binding, 17 WAKY transcription factor genes and 17 genes related to transport activity were up-regulated. KEGG analysis showed that the jasmonate signal transduction and flavonoid biosynthesis might play important roles in response to the low pH stress in wheat seedling roots. Based on the data, it is can be deduced that WRKY transcription factors might play a critical role in the transcriptional regulation, and the alkalifying of the rhizosphere might be the earliest response process to low pH stress in wheat seedling roots. These results provide a basis to reveal the molecular mechanism of proton toxicity tolerance in plants.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.26.1-26.12
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• 2018

Shigella spp. constitutes some of the key pathogens responsible for the global burden of diarrhoeal disease. With over 164 million reported cases per annum, shigellosis accounts for 1.1 million deaths each year. Majority of these cases occur among the children of the developing nations and the emergence of multi-drug resistance Shigella strains in clinical isolates demands the development of better/new drugs against this pathogen. The genome of Shigella flexneri was extensively analyzed and found 4,362 proteins among which the functions of 674 proteins, termed as hypothetical proteins (HPs) had not been previously elucidated. Amino acid sequences of all these 674 HPs were studied and the functions of a total of 39 HPs have been assigned with high level of confidence. Here we have utilized a combination of the latest versions of databases to assign the precise function of HPs for which no experimental information is available. These HPs were found to belong to various classes of proteins such as enzymes, binding proteins, signal transducers, lipoprotein, transporters, virulence and other proteins. Evaluation of the performance of the various computational tools conducted using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and a resoundingly high average accuracy of 93.6% were obtained. Our comprehensive analysis will help to gain greater understanding for the development of many novel potential therapeutic interventions to defeat Shigella infection.

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.102-108
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• 2019

Objectives: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is considered as a deadly medical condition that affects a growing number of people worldwide. Targeted therapy of ESCC has been suggested recently and required extensive research. With cyclin D1 as a therapeutic target, the present study aimed at evaluating the anticancer effects of doxorubicin (Dox) or Hypericum perforatum L. (HP) extract encapsulated in poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles on the ESCC cell line KYSE30. Methods: Nanoparticles were prepared using double emulsion method. Cytotoxicity assay was carried out to measure the anti-proliferation activity of Dox-loaded (Dox NPs) and HP-loaded nanoparticles (HP NPs) against both cancer and normal cell lines. The mRNA gene expression of cyclin D1 was evaluated to validate the cytotoxicity studies at molecular level. Results: Free drugs and nanoparticles significantly inhibited KYSE30 cells by 55-73% and slightly affected normal cells up to 29%. The IC50 of Dox NPs and HP NPs was ~ 0.04-0.06 mg/mL and ~ 0.6-0.7 mg/mL, respectively. Significant decrease occurred in cyclin D1 expression by Dox NPs and HP NPs (P < 0.05). Exposure of KYSE-30 cells to combined treatments including both Dox and HP extract significantly increased the level of cyclin D1 expression as compared to those with individual treatments (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Dox NPs and HP NPs can successfully and specifically target ESCC cells through downregulation of cyclin D1. The simultaneous use of Dox and HP extract should be avoided for the treatment of ESCC.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제82권1호
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• pp.15-26
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• 2019

The pathogen Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is the most common cause of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease worldwide. The decision to initiate long-term antibiotic treatment is difficult for the physician due to inconsistent disease progression and adverse effects associated with the antibiotic treatment. The prognostic factors for the progression of MAC pulmonary disease are low body mass index, poor nutritional status, presence of cavitary lesion(s), extensive disease, and a positive acid-fast bacilli smear. A regimen consisting of macrolides (clarithromycin or azithromycin) with rifampin and ethambutol has been recommended; this regimen significantly improves the treatment of MAC pulmonary disease and should be maintained for at least 12 months after negative sputum culture conversion. However, the rates of default and disease recurrence after treatment completion are still high. Moreover, treatment failure or macrolide resistance can occur, although in some refractory cases, surgical lung resection can improve treatment outcomes. However, surgical resection should be carefully performed in a well-equipped center and be based on a rigorous risk-benefit analysis in a multidisciplinary setting. New therapies, including clofazimine, inhaled amikacin, and bedaquiline, have shown promising results for the treatment of MAC pulmonary disease, especially in patients with treatment failure or macrolide-resistant MAC pulmonary disease. However, further evidence of the efficacy and safety of these new treatment regimens is needed. Also, a new consensus is needed for treatment outcome definitions as widespread use of these definitions could increase the quality of evidence for the treatment of MAC pulmonary disease.

• 한국육종학회지
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• 제49권3호
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• pp.230-234
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• 2017

녹두 품종 '수현'은 '전남14호'와 'IT208777'을 교배하여 2010년에 육성되었다. 초형은 직립이고 잎 모양은 심장형이고 배축색은 녹색이고 성숙한 꼬투리는 검고 곧으며 종피는 광색이 없는 녹색이다. '수현'의 경장은 66cm로 '어울녹두'보다 5cm 작고 개체당 꼬투리는 24개로 5개 많으며 나물 수율은 8.67배로 16% 많다. 종실의 전분, 조단백질 및 조지방 함량은 각각 62.7, 27.3, 1.89%이다. '수현' 평균 수량은 1.74톤/ha로 '어울녹두'보다 8% 많다. (품종보호권 등록번호: 제5107호, 2014년 7월 31일)

• 한국융합학회논문지
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• 제11권12호
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• pp.283-290
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• 2020

본 연구는 한국 성인을 대상으로 고요산혈증 위험을 예측하기 위한 중성지방-혈당 지수(triglyceride and glucose index, TyG index)의 유용성을 평가하였다. 서울지역 종합병원에서 2017년부터 2019년까지 건강진단을 실시한 20세 이상 남성 14,266명, 여성 9,033명을 대상으로 하였다. TyG 지수에 따른 고요산혈증 발생 위험도는 로지스틱 회귀분석을 실시하였으며, TyG 지수의 고요산혈증 위험 예측능력을 확인하기 위해 ROC 곡선을 구하였다. 고요산혈증을 예측하기 위한 TyG 지수의 정확도는 0.68이며, 남성 0.61, 여성 0.67이었다(각각 p<0.001). TyG 지수의 고요산혈증 발생 위험은 1사분위수보다 4사분위수에서 1.69배 높았으며, 남성은 2.03배, 여성은 2.07배 높았다(각각 p<0.05). 따라서 TyG 지수는 고요산혈증의 선별검사로서 진단적 유용성은 높지 않았으나, TyG 지수와 고요산혈증간에는 관련이 있었다.

• BMB Reports
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• 제54권6호
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• pp.323-328
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• 2021

Periodontal diseases have been reported to have a multidirectional association with metabolic disorders. We sought to investigate the correlation between periodontitis and diabetes or fatty liver disease using HFD-fed obese mice inoculated with P. gingivalis. Body weight, alveolar bone loss, serological biochemistry, and glucose level were determined to evaluate the pathophysiology of periodontitis and diabetes. For the evaluation of fatty liver disease, hepatic nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) was assessed by scoring steatosis, inflammation, hepatocyte ballooning and the crucial signaling pathways involved in liver metabolism were analyzed. The C-reactive protein (CRP) level and NASH score in P. gingivalis-infected obese mice were significantly elevated. Particularly, the extensive lobular inflammation was observed in the liver of obese mice infected with P. gingivalis. Moreover, the expression of metabolic regulatory factors, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (Pparγ) and the fatty acid transporter Cd36, was up-regulated in the liver of P. gingivalis-infected obese mice. However, inoculation of P. gingivalis had no significant influence on glucose homeostasis, insulin resistance, and hepatic mTOR/AMPK signaling. In conclusion, our results indicate that P. gingivalis can induce the progression of fatty liver disease in HFD-fed mice through the upregulation of CD36-PPARγ axis.

• 대한금속재료학회지
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• 제50권12호
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• pp.907-911
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• 2012

High purity silicon can be obtained from Al-Si alloys by a combination of solvent refining and centrifugation. Silicon purification by crystallization of silicon from an Al-Si alloy melt was carried out using 2N and 4N purity aluminum and 2N purity silicon as raw materials. The effect of the purity of raw materials on the final silicon ingot purity by centrifugation was investigated for an Al-50 wt% Si alloy. Alloys were melted using an electrical resistance furnace, and then poured into a centrifuging apparatus. A silicon lump like foam was obtained after centrifugation and was leached by an acid in order to get pure silicon flakes. Then silicon flakes were melted to make a silicon ingot using an induction furnace. The purities of the silicon flakes and silicon ingot were enhanced significantly compared to those of the raw materials of silicon and aluminum. The silicon ingot made of 4N aluminum and 2N silicon showed the lowest impurities.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제64권1호
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• pp.123-134
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• 2022

Toll-like receptors (TLRs), as a part of innate immunity, plays an important role in detecting pathogenic molecular patterns (PAMPs) which are structural components or product of pathogens and initiate host defense systems or innate immunity. Precise negative feedback regulations of TLR signaling are important in maintaining homeostasis to prevent tissue damage by uncontrolled inflammation during innate immune responses. In this study, we identified and characterized the function of the pancreatic progenitor cell differentiation and proliferation factor (PPDPF) as a negative regulator for TLR signal-mediated inflammation in chicken. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the structure of chicken PPDPF evolutionarily conserved amino acid sequences with domains, i.e., SH3 binding sites and CDC-like kinase 2 (CLK2) binding sites, suggesting that relevant signaling pathways might contribute to suppression of inflammation. Our results showed that stimulation with polyinosinic:polycytidylic acids (Poly [I:C]), a synthetic agonist for TLR3 signaling, increased the mRNA expression of PPDPF in chicken fibroblasts DF-1 but not in chicken macrophage-like cells HD11. In addition, the expression of pro-inflammatory genes stimulated by Poly(I:C) were reduced in DF-1 cells which overexpress PPDPF. Future studies warrant to reveal the molecular mechanisms responsible for the anti-inflammatory capacity of PPDPF in chicken as well as a potential target for controlling viral resistance.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.79-90
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• 2022

Background: Herbal medicines are popular approaches to capably prevent and treat obesity and its related diseases. Excessive exposure to dietary lipids causes oxidative stress and inflammation, which possibly induces cellular senescence and contribute the damaging effects in brain. The potential roles of selective enhanced ginsenoside in regulating high fat diet (HFD)-induced brain damage remain unknown. Methods: The protection function of Ginsenoside F1-enhanced mixture (SGB121) was evaluated by in vivo and in vitro experiments. Human primary astrocytes and SH-SY5Y cells were treated with palmitic acid conjugated Bovine Serum Albumin, and the effects of SGB121 were determined by MTT and lipid uptake assays. For in vivo tests, C57BL/6J mice were fed with high fat diet for 3 months with or without SGB121 administration. Thereafter, immunohistochemistry, western blot, PCR and ELISA assays were conducted with brain tissues. Results and conclusion: SGB121 selectively suppressed HFD-induced oxidative stress and cellular senescence in brain, and reduced subsequent inflammation responses manifested by abrogated secretion of IL-6, IL-1β and TNFα via NF-κB signaling pathway. Interestingly, SGB121 protects against HFD-induced damage by improving mitophagy and endoplasmic reticulum-stress associated autophagy flux and inhibiting apoptosis. In addition, SGB121 regulates lipid uptake and accumulation by FATP4 and PPARα. SGB121 significantly abates excessively phosphorylated tau protein in the cortex and GFAP activation in corpus callosum. Together, our results suggest that SGB121 is able to favor the resistance of brain to HFD-induced damage, therefore provide explicit evidence of the potential to be a functional food.