• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.114-122
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• 2023

A family of signal transduction pathways known as wingless type (Wnt) signaling pathways is essential to developmental processes like cell division and proliferation. Mutation in Wnt signaling results in a variety of diseases, including cancers of the breast, colon, and skin, metabolic disease, and neurodegenerative disease; thus, the Wnt signaling pathways have been attractive targets for disease treatment. However, the complicatedness and large involveness of the pathway often hampers pinpointing the specific targets of the metabolic process. In our current study, we investigated the differential metabolic regulation by the overexpression of the Wnt signaling pathway in a timely-resolved manner by applying high-throughput and un-targeted metabolite profiling. We have detected and annotated 321 metabolite peaks from a total of 36 human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells using GC-TOF MS and LC-Orbitrap MS. The un-targeted metabolomic analysis identified the radical reprogramming of a range of central carbon/nitrogen metabolism pathways, including glycolysis, TCA cycle, and glutaminolysis, and fatty acid pathways. The investigation, combined with targeted mRNA profiles, elucidated an explicit understanding of activated fatty acid metabolism (β-oxidation and biosynthesis). The findings proposed detailed mechanistic biochemical dynamics in response to Wnt-driven metabolic changes, which may help design precise therapeutic targets for Wnt-related diseases.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.310-318
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• 2023

Microalgae are attracting much attention as promising, eco-friendly producers of bioenergy due to their fast growth, absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and production capacity in wastewater and salt water. However, microalgae can only accumulate large quantities of lipid in abiotic stress, which reduces productivity by decreasing cell growth. In this study, the strategy was investigated to increase cell viability and lipid production by overexpressing S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) synthetase (SAMS) in the microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. SAM is a substance that plays an important role in various intracellular biochemical reactions, such as cell proliferation and stress response, and the overexpression of SAMS could allow cells to ithstand the abiotic stress and increase productivity. Compared to wild-type C. reinhardtii, recombinant cells overexpressing SAMS grew 1.56-fold faster and produced 1.51-fold more lipids in a nitrogen-depleted medium. Furthermore, under saline-stress conditions, the survival rate and lipid accumulation were 1.56 and 2.04 times higher in the SAMS-overexpressing strain, respectively. These results suggest that the overexpression of SAMS in recombinant C. reinhardtii has high potential in the industrial-scale production of biofuels and various other high-value-added materials.

• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.287-295
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• 2023

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex system composed of many cell types and an extracellular matrix (ECM). During tumorigenesis, cancer cells constantly interact with cellular components, biochemical cues, and the ECM in the TME, all of which make the environment favorable for cancer growth. Emerging evidence has revealed the importance of substrate elasticity and biomechanical forces in tumor progression and metastasis. However, the mechanisms underlying the cell response to mechanical signals-such as extrinsic mechanical forces and forces generated within the TME-are still relatively unknown. Moreover, having a deeper understanding of the mechanisms by which cancer cells sense mechanical forces and transmit signals to the cytoplasm would substantially help develop effective strategies for cancer treatment. This review provides an overview of biomechanical forces in the TME and the intracellular signaling pathways activated by mechanical cues as well as highlights the role of mechanotransductive pathways through mechanosensors that detect the altering biomechanical forces in the TME.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.37 no.6_1
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• pp.1559-1572
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• 2021

The response of vegetation under the crop stress condition was evaluated using structural, biochemical, and physiological vegetation indices based on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) images and field-spectrometer data. A high concentration of herbicide was sprayed at the different growth stages of garlic to process crop stress, the above ground dry matter of garlic at experimental area (EA) decreased about 46.2~84.5% compared to that at control area. The structural vegetation indices clearly responded to these crop damages. Spectral reflectance at near-infrared wavelength consistently decreased at EA. Most biochemical vegetation indices reflected the crop stress conditions, but the meaning of physiological vegetation indices is not clear due to the effect of vinyl mulching. The difference of the decreasing ratio of vegetation indices after the herbicide spray was 2.3% averagely in the case of structural vegetation indices and 1.3~4.1% in the case of normalization-based vegetation indices. These results meant that appropriate vegetation indices should be utilized depending on the types of crop stress and the cultivation environment and the normalization-based vegetation indices measured from the different spatial scale has the minimized difference.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.21 no.2 s.34
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• pp.121-132
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• 2005

We investigated the reproductive cycle with gonad developmental phases of Sinonovacula constricta by histological observations, and seasonal changes in biochemical component of the adductor muscle, visceral mass, foot muscle and mantle were studied by biochemical analysis, from January to December, 2004. The reproductive cycle of this species can be classifed into five successive stages: early active stage (March to May), late active stage (May to July), ripe stage (July to September), partially spawned stage (August to October) and spentfinactive stage (October to March). Total protein content was the highest in the following order: adductor muscle, visceral mass, foot muscle, and mantle. Except for mantle, it was generally higher during the ripe and spawning stages, while lower during the spent/inactive stage. There were positive correlations in total protein contents among adductor muscle, foot muscle, and visceral mass. However, the correlations were not statistically significant. Total lipid content was the highest in the visceral mass; it was more than 5 or 6-fold higher than those in the adductor muscle, foot muscle, or mantle. The monthly change was also most dynamic in the visceral mass. It first Increased during the early active stage (March to May), decreased during late active stage (May to July), and then increased again rapidly during the spawning stage (September). There were a strong negative correlation in total lipid contents between foot muscle and adductor muscle (r = -0.634, p = 0.027), and a strong positive correlation between adductor muscle and mantle (r = 0.665, p = 0.018). Glycogen contents showed more or less similar pattern to total lipid contents in the adductor muscle, foot muscle, and visceral mass. It was higher during the early active and spawning stages, while lower during the late active and spent/inactive stages. There was no statistically significant correlation in glycogen contents among different tissues. Especially, total lipid content showed a negative correlationship between the foot muscle, adductor muscle, visceral mass and mantle. Therefore, these results indicate that the nutrient content of the foot muscle, adductor muscle, viseral mass and mantle changed in response to gonadal energy needs.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.111-120
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• 2004

We investigated the reproductive cycle of Corbicula japonica with its gonadal development by histological observations, and the seasonal changes in biochemical mass and foot muscle of the adductor muscle, visceral mass and foot muscle of the clam by biochemical analysis, from January to December, 2003. The reproductive cycle of this species can be classified into five successive stages: early active stage (February to April), late active stage (April to July), ripe stage (June to August), partially spawned stage (July to September) and spent/inactive stage (September to March). According to ANOVA test, there were significant differences (p < 0.05) in total protein, total lipid and glycogen contents among months for all of the visceral mass, adductor muscle and foot muscle. Total protein content was highest in adductor muscle, while lowest in visceral mass. There was no correlation in total protein content between visceral mass and adductor muscle (p = 0.208). However, strong positive correlation was found between adductor muscle and foot muscle (r = 0.769, p < 0.001). In visceral mass, total lipid content was the highest; it was 2 or 3-fold higher than in adductor muscle or foot muscle. The monthly change was also most dynamic in visceral mass. It decreased from January to March (early active stage), and reached maximum in April (late active stage). From May to August (ripe and partially spawned stage), it dradually decreased and then increased again until October (spent/inactive stage). Multiple comparisons showed that total lipid content in visceral mass between all of the adjacent two months was significaltly different (p < 0.05). There were strong negative correlations in total lipid content between visceral mass and adductor muscle (r = 0.687, p < 0.001), and between visceral mass and foot muscle (r = 0.473, p = 0.008). Changes of glycogen content were more or less similar to the changes of lipid contents in visceral mass, adductor muscle and foot muscle, except for April. In April, glycogen content in visceral mass was over four times higher than that in adductor muscle or foot muscle. There was a positive correlation in glycogen content between adductor muscle and foot muscle (r = 0.686, p < 0.001). Especially, total lipid content showed a negative correlation between the adductor muscle and visceral mass. Therefore, these results indicate that the nutrient content of the adductor muscle, visceral muscle and foot muscle changed in response to gonadal energy needs.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.265-271
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• 1997

Objective : A 4-week, single-blind, parallel group study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tofisopam and lorazepam in 32 outpatients with anxiety disorder. Methods : Patients were randomized to receive either tofisopam(N=17) or lorazepam(N=15). The starting dose of tofisopam was 50mg t.i.d. daily, which could be increased to a maximum of 100mg t.i.d. according to the patient's clinical response and side effect. The starting dose of lorazepam was 0.75mg b.i.d. daily, which could be increased to a maximum of 1.5mg b.i.d. depending on the patient's clinical response and side effect. Efficacy evaluations at baseline, week 1, 2, and 4 used the 14-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety(HAM-A) and Clinical Global Impression(CGI). Tolerability was assessed by response to a nonleading question concerning adverse events. Laboratory parameters including vital sign, EKG, hematological, and biochemical values were measured during trial. Results : No significant differences between HAM-A total scores, two HAM-A factors(psychic, somatic) and CGI severity scores were recorded at any point during tofisopam and lorazepam treatments. However, in each group there was a significant decrease in HAM-A total scores, two HAM-A factor s(psychic, somatic), CGI severity scores over time. The pecentages of patients with tofisopam who at least minimally improved increased from 64.7% at week 1 to 94.1% at week 4. The pecentages of patients with lorazepam who at least minimally improved increased from 40.0% at week 1 to 66.7% at week 4. The pecentages of patients with tofisopam who had not any adverse event increased from 58.8% at week 1 to 87.9% at week 4. The pecentages of patients with lorazepam who had not any adverse event were not changed from 46.7% at week 1 to 46.7% at week 4. Laboratory parameters including vital sign, EKG, hematological, and biochemical values showed no significant changes during the trial in both groups. Conclusion : These data suggest that tofisopam may be effective in reducing anxiety and is a anti-anxiety drug of identical potency with lorazepam. Tolerability of tofisopam was superior to lorazepam. These findings should be confirmed by using double-blind crossover study with a large member of patients.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.321-327
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• 2014

Polymer dispersed liquid crystal lenses of the cell gap of $11{\mu}m$ and $30{\mu}m$ were made from a uniformly dispersed mixture of 40 wt% NOA65 prepolymer - 60 wt% E7 liquid crystal with the variations of the additional photoinitiator. The photoinitiator, benzophenone of 5.0 wt% was originally in the commercial prepolymer NOA65. In this works, the influence of the benzophenone amount intentionally added in the commercial NOA65 on the electrical properties of polymer dispersed liquid crystal lens for smart electronic glasses. The additional quantities of the photoinitiator were 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 wt% of the weight of NOA65 - E7 mixture. All the electro-optical properties of the sample with added benzophenone such as the driving voltage, the slope of the linear region, the response time and contrast ratio were more improved than that of commercial NOA65 only. These improvements were due to the increase of the average size of E7 liquid crystal droplets in the samples with the increase of the added benzophenon amount. The liquid crystal droplet size was increased from $5.3{\mu}m$ to $12.2{\mu}m$ when the photoinitiator was added from 0 wt% to 8 wt%. At the same concentration range of the photoinitiator, the driving voltage was ranged from 11.1 V to 17.3 V. The slopes of the linear region were in the range of 10.35~13.96 %T/V, which were more enhanced than that of NOA65 without the additional benzophenone. In particular, though the deteriorations by cell gap of $11{\mu}m$ were so effective to offset the influence of the added benzophenone for both rising and falling response time, it is confirmed that there were still somewhat improvement by the additional benzophenone. Response time and contrast ratios of all the samples with excess benzophenone were slightly enhanced.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.312-318
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• 2014

This study was conducted to establish models of filtrating rate and production of feces of a native freshwater bivalve, Anodonta woodiana, on removal organic matters in eutrophic waters. Among the applied shell size (4.3~15.5 cm), the filtrating rate and production of feces of Anodonta woodiana was $0.08{\sim}0.86L\;g^{-1}\;h^{-1}$ (average $0.24L\;g^{-1}\;h^{-1}$), $0.00{\sim}11.10mg\;g^{-1}\;h^{-1}$ (average $0.94mg\;g^{-1}\;h^{-1}$), respectively. In two different water current (high $48Lh^{-1}$, low $24Lh^{-1}$), the filtrating rate of Chl-a was $0.02{\sim}0.10L\;g^{-1}\;d^{-1}$ (average $0.05L\;g^{-1}\;d^{-1}$), $0.02{\sim}0.11L\;g^{-1}\;d^{-1}$ (average $0.07L\;g^{-1}\;d^{-1}$) and the removal rate was 65.4%, 82.1%, respectively. Response surface methodology, with a central composite design comprising 3 levels and 2 variables, was used to identify the optimal removal condition of shell length, water current and filtrating rate or feces production by bivalves. The optimum removal conditions were found that had optimized $6.21L\;mussel^{-1}\;d^{-1}$ at shell length 14.3~15.6 and water current $22{\sim}30Lh^{-1}$. The optimal conditions of production of feces ($4.2mg\;g^{-1}\;d^{-1}$) by freshwater mussels were shell length 14.3~16.3 cm and water current $36{\sim}44Lh^{-1}$.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.671-676
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• 2008

Forty-eight Naemi lambs (avg. BW 31.7 kg) were transported by truck for a distance of 1,450 km from Al-Jouf to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. On arrival day, the lambs were randomly allocated to four groups receiving diets supplemented with 0.0, 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 ppm organic chromium (Cr). Each group consisted of four separately housed replicates of three lambs each. The animals were fed ad libitum on a grower diet for 84 days. Blood samples were obtained shortly before transportation, upon arrival and at weekly intervals thereafter from all lambs for analysis of plasma and serum. Plasma glucose and serum cortisol, total protein, albumin, urea-N and total cholesterol concentrations were determined. A cursory clinical examination of the lambs, along with rectal temperature, was undertaken at different intervals during the experiment. The lambs were inoculated each with 2 ml i.v. chicken red blood cells (CRBC) on days 0, 21, and 42. Serum total, IgG and IgM antibody titers were determined at weekly intervals post-immunization. An in vivo intradermal hypersensitivity test was carried out on 6 lambs from each group on days 10 and 70. Transportation of the lambs resulted in a significant (p<0.001) elevation of serum cortisol, total protein and albumin levels, as well as increased plasma glucose concentration, with corresponding decrease in total cholesterol, while blood urea-N remained largely unchanged. These constituents returned to normal levels during subsequent weeks, with no significant differences in their concentrations being observed between the Cr-supplemented groups and controls. Rise in rectal temperature after transportation was reduced to a greater extent (p<0.05) in Cr-supplemented versus control lambs. Total, IgG and IgM antibody titers against CRBC rose significantly (p<0.05) during immunizations in all groups, with significantly and linearly higher (p<0.05) total and IgG titers in Cr-supplemented versus control lambs. By contrast, no significant effect due to Cr supplementation was recorded in IgG titers, which increased equally in Cr-fed and control groups. Skin thickness in response to intradermal inoculation of phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) was also significantly (p<0.01) increased as a result of Cr supplementation. These results indicate that dietary Cr supplementation might be useful during stress especially for enhancing immune responses in transport-stressed lambs.