• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 2017

Bacterial infection and smoking are an important risk factors involved in the development and progression of periodontitis. However, the signaling mechanism underlying the host immune response is not fully understood in periodontal lesions. In this study, we determined the expression of janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) on Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- and nicotine-induced cytotoxicity and the production of inflammatory mediators, using osteoblasts. The cells were cultured with 5 mM nicotine in the presence of $1{\mu}g/ml$ LPS. Cell viability was determined using MTT assay. The role of JAK on inflammatory mediator expression and production, and the regulatory mechanisms involved were assessed via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot analysis. LPS- and nicotine synergistically induced the production of cyclooxgenase-2 (COX-2) and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) and increased the protein expression of JAK/STAT. Treatment with an JAK inhibitor blocked the production of COX-2 and $PGE_2$ as well as the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, interleukin-$1{\beta}$ ($IL-1{\beta}$), and IL-6 in LPS- and nicotine-stimulated osteoblasts. These results suggest that JAK/STAT is closely related to the LPS- and nicotine-induced inflammatory effects and is likely to regulate the immune response in periodontal disease associated with dental plaque and smoking.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.1785-1790
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• 2016

There is exhibit a degree of pain in the occurrence and course of treatment levels or oral, pain rating scale actions, such as illness, for example, the discomfort scale because of the pain "annoying", "unpleasant" "annoyed am", "painful" represents a pain scale of the order of "painful", "hard to bear", "very difficult to bear". Depression is recognized based on the premise of the situation, because it is difficult to recognize themselves. In this paper we define the components of the depression can be seen lifestyle which can lead to depression or through a biological signal. The depression index was derived from the ontology modeling to understand the state of depression. Depression ontology components and depression index will be aware of the situation based information services for depression. Combined with the situational awareness based devices and can be synchronized to verify the results of the depression index. It will be applied to improve lifestyle factors that of depression.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.209-216
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• 1995

Recently, a new tailored RF gradient echo (TRFGE) sequence was reported. This technique not only enhances the magnetic susceptibility effect but also allows us to measure local changes in brain oxygenation. In this study, a phantom and cat brain experiments were performed on a 4.7 Tesla BIQSPEC (BRUKER) instrument with a 26 cm gradient system. We have demonstrated that the signal intensity (SI) of the TRFGE sequence varies according to the concentration of susceptibility contrast agent. Three capillary tubes with different concentrations of Gd-DTPA (0.01, 0.05, 0.1 mMOI/l) were placed at the middle of a cylindrical water phantom. Using both TRFGE and conventional gradient echo (CGE) sequences, phantom images of the slices which contain all three tubes were obtained. For the animal experiment, cats were anesthetized and ventilated using halotane (0.5%) and a $N_2O/ O_2$ mixture (2:1), and blood pressure and heart rate were monitored and kept normal. For the observation of tue first pass of Gd- DTPA, imaging was started at t = 0. At t = 8 ~ 12s, 0.2 mMol/Kg Gd-DTPA was manually injected in the femoral vein. The imaging parameters were TRITE = 25/10 msec, flip angle = $30^{\circ}$, FOV = 10cm, image matrix size = $128{\times}128$ with 64 phase encodings and the image data acquisition window was 10 msec. SI-time curves were then obtained from a series of 30 images which were collected at 2 sec intervals using both CGE and TRFGE pulse sequences before, during, and following the contrast injection.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.107-112
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• 2003

This paper describes a new simple QRS detection algorithm using index function based on resonance theory. The ECG signal can be modeled with several sinusoidal pulses and its first difference has some relations with the amplitude and frequency of sinusoidal pulse. Based on above fact, an index function, similar to the square of the imaginary part of a simple R-L-C circuit, was designed. A QRS complex is detected by applying the adaptive method to the response of index function. The algorithm showed a performance comparable to or higher than the other algorithms. Because it does not require any complicated preprocessing or postprocessing, it can be implemented in real time.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.126-130
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• 2004

T helper-type 2 cytokines, such as IL-4 and IL-13, may play a central role in allergic diseases. The protein known as signal transducers and activators of transcription 6 (STAT6) is a key transcription factor involved in both IL-4- and -13-mediated biological responses. Two polymorphisms of the STAT 6 gene (exon 1 and G2964A variant) have been found. We investigated whether these STAT6 gene polymorph isms were associated with allergic rhinitis. Blood samples for genetic analysis were obtained from 285 individuals with allergic rhinitis and from 271 healthy subjects without atopic disease. The G2964A variant of the STAT6 gene was genotyped using PCR-RFLP analysis. The GT repeat polymorphism in exon 1 of the STAT6 gene was genotyped by fragment analysis. There was no association between the 2964A variant and GT repeat polymorphism in exon 1 of the STAT6 and allergic rhinitis in a Korean population (both p > 0.05). Our results suggest that a combination of STAT6 gene polymorphisms is not a useful marker for predicting allergic rhinitis.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.106-109
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• 2012

Pulse rate is known to be related to diverse phenotypes, such as cardiovascular diseases, lifespan, arrhythmia, hypertension, lipids, diabetes, and menopause. We have reported two genomewide significant genetic loci responsible for the variation in pulse rate as a part of the Korea Association Resource (KARE) project, the genomewide association study (GWAS) that was conducted with 352,228 single nucleoride polymorphisms typed in 8,842 subjects in the Korean population. GJA1 was implied as a functionally causal gene for pulse rate from the KARE study, but lacked evidence of replication. To re-evaluate the association of a locus near GJA1 with pulse rate, we looked up this signal in another GWAS conducted in a Health Examinee-shared cohort of 3,703 samples. Not only we were able to confirm two pulse rate loci (1q32.2a near CD46 and 6q22.13c near LOCL644502) identified in the KARE GWAS, we also replicated a locus (6q22.31c) near GJA1 by the lookup in the Health Examinee GWAS. Considering that the GJA1-encoded protein is a major component of cardiac gap junctions, a functional study might be necessary to validate its genuine molecular biological role in the synchronized contraction of the heart.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.164-168
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• 2001

Abel et al. in Germany discovered a new dioxin-responsive gene, which has later been identified as rpt-1 (regulatory protein T-lymphocyte 1). While it is speculated that rpt-1 may play a role in signal transduction and carcinogenesis, its roles and functions remain unknown. The present study attempted to analyze functions of rpt-1 in human epithelial cells following the xenobiotic exposures. While German counterpart analyzed expressionn of rpt-1 in spleen and thymus cells from mouse and rat and characterizes molecular properties of the gene, our work mainly focused on analyzing function of rpt-1 in human skin cells. Expression of rpt-1 in human cells were analyzed by western and northern blot RT-PCR analysis. Expression of rpt-1 as well as Staf-50 in human cells with or without exposure to environmental pollutants were also analyzed by northern blot analysis, since Staf-50 is homologous with rpt-1 and found in human cells. To help study roles of rpt-1 in human cell system, retroviral vector system carrying rpt-1 gene under the CMV promoter were constructed and transfected. Cells overexpressing the gene after the transfection showed an increase of cell density and soft agar colony formations, as compared to the control cells, suggesting that rpt-1 may play a certain role in the transformation processes of human cells. While the expression of rpt-1 in spleen and thymus is known to be strong in the laboratory animals, both the basal and TCDD-induced expression of rpt-1 in the current cellular system remained insignificant. It is speculated that the expression pattern of rpt-1 may be tissue- and species-specific. The present study demonstrated a strong expression of rpt-1 protein in the brain of SD rat model. Since there is no previous report on the expression of rpt-1 in the brain tissue, the result may play a significant role in understanding dioxin-induced neurotoxicities in the future. The present study provides an opportunity to understand a role of rpt-1 in human cell system and suggest a possible lead and basis for the future study of dioxin-induced neurotoxicities.

• BMB Reports
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.336-341
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• 1995

Using a mutant M13 phage derivative lacking a great part of the complementary strand synthesis origin, we identified six single-strand initiation (ssi) signals for DNA replication in pACYC184, pLG214, pGKV21, and pDPT270 plasmids, and named them $ssiA_{YC}$, $ssiA_{LG}$, $ssiB_{LG}$, $ssiA_{KV}$, $ssiA_{PT}$, and $ssiB_{PT}$, respectively. Two of them were from pDPT270, one from downstream the on of pACYC184, two from pLG214, one from upstream the plus origin of pGKV21. Introduction of these ssi signals into the deleted $ori_c$ site of a mutant filamentous M13 phage ($M13{\Delta}lac182$) resulted in the restoration of growth activity of this phage. These ssi signals were classified into a number of groups on the basis of sequence similarity. $ssiA_{YC}$ and $ssiA_{LG}$ show extensive sequence homology to the n'-site (primosome assembly sites) of ColE1, whereas $ssiB_{PT}$ is homologous to the n'-site of ${\Phi}X174$. $ssiA_{PT}$ belongs to G4-type ssi signals which require only dnaG primase and SSB protein for the priming of replication. In addition, possible biological roles of these ssi signals are discussed.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.113-118
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• 2009

In this study, we have shown the transcriptional regulation of the human GD3 synthase (hST8Sia I) induced by valproic acid (VPA) in human neuroblastoma SK-N-BE(2)-C cells. To elucidate the mechanism underlying the regulation of hST8Sia I gene expression in VPA-stimulated SK-N-BE(2)-C cells, we characterized the promoter region of the hST8Sia I gene. Functional analysis of the 5'-flanking region of the hST8Sia I gene by the transient expression method showed that the -1146 to -646 region, which contains putative binding sites for transcription factors c-Ets-1, CREB, AP-1 and NF-${\kappa}B$, functions as the VPA-inducible promoter of hST8Sia I in SK-N-BE(2)-C cells. Site-directed mutagenesis and electrophoretic mobility shift assay indicated that the NF-${\kappa}B$ binding site at -731 to -722 was crucial for the VPA-induced expression of hST8Sia I in SK-N-BE(2)-C cells. In addition, the transcriptional activity of hST8Sia I induced by VPA in SK-N-BE(2)-C cells was strongly inhibited by SP600125, which is a c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor, and $G{\ddot{O}}6976$, which is a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, as determined by RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) and luciferase assays. These results suggest that VPA markedly modulated transcriptional regulation of hST8Sia I gene expression through PKC/JNK signal pathways in SK-N-BE(2)-C cells.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.37-53
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• 2001

Two regions of mtDNA genome, cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and 165 ribosomal RNA (165 rRNA) genes, were sequenced for 15 species of the long-horned beetle belonging to four subfamilies and geographic samples of mulberry longicorn beetle, Apriona germari, from two localities in Korea. Ten samples of A. germari collected from Suwon and Busan revealed three COI haplotypes ranging in nucleotide divergence of 0.3% to 0.5%, and the two populations shared one common COI haplotype (80%). The sequence divergence among 15 species of the long-horned beetle was much higher in COI gene (12.3%∼39.4%) than 16S rRNA gene (7.2% to 23.1), and the maximum value in the COI gene is exceptional compared with other relevant studies, including that of Coleoptera. The greatly increased divergence in the COI gene, in facto was stemmed from a peculiar sequence of Prionus insularis belonging to Prioninne, divergence of which ranges from 31.2% to 39.3% from other species. We discussed possible reason of the divergence in this species. Due to the abnormality of COI gene divergence, decrease in phylogenetic signal was severe in COI nucleotide and, subsequently, the converted amino acid sequences, rendering us to put more confidence on the 16S5 rRNA gene data. Although the molecular phylogeny confidently supports the monophyletic origin of Lepturinae, the presence of discrepancy between molecular data and traditional taxonomic views also is a testable hyothesis. One such discrepancy includes taxonomic position of Sophronica obrioides and Theophilea cylindricollis belonging to Lamiinae.