• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.178-186
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• 2014

Differential transcription of the clusterin (CLU) gene yields two CLU isoforms, a nuclear form (nCLU) and a secretory form (sCLU), which play crucial roles in prostate tumorigenesis. Pro-apoptotic nCLU and anti-apoptotic sCLU have opposite effects and are differentially expressed in normal and cancer cells; however, their regulatory mechanisms at the transcriptional level are not yet known. Here, we examined the transcriptional regulation of nCLU in response to hypoxia. We identified three putative hypoxia response elements (HREs) in the human CLU promoter between positions -806 and +51 bp. Using a luciferase reporter, electrophoretic gel mobility shift, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, we further showed that hypoxia-inducible factor-$1{\alpha}$ (HIF-$1{\alpha}$) bound directly to these sites and activated transcription. Exposure to the hypoxia-mimetic compound $CoCl_2$, incubation under 1% $O_2$ conditions, or overexpression of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ enhanced nCLU expression and induced apoptosis in human prostate cancer PC3M cells. However, LNCaP prostate cancer cells were resistant to hypoxia-induced cell death. Methylation-specific PCR analysis revealed that the CLU promoter in PC3M cells was not methylated; in contrast, the CLU promoter in LNCap cells was methylated. Co-treatment of LNCaP cells with $CoCl_2$ and a demethylating agent promoted apoptotic cell death through the induction of nCLU. We conclude that nCLU expression is regulated by direct binding of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ to HRE sites and is epigenetically controlled by methylation of its promoter region.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.319-326
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• 1999

Recently, it is continuously rising to concern about the health risk being induced by microorganisms in food such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes. Various organizations and regulatory agencies including U.S.FPA, U.S.DA and FAO/WHO are preparing the methodology building to apply microbial quantitative risk assessment to risk-based food safety program. Microbial risks are primarily the result of single exposure and its health impacts are immediate and serious. Therefore, the methodology of risk assessment differs from that of chemical risk assessment. Microbial quantitative risk assessment consists of tow steps; hazard identification, exposure assessment, dose-response assessment and risk characterization. Hazard identification is accomplished by observing and defining the types of adverse health effects in humans associated with exposure to foodborne agents. Epidemiological evidence which links the various disease with the particular exposure route is an important component of this identification. Exposure assessment includes the quantification of microbial exposure regarding the dynamics of microbial growth in food processing, transport, packaging and specific time-temperature conditions at various points from animal production to consumption. Dose-response assessment is the process characterizing dose-response correlation between microbial exposure and disease incidence. Unlike chemical carcinogens, the dose-response assessment for microbial pathogens has not focused on animal models for extrapolation to humans. Risk characterization links the exposure assessment and dose-response assessment and involve uncertainty analysis. The methodology of microbial dose-response assessment is classified as nonthreshold and thresh-old approach. The nonthreshold model have assumption that one organism is capable of producing an infection if it arrives at an appropriate site and organism have independence. Recently, the Exponential, Beta-poission, Gompertz, and Gamma-weibull models are using as nonthreshold model. The Log-normal and Log-logistic models are using as threshold model. The threshold has the assumption that a toxicant is produce by interaction of organisms. In this study, it was reviewed detailed process including risk value using model parameter and microbial exposure dose. Also this study suggested model application methodology in field of exposure assessment using assumed food microbial data(NaCl, water activity, temperature, pH, etc.) and the commercially used Food MicroModel. We recognized that human volunteer data to the healthy man are preferred rather than epidemiological data fur obtaining exact dose-response data. But, the foreign agencies are studying the characterization of correlation between human and animal. For the comparison of differences to the population sensitivity: it must be executed domestic study such as the establishment of dose-response data to the Korean volunteer by each microbial and microbial exposure assessment in food.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.233-240
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• 2005

Slices of embryonic axis of mature pea (Pisum sativum L. cv. Green Arrow) seeds were used as explant. Transformation of explants was done via Agrobacterium tumefaciens bearing vector pBI-P5CS construct. The best results for inoculation of explants were obtained when they were immersed for 90 s at a concentration of $6{\times}10^8$ cell $ml^(-1)$ of bacterial suspension. Transformed pea plants were selected on $50\;mg\;l^(-1)$ kanamycin and successful transformants were confirmed by PCR and blotting. Transgenic plants were further analyzed with RT-PCR to confirm the expression of P5CS. Transgenic plants and non-transgenic plants were treated with different concentrations of NaCl 0 (control), 100, 150 and 200 mM in culture medium. Measurement of proline content indicated that transgenic plants produced more amino acid proline in response to salt in comparison with non-transgenic plants. Photosynthetic efficiency in transgenic plants under salt-stress was more than that of non-transgenic plants.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.103-112
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• 2005

1. Objective : The present author have examined the comparative effects of Hyeongbangjihwang-tang and Sibimikwanjung-tang in glycerol-induced acute renal failure, a model for myoglobinuric acute renal failure. 2. Methods : Above two prescriptions were applied to rat ad libitum and serum level of creatinine, glucose and blood urea nitrogen(BUN) were measured. And serum level of $Na^+$, $K^+$ and $Cl^-$, too. 50%(vol/vol) glycerol at a dose of 10 ml/kg of rat body weight intramuscularly and 1% concentration of prescriptions were applied to rats for 7 days ad libitum. 3. Results : Serum level of creatinine and $K^+$ significantly increased by glycerol injection, and these showed pre-renal and renal cause of acute renal failure. Hyeongbangjihwang-tang administered group showed decreasing tendency on serum level of creatinine when compared with control groups, but not significant. Sibimikwanjung-tang administered group showed significant increase of serum level of BUN when compared with control groups. 4. Conclusions : Above two prescriptions showed no significant changes on glycerol induced acute renal failure, but Hyeongbangjihwang-tang and Sibimikwanjung-tang showed a little different manner of response.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.579-582
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• 1989

Previous experiments have shown that aqueous sodium silicate ingested in drinking water may modify the gastrointestinal uptake and(or) tissue retention of certain trace elements, including heavy metals. The present experiment tested, with a mineral balance trial using sheep, the hypothesis that dietary silicic acid could modify uptake, retention and(or) biological effects of dietary Cd. Twenty-four wethers were fed a fibrous diet of ground alfalfa hay and cottonseed hulls to which either 0 or 150 ppm Cd was added as $CdCl_2$ and 0, .5 or 1% silicic acid (as dry matter of the diet). Body weight, feed intake, excretion of urine (volume) and feces (weight), digestibility of dry and organic matter, retention of nitrogen, and packed cell volumes of blood were not affected by either Cd or silicic acid (P<.10). Cadmium decreased (P<.05) Ca retention and increased (P<.01) Mg retention. Silicic acid decreased (P<.05) K retention. Silicic acid failed (P<.01) to modify the retention of added dietary Cd. Body retention of K, Mn and Ni in response to silicic acid varied with Cd levels. If Cd is interfering with mineral retention, silicic acid may be effective in preventing this interference.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.401-405
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• 2010

The Schiff base 1,2-bis(E-2-hydroxy benzylidene amino)anthracene-9,10-dione has been synthesized and explored as ionophore for preparing PVC-based membrane sensors selective to the copper ($Cu^{2+}$) ion. Potentiometric investigations indicate high affinity of these receptors for copper ion. The best performance was shown by the membrane of composition (w/w) of ionophore: 1 mg, PVC: 33 mg, DOP: 66 mg and KTpClPB as additive were added 50 mol % relative to the ionophore in 1 ml THF. The proposed sensor's detection limit is $2.8{\times}10^{-7}$ M over pH 5 at room temperature (Nernstian slope 31.76 mV/dec.) with a response time of 15 seconds and showed good selectivity to copper ion over a number of interfering cations.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.84-91
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• 2018

The present study deals with the management of groundwater resources of an important agriculture track of north-western part of Saudi Arabia. Due to strategic importance of the area efforts have been made to estimate aquifer proneness to attenuate contamination. This includes determining hydrodynamic behavior of the groundwater system. The important parameters of any vulnerability model are geological formations in the region, depth to water levels, soil, rainfall, topography, vadose zone, the drainage network and hydraulic conductivity, land use, hydrochemical data, water discharge, etc. All these parameters have greater control and helps determining response of groundwater system to a possible contaminant threat. A widely used DRASTIC model helps integrate these data layers to estimate vulnerability indices using GIS environment. DRASTIC parameters were assigned appropriate ratings depending upon existing data range and a constant weight factor. Further, land-use pattern map of study area was integrated with vulnerability map to produce pollution risk map. A comparison of DRASTIC model was done with GOD and AVI vulnerability models. Model validation was done with $NO_3$, $SO_4$ and Cl concentrations. These maps help to assess the zones of potential risk of contamination to the groundwater resources.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.383-387
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• 2014

Electrically conductive polypyrrole-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PPy-PVP) nanofiber mats with a core-shell structure have been successfully fabricated by a two-step process: the formation of FeCl3-containing PVP nanofiber mat by electrospinning, and the vapor-phase polymerization (VPP) of pyrrole monomer on the mat in a sealed chamber at room temperature. Surface morphology and chemical composition of the PPy-PVP mat were characterized by SEM, EDX and FTIR analyses. The as-prepared nonwoven mat was composed of PPy-PVP nanofibers with an average diameter of 300 nm. The sheet conductivity of the nanofiber mat was measured to be approximately 0.01 S/cm by a four-point probe. We have also investigated gas-sensing properties of PPy-PVP nanofiber mat upon exposure to methanol vapor. The PPy-PVP nanofiber sensors were observed to have excellent methanol-sensing performance. The nanofiber-based core-shell nanostructure could give an opportunity to fabricate a highly sensitive and fast response sensor due to its high surfaceto-volume ratio.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.6-10
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• 2001

We synthesized polypyrrole (PPy) nanotubules by oxidative polymerization of the pyrrole monomer on the pore of a polycarbonate membrane. The electrochemical behavior was investigated using cyclic voltammetry and AC impedance. The redox potential was about -0.5 V vs. Ag/AgCl reference electrode, while the potential was about 0 V for electro-synthesized PPy film. It is considered as the backbone grows according to the pore wall. Therefore, it is possible to be arranged regularly. That leads to improvement in the electron hopping. The AC impedance plot gave a hint of betterment of mass transport. PPy nanotubules have improved in mass transport, or diffusion. That is because the diffusion occurs through a thin pore wall of PPy nanotubules. The kinetic parameter of PPy nanotubules enzyme electrode with glucose solution was evaluated. The formal Michaelis constant and maximum current calculated by computer were about 23.8 mmol $dm^{-3}$ and $440\;{\mu}A$ respectively. Obviously, an affinity for the substrate and current response of the PPy nanotubules enzyme electrode are rather good, comparing with that of PPy film. What is more, the enzyme electrode is sensitive to blood sugar of a diabetic serum despite an obstruction of ascorbic acid, oxygen, some protein and/or hormone.

• Carbon letters
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• v.26
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• pp.43-50
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• 2018

In this research, a novel and efficient quinoline thioacetamide functionalized magnetic graphene oxide composite ($GO@Fe_3O_4@QTA$) was synthesized and utilized for dispersive magnetic solid phase preconcentration of Cd(II) and Ni(II) ions in urine and various food samples. A number of diverse methods were employed for characterization of the new nanosorbent. The design of experiments approach and response surface methodology were applied to monitor and find the parameters that affect the extraction performance. After sorption and elution steps, the concentrations of target analytes were measured by employing FAAS. The highest extraction performance was achieved under the following experimental conditions: pH, 5.8; sorption time, 6.0 min; $GO@Fe_3O_4@QTA$ amount, 17 mg; 2.4 mL $1.1mol\;L^{-l}$ $HNO_3$ solution as the eluent and elution time, 13.0 min. The detection limit is 0.02 and $0.2ng\;mL^{-1}$ for Cd(II), and Ni(II) ions, respectively. The accuracy of the new method was investigated by analyzing two certified reference materials (sea food mix, Seronorm LOT NO 2525 urine powder). The interfering study revealed that there are no interferences from commonly occurring ions on the extractability of target ions. Finally, the new method was satisfactorily employed for rapid extraction and determination of target ions in urine and various food samples.