• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.43 no.5
• /
• pp.491-499
• /
• 2020

Hippo signaling acts as a tumor suppressor pathway by inhibiting the proliferation of adult stem cells and progenitor cells in various organs. Liver-specific deletion of Hippo pathway components in mice induces liver cancer development through activation of the transcriptional coactivators, YAP and TAZ, which exhibit nuclear enrichment and are activated in numerous types of cancer. The upstream-most regulators of Warts, the Drosophila ortholog of mammalian LATS1/2, are Kibra, Expanded, and Merlin. However, the roles of the corresponding mammalian orthologs, WWC1, FRMD6 and NF2, in the regulation of LATS1/2 activity and liver tumorigenesis in vivo are not fully understood. Here, we show that deletion of both Wwc1 and Nf2 in the liver accelerates intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) development through activation of YAP/TAZ. Additionally, biliary epithelial cell-specific deletion of both Lats1 and Lats2 using a Sox9-Cre^ERT2 system resulted in iCCA development through hyperactivation of YAP/TAZ. These findings suggest that WWC1 and NF2 cooperate to promote suppression of cholangiocarcinoma development by inhibiting the oncogenic activity of YAP/TAZ via LATS1/2.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
• /
• 2005.11a
• /
• pp.68-69
• /
• 2005

BTO ($BaTiO_3$) thin film is one of the high dielectric materials for high-density dynamic random access memories (DRAMs) due to its relatively high dielectric constant. It is generally known that BTO film is difficult to be etched by plasma etching, but high etch rate with good selectivity to pattern mask was required. The problem of sidewall angle also still remained to be solved in plasma etching of BTO thin film. In this study, we first examined the patterning possibility of BTO film by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process instead of plasma etching. The sputtered BTO film on TEOS film as a stopper layer was polished by CMP process with the self-developed $BaTiO_3$- and $TiO_2$-mixed abrasives slurries (MAS), respectively. The removal rate of BTO thin film using the$ BaTiO_3$-mixed abrasive slurry ($BaTiO_3$-MAS) was higher than that using the $TiO_2$-mixed abrasive slurry ($TiO_2$-MAS) in the same concentrations. The maximum removal rate of BTO thin film was 848 nm/min with an addition of $BaTiO_3$ abrasive at the concentration of 3 wt%. The sufficient within-wafer non-uniformity (WIWNU%)below 5% was obtained in each abrasive at all concentrations. The surface morphology of polished BTO thin film was investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.72-79
• /
• 2010

This research was initiated to investigate the revegetation characteristics under seedling types of native woody plants on a disturbed slope. 4 different seedling types of woody plants (control, unit seedling plot, nature seedling plot, pot seedling plot) with the same woody plants (Rhus chinensis Mill, Albizzia julibrissin Duraz., Quercus acutissima Carr., Pinus densiflora S. et Z.) were treated with 3 replications on the experimental disturbed slope. Data such as the died number of native woody plants, growth height and visual quality were analyzed. The died number of plants were high in unit seedling plot when compared to the rest plots of seedling types. From the standpoint of died plant species, the died number were high in Rhus chinensis and Albizzia julibrissin whereas the died number were low in Quercus acutissima and Pinus densiflora. That's because we used 1-year old seedlings of Rhus chinensis and Albizzia julibrissin and 3-year old seedling Quercus acutissima and Pinus densiflora. This result indicated that the died reason of native woody seedling was not species but seedling age. Both growth height and visual quality were ranked first in the pot seedling plot, second in the nature seedling plot, third in the unit seedling plot, and last in the control plot, respectively. However, the difference of both growth height and visual quality in each seedling plot was not observed on the 11 months after planting. Especially, the main reason of low rooting and growth value in the unit seedling plot was due to wooven fabric outer crust of pot that obstruct seedling rooting into the soil. We concluded that pot seedling of native woody plants was effective in the viewpoint of the ecological disturbed slope revegetation.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.21-30
• /
• 2005

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of vegetation on the cutting slope applied by vegetation system in the whole land. The engineering characteristics of slopes were investigated using the face mapping and physical tests. From the statistical methods, a relationship between a geologic stratum and degree of covering was independent. Therefore, the afforestation of slope was affected more by condition of vegetation as direction and opening of joints, and a topsoil state than by conventional classification of layer. It was concluded that the adjustable vegetation on the slope considering condition of geometric shape of slope, joint data and spontaneous type could make useful early afforestation.

• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.58-68
• /
• 2014

The statistics showed that about 1 billion automobiles were registered and about 40million ELVs occurred on the world in 2010. So all advanced countries including EU had plan to increase the ELVs recycling rate up to 95% of total by 2015. The Korean government also established a target for raising up to 95% of ELVs recycling rate according to 'Act on the Resource Circulation of Electrical and Electronic Equipment and Vehicles'. Before being satisfied with the requirement of recycling of ELVs however, the problem is issued on the scraps of plastic and non-ferrous metals which are now being abandoned and reclaimed with no adequate reuse. Therefore, as a part of preceding investigation on the present state of ELVs recycling in the world, this preliminary investigation study was carried out focusing on the state of EU's disposal and management regulations of ELVs and SLF/ASR including the world trend of disposal and management regulations of ELVs and SLF/ASR.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.99-105
• /
• 2004

Isoflavones have been a central subject in research on the natural phytoestrogens found in Leguminosae. Their effects on bone formation and remodeling are important in that they can act like estrogen by binding on estrogen receptors on the target cell surface. We, therefore, believed that isoflavones may help in the treatment of patients with estrogen deficiency disease such as estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) for osteoporosis. As commonly known, osteoporosis is one of the hormonal deficiency diseases, especially in menopausal women. When estrogen is no longer produced in the body a remarkable bone remodeling process occurs, and the associated events are regulated by growth factors in the osteoblast lineage. In the present study, we investigated whether isoflavones (Isocal) extracted from Sophorae fructus affect the growth factors IGF-I and TGF-$\beta$ that have been known to be related with bone formation. In the study, we found that the active control (PIII) effectively enhanced the level of nitric oxide (NO) and growth factors, and thereby inhibited osteoclastogenesis. The most efficient concentration was $10^{-8}$% within five days, whereas the comparative control (soybean isoflavone) was not as effective even at a lower concentration. In conclusion, the products which contain enriched glucosidic isoflavone and nutrient supplements such as shark cartilage and calcium can be used for osteoporosis therapy by enhancing the production of IGF-I and TGF-$\beta$. Furthermore, the NO produced through endothelial constitutive NO synthase (ecNOS) may playa role in inhibiting bone reabsorption.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.55.3-55.3
• /
• 2019

We present a pipeline to estimate baryonic properties of a galaxy inside a dark matter (DM) halo in DM-only simulations using a machine trained on high-resolution hydrodynamic simulations. As an example, we use the IllustrisTNG hydrodynamic simulation of a (75 h^-1 Mpc)³ volume to train our machine to predict e.g., stellar mass and star formation rate in a galaxy-sized halo based purely on its DM content. An extremely randomized tree (ERT) algorithm is used together with multiple novel improvements we introduce here such as a refined error function in machine training and two-stage learning. Aided by these improvements, our model demonstrates a significantly increased accuracy in predicting baryonic properties compared to prior attempts --- in other words, the machine better mimics IllustrisTNG's galaxy-halo correlation. By applying our machine to the MultiDark-Planck DM-only simulation of a large (1 h^-1 Gpc)³ volume, we then validate the pipeline that rapidly generates a galaxy catalogue from a DM halo catalogue using the correlations the machine found in IllustrisTNG. We also compare our galaxy catalogue with the ones produced by popular semi-analytic models (SAMs). Our so-called machine-assisted semi-simulation model (MSSM) is shown to be largely compatible with SAMs, and may become a promising method to transplant the baryon physics of galaxy-scale hydrodynamic calculations onto a larger-volume DM-only run. We discuss the benefits that machine-based approaches like this entail, as well as suggestions to raise the scientific potential of such approaches.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.129-135
• /
• 1999

Purpose : This study evaluated early bowel complications in cervix cancer patients, following external radiotherapy (ERT and high dose rate intracavitary radiation (HDR ICR). Factors affecting the risk of developing early bowel complications and its incidence are analyzed and discussed Materials and Methods : The study is the retrospective review of 66 patients who received radiotherapy at Chungbuk National University Hospital from April 1994 to December 1998. The patients underwent 41.4 or 50.4 Gy ERT according to FIGO stage and tumor size, then A point dose was boosted to 71.4 or 74.4 Gy using a remotely controlled afterloading Buchler HDR ICR. The EORTC/RTOG morbidity criteria were used to grade early bowel complications, which are valid from day 1, the commencement of therapy, through day 90. The actuarial incidence, severity of complications were investigated and clinical pretreatment factors relevant to complications were found through univariate (Wilcoxon) and multivariate (Cox proportional hazard model) analysis. Results : Of the 66 patients, 30 patients (46$\%$) developed early bowel complications; 25 patients (38$\%$) with grade 1 or 2, 4 patients (0$\%$) with grade 3 and 1 patient (2$\%$) with grade 4. The complications usually began to occur 3 weeks after the commencement of radiotherapy. The actuarial incidence of early bowel complications was 41$\%$ at 10 weeks. The early bowel complications were associated significantly with an old age and a history of previous abdomino-pelvic surgery. All three patients who had a protracted overall treatment time (about 2 weeks) due to severe bowel complication, suffered from pelvic recurrences. Conclusion : Forty six percent of patients experienced early bowel complications, most of which were grade 1 or 2 and relieved spontaneously or by medication. The patients with an old age or a previous surgery have a high probability of early complications and they may be less compliant with planned radiotherapy. So more careful precaution is necessary for these patients.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.209-216
• /
• 1999

Purpose : To evaluate the effectiveness of external radiation therapy and the prognostic factors, we retrospectively analyzed therapeutic results of malignant extrahepatic biliary obstruction (EHBO). Methods and Materials : We analyzed the results of the external radiation therapy in 59 patients of inoperable malignant EHBO who had been treated with more than 10 Gy of external radiation therapy from April 1984 to December 1990. There were 21 stomach cancer ($35.6\%$), 12 pancreas cancer ($20.3\%$), 15 extrahepatic biliary cancer ($18.0\%$) and 11 another cancer ($18.0\%$). Their pathologies were confirmed in 31 patients ($52.5\%$). They divided into 27 adenocarcinoma and 4 nonadenocarcinoma. Their chief complaints were jaundice in 47 patients ($79.7\%$) and abdominal pain in 15 patients ($49.2\%$). Twelve patients had slightly increased bilirubin level in liver function test without jaundice. We treated twenty four patients ($40.6\%$) with percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) and 32 patients ($54\%$) with systemic chemotherapy (CT). We performed external radiation therapy (ERT) upto $10.8\~55.8$ Gy (median 37.8 Gy) with palliative aim. Results : Overall median survival duration was $7.80\pm1.15$ months. The response rates of jaundice were $81.8\%$ in PTBO group and $66.7\%$ in non-PTBD group without statistical significance. The improving rate of jaundice was not significantly different in decreased ratio of total bilirubin level. But abdominal pain was more decreased in CT group than non-CT group (p<0.05). The significant prognostic factors were high performance status (Karnofski Performance Status >70), total radiation dose more than 35 Gy and good response of pain after therapy. There were increased in bacterial cholagitis in PTBD group and gastrointestinal complications in CT group. Conclusion : External radiotheapy could improve jaundice and abdominal pain in malignant EHBO patients, Overall survival duration was prolonged in patients with higher performance status and patients who had been treated with more than 35 Gy of total radiation dose. In the future, we expect not only better palliative role but also the prolongation of survival of using the ERT combined with other treatment method. But to achieve certain conclusion, we need luther study consisted with many kinds of treatment methods including new technologies in RT.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.103 no.2
• /
• pp.226-232
• /
• 2014

This study was carried out to provide a basic information to improve the landscape view preference with internet questionnaire on slopes of an expressway. According to a questionnaire, the 37% of respondents used express way 5 times per one year. The 89% of respondents catched a glimpse of cutting slopes during driving and felt a good impression with flowers or vegetation in cutting slopes of expressways. The 61% of respondents felt a bad impression, but the 40% in a good impression from logos in cutting slopes of expressways. To improve a landscape view in cutting slopes of express ways, 57% of the respondents preferred natural-friendly techniques, followed by common green techniques (19%), greening of concrete construction (12%) and improvement of landscape views (11%). Landscape view preference before and after construction of green logo in cutting slopes of Seosejong IC was good (43%) and very good (16%), while bad (9%). The 65% of respondents support the installation of drawing or logos in terraced retaining wall of cutting slopes of expressways.