• BMB Reports
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.232-237
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• 2024

This study investigated how adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AT-MSCs) respond to chondrogenic induction using droplet-based single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). We analyzed 37,219 high-quality transcripts from control cells and cells induced for 1 week (1W) and 2 weeks (2W). Four distinct cell clusters (0-3), undetectable by bulk analysis, exhibited varying proportions. Cluster 1 dominated in control and 1W cells, whereas clusters (3, 2, and 0) exclusively dominated in control, 1W, and 2W cells, respectively. Furthermore, heterogeneous chondrogenic markers expression within clusters emerged. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes unveiled cluster-specific variations in key biological processes (BP): (1) Cluster 1 exhibited up-regulation of GO-BP terms related to ribosome biogenesis and translational control, crucial for maintaining stem cell properties and homeostasis; (2) Additionally, cluster 1 showed up-regulation of GO-BP terms associated with mitochondrial oxidative metabolism; (3) Cluster 3 displayed up-regulation of GO-BP terms related to cell proliferation; (4) Clusters 0 and 2 demonstrated similar up-regulation of GO-BP terms linked to collagen fibril organization and supramolecular fiber organization. However, only cluster 0 showed a significant decrease in GO-BP terms related to ribosome production, implying a potential correlation between ribosome regulation and the differentiation stages of AT-MSCs. Overall, our findings highlight heterogeneous cell clusters with varying balances between proliferation and differentiation before, and after, chondrogenic stimulation. This provides enhanced insights into the single-cell dynamics of AT-MSCs during chondrogenic differentiation.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.302-309
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• 2013

The highly porous cellulosic aerogels were prepared by freeze-drying method using sodium hydroxide-urea aqueous solution in the process of dissolution, gelation, regeneration and organic solvent substitution. The structural characteristics of porous aerogel were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption apparatus. As a result, the dissolving pulp was completely dissolved, but filter papers and holocellulose were divided into two layers (dissolved and undissolved parts) in the process of centrifugation. The structure of aerogel from dissolved pulp showed porous pores in the surface and net-shaped network in the inner part. Aerogels from filter paper and holocellulose had the condensed porous network surface and the open-pore nano-fibril network inner structure. Undissolved form of fibers was observed in the aqueous solution of aerogel from holocellulose. The BET value ($S_{BET}$) of aerogel from dissolved pulp was ranged in 260~326 $m^2/g$, and it was decreased with the increase of concentration. Whereas, the $S_{BET}$ value of aerogel from filter paper (198~418 $m^2/g$) was increased with the increase of concentration. The $S_{BET}$ value of aerogel from holocellulose were 137 $m^2/g$ at 2% (w/w) of cellulose, and it was increased to maximum 401 $m^2/g$ at 4% (w/w) of cellulose. Then, it was decreased at 5% (w/w) of cellulose.

• Journal of Korea Foresty Energy
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 2006

The physical, mechanical and chemical properties of old and new Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora) were analyzed. The old woods were from dismantled timbers of Bonjungsa temple. The crystallized resin in the latewood was observed by microscopic analysis. Also, reduction of specific gravity, occurrence of microscopic cleavage of tracheid was observed in the old wood. The angle of microscopic cleavage of tracheid is estimated with the same angle of micro-fibril angle of 52 layer. The bending, compression and shear strength of old world were decreased about 35-27% than those of new wood. Dynamic modulus of elasticity measured by ultrasonic nondestructive test has the tendency of reducing by the time elapse of the wood usage. Therefore, deterioration of wood could be measured by reduction of specific gravity and dynamic MOE. The static MOE and mechanical properties of old wood could be predictable by measuring dynamic MOE in the longitudinal direction. Extractives of the old wood in 1-% NaOH solution are larger quantity than new wood. Therefore the decay of the wood could be evaluated by analyzing the chemical compound, especially 1-% NaOH solution. The results of this research could be used for understanding and prediction of the changing properties with elapsing time of wood.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.40-49
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• 1986

Crack, craze and void are common defects which may be found in the bulk of polymeric materials such as either themoplastics or thermosets. The healing phenomena, autohesion, of these defects are known to be a intrinsic material property of various polymeric materials. However, only a few experimental and theoretical investigations on crack, void and craze healing phenomena for various polymeric materials have been reported up to date [1, 2, 3]. This may be partly due to the complications of healing processes and lacking of appropriate theoretical developments. Recently, some investigators have been urged to study the healing phenomena of various polymenic materials since the significance of the use of polymer based alloys or composites has been raised in terms of specific strength and energy saving. In the earlier published reports [1, 2, 3, 4], the crack and void healing velocity, healing toughness and some other healing mechanical and physical properties were measured experimentally and compared with predicted values by utilizing a simple model such as the reptation model under some resonable assumptions. It seems, however, that the general acceptance of the proposed modeling analyses is yet open question. The crack healing processes seem to be complicate and highly dependent on the state of virgin material in terms of mechanical and physical properties. Furthermore, it is also strongly dependent on the histories of crack, craze and void development including fracture suface morphology, the shape of void and the degree of disentanglement of fibril in the craze. The rate of crack healing may be a function of environmental factors such as healing temperature, time and pressure which gives different contact configurations between two separated surfaces. It seems to be reasonable to assume that the crack healing processes may be divided in several distinguished steps like stress relaxation with molecular chain arrangement, surface contact (wetting), inter- diffusion process and com;oete healing (to obtain the original strength). In this context, it is likely that we no longer have to accept the limitation of cumulative damage theories and fatigue life if it is probable to remove the defects such as crack, craze and void and to restore the original strength of polymers or polymer based compowites by suitable choice of healing histories and methods. In this paper, we wish to present a very simple and intuitive theoretical model for the prediction of healed fracture toughness of cracked or defective polymeric components. The central idea of this investigation, thus, may be the modeling of behavior of chain molecules under healing conditions including the effects of chain scission on the healing processes. The validity of this proposed model will be studied by making comparisons between theoretically predicted values and experimentally determined results in near future and will be reported elsewhere.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.187-193
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• 2016

In this study, preparation of positively and negatively charged carbon nanotube (CNT)-collagen (CG) hydrogels with pH sensitive characteristic was reported. The positive and negative characteristics of the prepared hydrogels were created by introduction of positively functionalized CNT-NH₂ and negatively functionalized CNT-COOH, respectively, into the collagen hydrogel. The surface charge of CNTs (CNT-NH₂ and CNT-COOH), CG and CNTs/CG hydrogels was measured by Zetasizer. The swelling ratios of CNT-NH₂/CG and CNT-COOH/CG hydrogels in aqueous solution were checked by measuring of weight changes of the hydrogels in the range of pH 2~10. In detail, the positively charged CNT-NH₂/CG hydrogel swelled up to 5% at pH 4 in comparison to the weight at pH 7, while the negatively charged CNT-COOH/CG hydrogel swelled up to 10% at pH 10. The prepared CNT-NH₂/CG and CNT-COOH/CG hydrogels will be very useful as pH sensitive oral drug-delivering systems for gastrointestine (pH ~2) and small intestine (pH ~9), respectively.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.60-68
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• 1993

It has been known that the silk degumming treated by hot alkali solution is easy to handle but is liable to yield poor-quality silk due to the degree of degumming loss, incomplete-degumming or over-degumming. Therefore, many studies have been carried out on the silk degumming by enzyme in order to improve the quality of silk. However, no attention has been paid to the physicochemical analysis of enzymatic degummed silk. In this paper, two different degumming methods, soap and enzymatic, are compared in aqueous solution state of silk fibroin. The results can be summarized as follows: There was no significant difference between two solutions on the bases of polarizing microscopy, TEM observation and SDS-PAGE. Spherulite of silk fibroin was not observed in polarizing microscopy, however the leaf-shape fibril structure was developed upon solidification. The size of spherulites of silk fibroin in TEM observation were 30~120nm with a wide range of size distribution. The intrinsic viscosity of enzymatic degummed fibroin solution was lower than that of soap degummed solution. This can be explained that the silk fibroin was more degraded by enzymatic degumming method compared with the soap degumming method. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that the fibroin molecule was composed of large component of molecule weight above 50 kd and small component of molecule weight about 20 kd. There was no difference in crystallinity between two degumming methods on the bases of results of DSC thermograms and IR spectra.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.38-46
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• 1982

The research was carried out to determine the division of juvenile and adult wood from the pattern of variables of wood quality indicators, to investigate general low of the size of juwenile wood and to study the characteristics of juvenile and adult wood. For this study some trees of Pinus koraiensis were selected and several wood quality indicators such as annual ring width. late wood percentage, tracheid length tracheid diameter, wall thicknes, and microfibril angles were measured. The results of this study were summaried as follows. 1) Juvenile and adult wood can be divided into radial variations of wood quality indicators. In this study juvenile wood might be classified as a large fluctuated region of radial wood quality variations in the nearest part to pith. 2) Juvenile wood was indicated as a part of nearly cylinderical shape, averaging 6-11cm in radius, near pith. 3) Number of rings from pith of juvenile wood was about 12-20 and was nearly constant in uniform growth trees among the forest stands. 4) Usually adult wood was formed within the about 5-10m above ground.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.257-261
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• 2005

The microbial cellulose is in a form of three dimensional net structures that consists of 20~50 nm fibrils. It possesses high crystallinity and orientation. It is difficult to synthesize large amount of fibrous carbon nanomaterials by the carbonization process using raw materials such as polyacrylonitrile (PAN), regenerated cellulose (Rayon) and pitch. However, it seems possible thru the application of microbial cellulose as raw material. The application of such cellulose can be further extended to the synthesis of highly oriented graphite fiber. Out of three different cellulose-producing strains, G. xylinus ATCC11142 was chosen as it has the highest productivity (0.066 g dried cellulose/15 mL medium). Tar is often produced during the carbonization of cellulose that limits the formation fibrous structure of the carbonized sample. In order to solve such a problem, pre-studied purification methods of carbon nanotube such as liquid phase oxidation, gas phase oxidation and filtration associated with ultrasonication were applied at the carbonized cellulose. In that case. only by filtration associated with ultrasonication, improved the formation of fiber structure of the carbonized cellulose.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.480-494
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• 2019

Aggregates of disease-causing proteins dysregulate cellular functions, thereby causing neuronal cell loss in diverse neurodegenerative diseases. Although many in vitro or in vivo studies of protein aggregate inhibitors have been performed, a therapeutic strategy to control aggregate toxicity has not been earnestly pursued, partly due to the limitations of available aggregate models. In this study, we established a tetracycline (Tet)-inducible nuclear aggregate (${\beta}23$) expression model to screen potential lead compounds inhibiting ${\beta}23$-induced toxicity. High-throughput screening identified several natural compounds as nuclear ${\beta}23$ inhibitors, including peucedanocoumarin III (PCIII). Interestingly, PCIII accelerates disaggregation and proteasomal clearance of both nuclear and cytosolic ${\beta}23$ aggregates and protects SH-SY5Y cells from toxicity induced by ${\beta}23$ expression. Of translational relevance, PCIII disassembled fibrils and enhanced clearance of cytosolic and nuclear protein aggregates in cellular models of huntingtin and ${\alpha}$-synuclein aggregation. Moreover, cellular toxicity was diminished with PCIII treatment for polyglutamine (PolyQ)-huntingtin expression and ${\alpha}$-synuclein expression in conjunction with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) treatment. Importantly, PCIII not only inhibited ${\alpha}$-synuclein aggregation but also disaggregated preformed ${\alpha}$-synuclein fibrils in vitro. Taken together, our results suggest that a Tet-Off ${\beta}23$ cell model could serve as a robust platform for screening effective lead compounds inhibiting nuclear or cytosolic protein aggregates. Brain-permeable PCIII or its derivatives could be beneficial for eliminating established protein aggregates.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.1-6
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• 2017

Objectives : Corni Fructus (CF) is traditional herbal medicine used on polyuria, low back pain, and tinnitus. This study aimed to evaluate inhibits skin wrinkle formation effect of CF. Methods : To evaluate the produce inhibition effect of CF, SD-rats were distributed into four groups; normal rats (Nor), AGEs (advenced glycation end product)-induced rats (Con), AGEs-induced rats treated with 100mg/kg CF (CF). To induce AGEs, streptozotocin (50mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally and after 3 days oral administrated 100mM methyl glyoxal for 3 weeks. Results : The oral administration of CF suppressed the reactive oxygen specis (ROS) in serum. The AGEs in skin tissues was significantly reduced through treatment of CF. Furthermore, the expressions of AGEs related proteins such as polyclonal anti-$N^e$-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), anti-$N^e$-(carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL), AGE receptors (RAGE) were decreased in CF treated group compared with the control group in skin tissues. Inflammation-related proteins such as Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kB), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) reduced in CF treatment group than control group. AGE-induced rats exhibited that the significant decreased collagen however, CF treatment (100mg/kg of body weight) up regulated collagen by improved the expression levels of skin fibril-related genes such as Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-1). Conclusion : Taken together, our study suggests that CF regulates ROS to prevent accumulation of AGEs and inhibits skin wrinkles. Our finding indicate that CF may be an effective agent for inhibits AGEs formation, and improved skin wrinkle.