• BMB Reports
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.487-492
• /
• 2004

The extent of codon usage in the protein coding genes of the mycobacteriophage, Bxz1, and its plating bacteria, M. smegmatis, were determined, and it was observed that the codons ending with either G and / or C were predominant in both the organisms. Multivariate statistical analysis showed that in both organisms, the genes were separated along the first major explanatory axis according to their expression levels and their genomic GC content at the synonymous third positions of the codons. The second major explanatory axis differentiates the genes according to their genome type. A comparison of the relative synonymous codon usage between 20 highly- and 20 lowly expressed genes from Bxz1 identified 21 codons, which are statistically over represented in the former group of genes. Further analysis found that the Bxz1- specific tRNA species could recognize 13 out of the 21 over represented synonymous codons, which incorporated 13 amino acid residues preferentially into the highly expressed proteins of Bxz1. In contrast, seven amino acid residues were preferentially incorporated into the lowly expressed proteins by 10 other tRNA species of Bxz1. This analysis predicts for the first time that the Bxz1-specific tRNA species modulates the optimal expression of its proteins during development.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.57 no.5
• /
• pp.238-243
• /
• 2024

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) can differentiate into endothelial cells in an inflammatory microenvironment. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying this process are not entirely understood. Here, we found that TIE2 in BM-MSCs was upregulated at the transcriptional level after stimulation with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα), a major pro-inflammatory cytokine. Additionally, the STAT-binding sequence within the proximal region of TIE2 was necessary for TNFα-induced TIE2 promoter activation. TIE2 and STAT3 knockdown reduced TNFα-induced endothelial tube formation in BM-MSCs. Among the major TNFα-activated MAP kinases (ERK1/2, JNK1/2, and p38 MAPK) in BM-MSCs, only inhibition of the p38 kinase abrogated TNFα-induced TIE2 upregulation by inhibiting the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. These findings suggest that p38 MAP contributes to the endothelial differentiation of BM-MSCs by activating the JAK-STAT-TIE2 signaling axis in the inflammatory microenvironment.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.115-121
• /
• 2009

In order to elucidate the mechanisms affecting plant distributions in the reclaimed dredging area in the Gwangyang steelworks, in the Gwangyang Bay, Korea, we examined soil characteristics and plant distributions in four study sites and a control site in the study area. Desalination occurring along a gradient with increasing elevation, resulting in decrease of soil pH, EC, P, K, Cl, Ca, Mg, and salt and an increase in soil T-N, silt, clay contents. From site 1 (the lowest-elevation site) to site 5 (the highest-elevation site), halophytes decreased in abundance and nonhalophytes increased. The dominant species in each site were: Phragmites communis, Limonium tetragonum, and 12 additional species at site 1, Carex pumila, Suaeda japonica, and 15 additional species at site 2, Spergularia marina, Scirpus planiculmis, and 22 additional species at site 3, Miscantus sinensis, Lespedeza bicolor, and 26 additional species at site 4 and Pinus thunberii, Rhododendron mucronulatum, and 39 additional species at site 5, which resembled a naturally-occurring P. thinbergii community. Cluster analysis of the vegetation data matrix grouped the 35 plots into 5 major groups, and cluster analysis using the soil environment data matrix revealed 4 major groups. CCA of the floristic and environmental data matrix showed a positive relationship of SAR, EC, Na, Cl, and Ca, which are related to salt, in the $1^{st}$ axis and $2^{nd}$ axis, but negative relationships for altitude, organic contents, silt, and clay contents. Notably, plant species in the reclaimed dredging area that were separated along the $1^{st}$ axis showed strong relationships with factors that related to salt. Long-term exposure to natural rainfall in the reclaimed dredging area changed the soil characteristics, such as salinity. This change in soil characteristics might alter the SAR, which affects plant survival strategies in a given habitat. These results strongly indicated that factors related to salt and elevation play important roles in determining the overall plant distribution in the reclaimed dredging area.

• Wind and Structures
• /
• v.30 no.5
• /
• pp.525-532
• /
• 2020

This work numerically investigates the effects of Reynolds number Re_D (= 100 - 150), cross-sectional aspect ratio AR = ( 0.25 -1.0), and attack angle α (= 0° - 90°) on the forces, Strouhal number, and wake of an elliptical cylinder, where Re_D is based on the freestream velocity and cylinder cross-section height normal to the freestream flow, AR is the ratio of the minor axis to the major axis of the elliptical cylinder, and α is the angle between the cylinder major axis and the incoming flow. At Re_D = 100, two distinct wake structures are identified, namely 'Steady wake' (pattern I) and 'Karman wake followed by a steady wake (pattern II)' when AR and α are varied in the ranges specified. When Re_D is increased to 150, an additional wake pattern, 'Karman wake followed by secondary wake (pattern III)' materializes. Pattern I is characterized by two steady bubbles forming behind the cylinder. Pattern II features Karman vortex street immediately behind the cylinder, with the vortex street transmuting to two steady shear layers downstream. Inflection angle α_i = 32°, 37.5° and 45° are identified for AR = 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75, respectively, where the wake asymmetry is the greatest. The α_i effectively distinguishes the dependence on α and AR of force and vortex shedding frequency at either Re_D. In Pattern III, the Karman street forming behind the cylinder is modified to a secondary vortex street. At a given AR and α, Re_D = 150 renders higher fluctuating lift and Strouhal number than Re_D = 100.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.146-154
• /
• 1996

The impact of stress on immune function is known to be associated with the interactions among the central nervous system(CNS), neuroendocrine system, and immune system. The main pathways between stress and immune system are wiring of lymphoid organs and neuroendocrine system. Immune system also produces neuropeptides, which modulate immune system. Mediators of psychosocial influences on immune function are found to be peptides released by the pituitry, hormones, md autonomic nervous system. Hypothalamus integrates endocrine, neural and immune systems. Particularly, paraventricular nucleus appears to play a central role in this integration. On the other hand, endocrine system receives feedback from the immune system. The major regulatory pathways which pituitary modulates include the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-thymic(HPAT) axis, hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal-thymic(HPGT) axis, pineal-hypothalamic-pituitary(PHP) axis. Bidirectional pathways such as feedforward and feedback pathways are suggested in the interaction between stress and immune system. It suggests that psychosocial inputs affect immune function, but also that immunological inputs affect psychosocial function. Thus, prospective studies for elucidating the relationship between stress and immune function should incorporate measures of immune function as well as measures of endocrine, autonomic, and brain activities at the same time.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
• /
• 2006.07b
• /
• pp.729-730
• /
• 2006

The paper is proposed maximum torque control of SynRM drive using adaptive fuzzy neural network(A-FNN) controller and artificial neural network(ANN). For each control mode, a condition that determines the optimal d-axis current $i_d$ for maximum torque operation is derived. The proposed control algorithm is applied to SynRM drive system controlled A-FNN and ANN controller, the operating characteristics controlled by maximum torque control are examined in detail. Also, this paper is proposed the analysis results to verify the effectiveness of the A-FNN and ANN controller.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
• /
• 2006.07b
• /
• pp.731-732
• /
• 2006

The paper is proposed maximum torque control of IPMSM drive using adaptive learning mechanism-fuzzy neural network (ALM-FNN) and artificial neural network(ANN). For each control mode, a condition that determines the optimal d-axis current $i_d$ for maximum torque operation is derived. The proposed control algorithm is applied to IPMSM drive system controlled ALM-FNN and ANN, the operating characteristics controlled by maximum torque control are examined in detail. Also, this paper is proposed the analysis results to verify the effectiveness of the ALM-FNN and ANN.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
• /
• 2004.11a
• /
• pp.99-107
• /
• 2004

Lubrication characteristics between a cylinder block and a valve plate for high speed bent-axis type hydraulic pump play an important role in volumetric efficiency and durability of pump. In this paper, a finite element method is presented for the computation of the pressure distribution between a cylinder block and a valve plate for high speed bent-axis type hydraulic pump. Also, a Runge-Kutta method is applied to simulate the cylinder block dynamics of three-degrees of freedom motion. From the results of computation, we can draw two major conclusions. One is related to the fluid film characteristics between a cylinder block and a valve plate and the other is related to the average leakage that is determined by the pressure gradient and the clearance near the discharge port. The numerical results of cylinder block dynamics were compared with the experimental results using eddy-current type gap sensors those are fixed at a pump housing.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.42 no.2
• /
• pp.27-32
• /
• 2009

Recently, we suggested a CME earthward direction parameter as an important geoeffective parameter that has been demonstrated by front-side halo CME data. In this study, we present the geometrical implication of this parameter by comparing with the parameters from a CME cone model. Major results from this study can be summarized as follows. First, we derive an analytic relationship between the cone model parameters(the half angular width of a cone and the angle between the cone axis and the plane of sky) and the earthward direction parameter. Second, we demonstrate a close relationship between the earthward direction parameter and the cone axis angle using 32 front-side full halo CMEs. Third, we found that there is noticeable inconsistency between the cone axis angles estimated from the cone model fitting to the CMEs and from their associated flare positions, implying that the flare position should not be considered as a good earthward direction parameter. Finally we present several advantages of our earthward direction parameter in terms of the forecast of a geomagnetic storm based on CME parameters.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2020

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women, which is characterized by the oligo/anovulation, hyperandrogenism (HA) and polycystic ovarian morphology which are diagnostic criteria. PCOS has diverse clinical aspects in addition to those diagnostic criteria including increased risk for cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes and impaired fertility. Because of the heterogeneity of the disease, the pathogenesis of the disease has not been elucidated yet. Therefore, there is no cure for the endocrinopathy. HA and insulin resistance (IR) has been considered two major pillars of the pathogenesis of PCOS. Recent advances in animal studies revealed the critical role of neuroendocrine abnormalities in developing PCOS. Several pathways related to neuroendocrine origin have been investigated such as hypothalamus pituitary ovarian axis, hypothalamus pituitary adrenal axis and hypothalamus pituitary adipose axis. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the role of HA and IR in developing PCOS. In addition, we review the results of recent genome wide association studies for PCOS. This new perspective improves our understanding of the role of neuroendocrine origins in PCOS and suggest a novel potential therapeutic target for the treatment of PCOS.