• Clean Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.22-29
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• 2013

A comparison of photo-efficiency on dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) assembled by using $TiO_2$ materials with different structures and crystallite sizes were investigated in this study. The size and structure of $TiO_2$ have been controlled by pHs and calcination temperatures using solvothermal and sol-gel methods, respectively. Six types of $TiO_2$ samples are obtained; 8.9, 12.8, and 20.2 nm sized $TiO_2$ particles, and the other types using sol-gel method were anatase-rutile mixtures on the structure. The highest photo-efficiency which is remarkable result reached to 8.6% over DSC assembled by anatase $TiO_2$ with 20.2 nm particle size.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.131-138
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• 2020

Ultraviolet (UV)-induced damage plays a major role in ocular diseases, such as cataracts and retinal degeneration. UV irradiation can generate free radicals including reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are known to cause lipid peroxidation of cellular membranes. It has also been shown that UV can damage DNA directly and induce apoptosis. Rhynchosia volubilis Loureiro (the small black bean or yak-kong, RV) and Beta bulgaris (beet, BB) are used as health supplements. In this study, we explored the protective effects of RV and BB against UVA-induced damage in human pigment epithelial (ARPE-19) cells and in mice. RV and BB mixture and their effective constituents (cyanidin, delphidin, petunidin glycosides) improved cell viability and suppressed intracelluar ROS generation. Phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), Erk1/2 was analyzed by immunoblotting. RV and BB mixture inhibited UVA-induced phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, JNK, Erk1/2 in APRE-19 cells. RV and BB treatment also showed protective effects on ocular damage in UVA-irradiated mice by increasing the levels of endogenous antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione. RV and BB have the potential to be used in a range of ocular diseases and conditions, based on in vitro and in vivo study.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.383-388
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• 2015

$K^+$ outward currents in the outer hair cells (OHCs) of circling mice (homozygous (cir/cir) mice), an animal model for human deafness (DFNB6 type), were investigated using a whole cell patch clamp technique. Littermate heterozygous (+/cir) mice of the same age (postnatal day (P) 0-P6) were used as controls. Similar slow rising $K^+$ currents were observed in both genotypes, but their biophysical and pharmacological properties were quite different. The values of Vhalf for activation were significantly different in the heterozygous (+/cir) and homozygous (cir/cir) mice ($-8.1{\pm}2.2mV$, heterozygous (+/cir) mice (n=7) and $-17.2{\pm}4.2mV$, homozygous (cir/cir) mice (n=5)). The inactivation curve was expressed by a single first order Boltzmann equation in the homozygous (cir/cir) mice, while it was expressed by a sum of two first order Boltzmann equations in the heterozygous (+/cir) mice. The $K^+$ current of homozygous (cir/cir) mice was more sensitive to TEA in the 1 to 10 mM range, while the 4-AP sensitivities were not different between the two genotypes. Removal of external $Ca^{2+}$ did not affect the $K^+$ currents in either genotype, indicating that the higher sensitivity of $K^+$ current to TEA in the homozygous (cir/cir) mice was not due to an early expression of $Ca^{2+}$ activated $K^+$ channels. Our results suggest that the $K^+$ outward current of developing homozygous (cir/cir) mice OHCs is different in both biophysical and pharmacological aspects than that of heterozygous (+/cir) mice.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.356-361
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• 1991

- To investigate the possibility of genetic development for a multi-purpose strain of Bacillus subtilis YBL-7 against Fusat-iurn solani causing root rot of many impotant corps, the plasmid pGU66 inserting urease gene of Bacillus pasteurii had been introduced into Bacillus subtilis YBL-7 by PEG-induced protoplast (PIP) transformation system. Protoplasts of B. subtilis YBL-7 were prepared by treating the cells with lysozyme (200 $\mu g$/ml) in hypertonic buffer (SMMP). The highest transformation frequency was achieved when cells of the strain with lysozyme at $42^{\circ}C$ for 90 minutes. Optimal transformation was obtained using polyethylene glycol (MW 4000) at final concentration of 30% (V/V). The transformation frequency was increased proportionally to 1.2 $\mu g$ of plasmid DNA. At best condition, the transformation frequency (transformants/ regenerants/$\mu g$ of DNA) for pGU66 was appoximately $4 \times 10^{-3}$. Also, the urease gene was strongly expressed in the transformants of B. subtilis YBL-7 and maintained steadily. The antifungal ability of transformant was very similar to that of B. ssubtilis YBL-7.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.14-19
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• 2009

This study was performed to characterize the lipases produced from Gelidibacter sp. YH333 and Vibrio sp. YH339 isolated from mud flats for industrial application of a lipase. Amount of the lipases secreted from the isolated strains was sharply increased in the proportion of increase of number of the cells. The lipases produced from the isolated strains were constitutively secreted from the cells. The lipase activity of Gelidibacter sp. YH333 was higher than that of Vibrio sp. YH339 to p-nitrophenyl esters. The lipases produced from both strains showed the highest activity in p-nitrophenyl laulate among various p-nitrophenyl esters. The molecular weights of the lipases from Gelidibacter sp. YH333 were about 50 KDa and 25 KDa, respectively. Molecular weight of the lipase from Vibrio sp. YH339 was about 50 KDa.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6527-6531
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• 2012

Purpose: Complement receptor 1 (CR1) is induced by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and may be a potential biomarker of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). We conducted the present study to evaluate the association of CR1 expression with clinicopathological features and prognosis of NPC. Methods: We enrolled 145 NPC patients and 110 controls. Expression levels of CR1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were detected using quantitative real-time PCR and associations with clinicopathological features and prognosis were examined. Results: CR1 levels in the NPC group [3.54 (3.34, 3.79)] were slightly higher than those in the controls [3.33 (3.20, 3.47)] (P<0.001). Increased CR1 expression was associated with histology classification (type III vs. type II, P=0.002), advanced clinical stage (P=0.003), high T stage (P=0.017), and poor overall survival (HR, 4.89; 95% CI, 1.23-19.42; P=0.024). However, there were no statistically significant differences in CR1 expression among N or M stages. Conclusion: These findings indicate that CR1 expression in PBMCs may be a new biomarker for prognosis of NPC and a potential therapeutic target.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.651-661
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• 2020

Objective: We hypothesized that Cr source can alter adipogenic-related transcriptional regulations and cell signaling. Therefore, the objective of the study was to evaluate the biological effects of chromium acetate (CrAc) on bovine intramuscular (IM) and subcutaneous (SC) adipose cells. Methods: Bovine preadipocytes isolated from two different adipose tissue depots; IM and SC were used to evaluate the effect of CrAc treatment during differentiation on adipogenic gene expression. Adipocytes were incubated with various doses of CrAc: 0 (differentiation media only, control), 0.1, 1, and 10 μM. Cells were harvested and then analyzed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction in order to measure the quantity of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase-α (AMPK-α), CCAAT enhancer binding protein-β (C/EBPβ), G protein-coupled receptor 41 (GPR41), GPR43, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), and stearoyl CoA desaturase (SCD) mRNA relative to ribosomal protein subunit 9 (RPS9). The ratio of phosphorylated-AMPK (pAMPK) to AMPK was determined using a western blot technique in order to determine changing concentration. Results: The high dose (10 μM) of CrAc increased C/EBPβ, in both IM (p = 0.02) and SC (p = 0.02). Expression of PPARγ was upregulated by 10 μM of CrAc in IM but not in SC. Expression of SCD was also increased in both IM and SC with 10 μM of CrAc treatment. Addition of CrAc did not alter gene expression of glucose transporter 4, GPR41, or GPR43 in both IM and SC adipocytes. Addition of CrAc, resulted in a decreased pAMPKα to AMPKα ration (p<0.01) in IM. Conclusion: These data may indicate that Cr source may influence lipid filling in IM adipocytes via inhibitory action of AMPK phosphorylation and upregulating expression of adipogenic genes.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2006

Peripheral bood stem cell collection (PBSCC), including peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT), has been utilized worldwide as a very beneficial treatment method instead of allogenic Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT) because it has many advantages such as rapid bone marrow engraftment and hematopoietic recovery, easy and safe accessibility and lower risk of rejection compared with allogenic BMT. In order to identify most the observable parameter in PBSCC, we analyzed various hematological parameters before and after PBSCC, and evaluated the correlation between the time of bone marrow engraftment and the number of CD34+ cells. Thirteen patients, who underwent 54 PBSCCs from January, 2003 to August, 2004 at Chungnam National University Hospital due to various systemic neoplasms, were analyzed in aspects of various hematological parameters including CD34+ cells using by Flow Cytometry (FCM). PBSCC harvests are described below: Mononuclear cells (MNC) $2.3{\pm}1.4{\times}10^8/kg$ and CD34+ cells $0.63{\pm}0.35{\times}10^6/kg$ on average, respectively. There was a statistical significance in Hb and Hct before and after PBSCC, but not in WBC and platelet counts. The period to reach the hematological bone marrow engraftment was 13.4(10~21) days and 19.5(11~38) days according to the criteria of absolute neutrophile counts (ANC) ${\geq}500/uL$ and platelet counts ${\geq}50,000/{\mu}L$ in peripheral blood, respectively. There was a significant correlation between the numbers of CD34+ cell and ANC (p<0.05), and a borderline significance between MNC and ANC (p=0.051). We found that a group of patients, who were infused with CD34+ cells more than $3.5{\times}10^6/kg$, reached more rapidly the period of bone marrow engraftment in platelet counts (p=0.040). This present study suggested that Hb and Hct were the most useful parameters and should be closely monitored before and after PBSCC, that a PBSCT with the dosage of more than $3.5{\times}10^6/kg$ of CD34+ cells was needed to perform successful bone marrow engraftment, and additionally that platelet counts could be more useful in indicating bone marrow engraftment than ANC.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.498-503
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of nisoldipine on the pharmacokinetics of repaglinide in rats. The effect of nisoldipine on cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 activity and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) were evaluated. The pharmacokinetic parameters of repaglinide were also determined in rats after oral (0.5 $mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$) and intravenous (0.2 $mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$) administration of repaglinide to rats without or with nisoldipine (0.3 and 1.0 $mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$). Nisoldipine inhibited CYP3A4 enzyme activity with a 50% inhibition concentration of 5.5 ${\mu}M$. In addition, nisoldipine significantly enhanced the cellular accumulation of rhodamine-123 in MCF-7/ADR cells overexpressing P-gp. Compared to the oral control group, nisoldipine significantly increased the $AUC_{0-{\infty}}$ and the $C_{max}$ of repaglinide by 46.9% and 24.9%, respectively. Nisoldipine also increased the absolute bioavailability (A.B.) of repaglinide by 47.0% compared to the oral control group. Moreover, the relative bioavailability (R.B.) of repaglinide was 1.16- to 1.47-fold greater than that of the control group. Nisoldipine enhanced the oral bioavailability of repaglinide, which may be attributable to the inhibition of the CYP3A4-mediated metabolism in the small intestine and/or in the liver and to inhibition of P-gp in the small intestine rather than to reduction of renal elimination of repaglinide by nisoldipine. The increase in the oral bioavailability of repaglinide should be taken into consideration of potential drug interactions when co-administering repaglinide and nisoldipine.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.10
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• pp.1335-1343
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• 2022

COVID-19 is an emerging disease that poses a severe threat to global public health. As such, there is an urgent demand for vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Here, we describe a virus-like nanoparticle candidate vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 produced by an E. coli expression system. The fusion protein of a truncated ORF2-encoded protein of aa 439~608 (p170) from hepatitis E virus CCJD-517 and the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein from SARS-CoV-2 were expressed, purified and characterized. The antigenicity and immunogenicity of p170-RBD were evaluated in vitro and in Kunming mice. Our investigation revealed that p170-RBD self-assembled into approximately 24 nm virus-like particles, which could bind to serum from vaccinated people (p < 0.001) and receptors on cells. Immunization with p170-RBD induced the titer of IgG antibody vaccine increased from 14 days post-immunization and was significantly enhanced after a booster immunization at 28 dpi, ultimately reaching a peak level on 42 dpi with a titer of 4.97 log₁₀. Pseudovirus neutralization tests showed that the candidate vaccine induced a strong neutralizing antibody response in mice. In this research, we demonstrated that p170-RBD possesses strong antigenicity and immunogenicity and could be a potential candidate for use in future SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development.