• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.10
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• pp.762-770
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• 2022

Hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes can be alleviated by promoting cellular glucose uptake. Betulinic acid (3β,-3-hydroxy-lup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid) is a pentacyclic lupane-type triterpenoid compound. Although there have been studies on the antidiabetic activity of betulinic acid, studies on cellular glucose uptake are lacking. We investigated the effects of betulinic acid on glucose uptake and its mechanism of action in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Betulinic acid significantly stimulated glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by increasing the phosphorylation of the insulin receptor substrate 1-tyrosine (IRS-1tyr) in the insulin signaling pathway, which in turn stimulated the activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt). The activation of PI3K and Akt by betulinic acid translocated glucose transporter 4 to the plasma membrane (PM-GLUT4), thereby increasing the expression of PM-GLUT4 and thus stimulating cellular glucose uptake. Betulinic acid also significantly increased the phosphorylation/activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase. The activation of PI3K and AMPK by betulinic acid was confirmed using the PI3K inhibitor wortmannin and the AMPK inhibitor compound C. The increase in glucose uptake induced by betulinic acid was significantly decreased by wortmannin and compound C in the 3T3-L1 adipocytes. These results suggest that betulinic acid stimulates glucose uptake by activating PI3K and AMPK in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.452-459
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• 2012

This study was conducted in order to investigate the effect of resveratrol on the induction of apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. The result of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl terazolium bromide (MTT) assay shows that cell viability significantly decreased in a dose and time-dependent manner. 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining shows significantly increased chromatin condensation in a dose and time-dependent manner. Resveratrol increased the expression of p53, cleaved-caspase-3, and cleaved-caspase-9, whereas the expression of PI3K/Akt decreased in a time-dependent manner. We investigated the in vivo tumor growth inhibitory effect of resveratrol. Tumor volume was significantly decreased in the 50 mg/kg resveratrol-administration group compared to the control group. In the 50 mg/kg treated group. Apoptosis cells were frequently observed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Immunohistochemistry staining shows increased the expression of p53, cytochrome-C, and cleaved-caspase-3 in the 50 mg/kg treated group. These results indicate that resveratrol induced apoptosis through PI3K/Akt and p53 signal pathway in MDA-MB-231 cell.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.383-398
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• 2023

Dihydroaustrasulfone alcohol (DA), the synthetic precursor of a natural compound (austrasulfone) isolated from the coral species Cladiella australis, has shown cytotoxic effects against cancer cells. However, it is unknown whether DA has antitumor effects on nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). In this study, we determined the antitumor effects of DA and investigated its mechanism of action on human NPC cells. The MTT assay was used to determine the cytotoxic effect of DA. Subsequently, apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) analyses were performed by using flow cytometry. Apoptotic and PI3K/AKT pathway-related protein expression was determined using Western blotting. We found that DA significantly reduced the viability of NPC-39 cells and determined that apoptosis was involved in DA-induced cell death. The activity of caspase-9, caspase-8, caspase-3, and PARP induced by DA suggested caspase-mediated apoptosis in DA-treated NPC-39 cells. Apoptosis-associated proteins (DR4, DR5, FAS) in extrinsic pathways were also elevated by DA. The enhanced expression of proapoptotic Bax and decreased expression of antiapoptotic BCL-2 suggested that DA mediated mitochondrial apoptosis. DA reduced the expression of pPI3K and p-AKT in NPC-39 cells. DA also reduced apoptosis after introducing an active AKT cDNA, indicating that DA could block the PI3K/AKT pathway from being activated. DA increased intracellular ROS, but N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a ROS scavenger, reduced DA-induced cytotoxicity. NAC also reversed the chances in pPI3K/AKT expression and reduced DA-induced apoptosis. These findings suggest that ROS-mediates DA-induced apoptosis and PI3K/AKT signaling inactivation in human NPC cells.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.1422-1432
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• 2014

Convergent all-electron multi-reference configuration-interaction (MRCI) calculations are performed for a lithium dimer with Kaufmann's Rydberg basis functions. A comparison of the results of these calculations with those of the effective core potential/core polarization potential (ECP/CPP) method and experimental data reveals the deficiency of the all-electron ab initio method. The deficiency is related to the mere 51.9% attainment of electron correlation for the ground state. The percent attainment of electron correlation for the first excited state is slightly better than that for the ground state, preventing us from obtaining better agreements with experimental data by means of increasing the size of basis sets. The Kaufmann basis functions are then used with the ECP/CPP method to obtain the accurate convergent potential energy curves for the $^1\prod_u$ states correlated to Li(2p) + Li(2p) and Li(2s) + Li(n = 2, 3, 4). Quantum defect curves (QDCs) calculated for both the $X^2\sum_g$ and 1 $^2\prod_u$ states of the $Li{_2}^+$ ion and the Lu-Fano plot reveal a strong series-series interaction between the two $2snp{\pi}$ and $2pnp{\pi}$ Rydberg series. The QDCs are then used to resolve assignment problems in the literature. The reassignments, performed by Jedrzejewski-Szemek et al., of the dissociation product of the D $^1\prod$ state from (2s+3d) to (2s+3p) and that of the 6 $^1\prod_u$ from (2s+4d) to (2s+4p) are found to be incorrect. It may be more natural to assign their $2snp{\pi}$ Rydberg series as a $2snd{\pi}$ series. The state, assigned as 5p $^1\prod_u$ by Ross et al. and 4d $^1\prod$ by Jedrzejewski-Szemek et al., is assigned as the 7 $^1\prod_u$ state, correlated to the Li(2s) + Li(4f) limit.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2013

Three serotypes (O+A+Asia1 type) of the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine were injected into cloven-hoofed animals in Korea after the nationwide spread of FMD at the end of 2010. This study was conducted to investigate FMD antibody development after FMD vaccination, and to determine whether there was a significant correlation between the antibody titer of the sow and the antibody titer of the growing pigs. The antibody titer (percentage inhibition [PI] titer) of the sow (gilt) after FMD vaccination was maintained at a level higher than 50 (P<0.05) for 5 months. A higher PI titer for the 1-month-old growing pigs corresponded with greater inhibition of the PI titer of the vaccinated growing pigs (P<0.05). A negative correlation (P<0.05) between the PI titer of the 1-month-old growing pigs and the PI titer of 3-month-old growing pigs, 4-month-old growing pigs after FMD vaccination at 2 months, 3months was identified, with a coefficient of determination ($R^2$) of 0.274. Thus the PI titer of the growing pigs was inhibited to a greater degree when vaccination was performed at 2 months of age than at 3 months. However, many other factors likely influence growing pigs' PI titer in addition to the PI titer of the sow and age at vaccination, given that the coefficient of determination was somewhat lower.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.22-30
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• 1994

Encephalo-duro-arterio-synangiosis (EDAS) is a relatively new surgical procedure for treatment of childhood moyamoya disease. We assessed regional cerebral perfusion in moyamoya patients before (1.3 mo) and after (6.8 mo) EDAS with $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO brain SPECT. A total of 21 EDAS operations in 17 moyamoya patients was included. Preoperative CT or MRI showed cerebral infarction in 14 patients and carotid angiography showed Suzuki grade I to V stenosis in 6%, 9%, 62%, 12% and 12% of the hemispheres respectively. Preoperative SPECT showed regional hypoperfusion in all patients, bilateral frontal and temporal lobes being the most frequently involved site. $4{\times}4$ pixel sized ROIs were applied on the frontotemporal cortex in 3 slice averaged transverse tomographic images. An index of regional perfusion was measured as: PI (%)=average F-T activity/average cerebellar activity${\times}100$ Pre-EDAS ipsilateral PI ranged from 23.7 to 98.4% (mean: $74.3{\pm}17%$) and increased significantly after operation ($81.4{\pm}17%$, p<0.001). Individual post-EDAS PI improved in 15/21 cases, showed no significant change in 5 and was slightly aggravated in 1. The amount of clinical improvement (${\Delta}CI$) was graded with a scale of 0 to 4 based on frequency and severity of TIA attacks. When patients were grouped according to pre-EDAS PI, group II (PI 70-89) showed a significantly higher ${\Delta}CI$ (3.3) compared to group I (PI< 70, 1.57) or group III (PI >90, 0.5) (P< 0.001). The amount of perfusion improvement (${\Delta}PI$) showed significant correlation with ${\Delta}CI$ (r=0.42, p=0.04). ${\Delta}PI$ did not, however, correlate with the amount of neovascularization assessed angiographically in 8 patients. Serial HMPAO SPECT is an useful noninvasive study for assessing perfusion improvement after EDAS in childhood moyamoya patients.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.106-112
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• 2013

PDE plays an important role in cAMP-mediated cellular signaling within the cells. The proper targeting of each PDE is mediated by unique N-terminal of each PDE isoform. It has been recently reported that supershort-, short- and long-forms of PDE4 in Aplysia were cloned in Aplysia. Long-form of ApPDE4 was localized at plasma membrane and presynaptic terminal in Aplysia sensory neurons. However, it remains elusive which part of ApPDE4 is minimal region for the proper targeting and what are the effects on the cell functions. Here, we identified that N-terminal 13 amino acids of ApPDE4 long-form is minimal regions for the plasma membrane targeting. In addition, overexpression of ApPDE4(N20)-mRFP could induce morphological changes in HEK293T cells. Interestingly, mRFP-$PLC{\delta}1$(PH), which selectively binds to PI4,$5P_2$, could induce morphological changes in similar with that by ApPDE4(N20)-mRFP. These results suggested that binding of ApPDE4(N20) to lipids including PI4,$5P_2$ might be responsible for targeting of ApPDE4 to plasma membrane and morphological changes in HEK293T cells.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.485-490
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• 2000

Objective : To study the expression of apoptosis and bcl-2 in the astrocytic tumors. Patients and Methods : A total of thirty-eight astrocytomas(9 cases in low grade astrocytoma, 12 cases in anaplastic astrocytoma and 17 cases in glioblastoma) are included in this study. Immunohistochemical stain for bcl-2 using monoclonal antibody, in situ end labelling technique for apoptosis were used. Results : The malignant group(anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma) showed significantly higher apoptosis positive index(PI) compared to the benign group(low grade astrocytoma)(1.35 vs 0.14). However apoptosis PI and bcl-2 PI were not significantly different among three groups. Correlation between apoptosis PI and bcl-2 PI was not statistically significant(p=0.58). Conclusion : This result suggest that apoptosis PI and bcl-2 PI are not related the degree of malignancy in astrocytic neoplasm, but apoptosis PI in malignant group was higher possibly due to greater DNA damage.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.567-572
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• 2023

In this paper, the breakdown voltage of Pi-LDMOS (Partial isolation lateral double diffused metal oxide semiconductor) was analyzed by simulation. Breakdown voltage variation is investigated under various settings of Parial buied oxide(P-BOX) parameters(length, thickness, location) and their mechanism is specified. In addition, the change in on-resistance in the breakdown voltage and trade-off relationship was analyzed according to the change in the P-BOX parameter, and the Figure-of-merit(FOM) was calculated and compared. In proposed structure, Lbox=5 ㎛, tbox=2 ㎛, and Lbc=2 ㎛ showed the highest breakdown voltage of 138V, and Lbox=5 ㎛, tbox=1.6 ㎛, and Lbc=2 ㎛ showed the highest FOM. Compared to conventional LDMOS, the breakdown voltage is 123% and FOM is 3.89 times improved. Therefore, Pi-LDMOS has a high breakdown voltage and FOM, which can contribute to the improvement of the stable operating range of the Power IC.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-21
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• 1995

To elucidate pathogenesis of bovine leukemia virus(BLV) in Korean native goats, the goats experimentally infected with BLV were studied especially for the aspects of infectivity and hematological changes. The experimental goats were examined for 27 months by agar-gel immunodiffusion(AGID) test and syncytium formation assay. During this period, changes of total leucocyte, absolute Iymphocyte and atypical Iymphocyte were examined, and the distribution of surface immunoglobulin ( sIg ) -bearing cells and rosette forming cell (RFC) in the peripheral Iymphocyte were also investigated. By indirect immunofluorescence (IFA) and complement dependent antibody cytotoxicity (CDAC) assay using monoclonal antibody(Mab) against bovine leukosis tumor-associated anti-gen(BL-TAA), changes of BL-TAA positive Iymphocyte in peripheral blood were measured. The results obtained through the experiment were summarized as follows. 1. Antibody titers were measured by AGID using gP51 and P24 antigens. The animals were serologically converted at 2 months post-inoculation(pi) in gP51 antigen, whereas sero-converted at 4 months pi in P24 antigen. In comparison with antibody titers for gP51, P24 antigen showed lower titers throughout the trial period. 2. The peripheral lymphocytes from all of the infected goats, as co-cultivated with F8l cells manifested syncytial formation at 4 months pi. 3. On counting total leucocyte, Iymphocyte and atypical Iymphocyte, two out of four infected goats showed normal distribution, while No 2 of the remaining two revealed temporal and No 3, Persistant increasing number of the cells. 4. The optimal condition of rosette formation of the peripheral Iymphocyte of normal Korean native goats was shown in the sheep erythrocyte treated with 0.1M AET for 30 nun at $37^{\circ}C$. When the Iymphocytes were treated in nylon wool column, the number of sIg-bear-ing cell were increased in the nylon wool adherent cells, but RFC was increased in the non-adherent cells. Of the infected goats, No 2 and No 3 showed significantly increasing number of sIg-bearing cells at 18 months pi. 5. The Iymphocytes of No 2 and No 3 goats reacted positively in IFA using Mab against BL-TAA at 12 months pi and 18 months pi, respectively. In CDAC test, all of four infected goats revealed positive reaction at 24 months pi. The higher positive rates were observed in No 2 and No 3 as compared with the remainders.