• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.273-279
• /
• 2012

Hesperidin, a flavanone present in citrus fruits, has been studied as potential therapeutic agents that have anti-tumor activity and apoptotic effects in several cancers, but there is no report about the apoptotic effect of hesperidin in human malignant pleural mesothelioma through the specificity protein 1 (Sp1) protein. We investigated whether hesperidin inhibited cell growth and regulated Sp1 target proteins by suppressing the levels of Sp1 protein in MSTO-211H cells. The $IC_{50}$ value of hesperidin was determined to be 152.3 ${\mu}M$ in MSTO-211H cells for 48 h. Our results suggested that hesperidin (0-160 ${\mu}M$) decreased cell viability, and induced apoptotic cell death. Hesperidin increased Sub-$G_1$ population in MSTO-211H cells. Hesperidin significantly suppressed mRNA/protein level of Sp1 and modulated the expression level of the Sp1 regulatory protein such as p27, p21, cyclin D1, Mcl-1, and survivin in mesothelioma cells. Also, hesperidin induced apoptotic signaling including: cleavages of Bid, caspase-3, and PARP, upregulation of Bax, and down-regulation of Bcl-$_{xl}$ in mesothelioma cells. These results show that hesperidin suppressed mesothelioma cell growth through inhibition of Sp1. In this study, we demonstrated that Sp1 acts as a novel molecular target of hesperidin in human malignant pleural mesothelioma.

• Experimental and Molecular Medicine
• /
• v.50 no.12
• /
• pp.5.1-5.15
• /
• 2018

Targeting hair follicle regeneration has been investigated for the treatment of hair loss, and fundamental studies investigating stem cells and their niche have been described. However, knowledge of stem cell metabolism and the specific regulation of bioenergetics during the hair regeneration process is currently insufficient. Here, we report the hair regrowth-promoting effect of a newly synthesized novel small molecule, IM176OUT05 (IM), which activates stem cell metabolism. IM facilitated stemness induction and maintenance during an induced pluripotent stem cell generation process. IM treatment mildly inhibited mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and concurrently increased glycolysis, which accelerated stemness induction during the early phase of reprogramming. More importantly, the topical application of IM accelerated hair follicle regeneration by stimulating the progression of the hair follicle cycle to the anagen phase and increased the hair follicle number in mice. Furthermore, the stem cell population with a glycolytic metabotype appeared slightly earlier in the IM-treated mice. Stem cell and niche signaling involved in the hair regeneration process was also activated by the IM treatment during the early phase of hair follicle regeneration. Overall, these results show that the novel small molecule IM promotes tissue regeneration, specifically in hair regrowth, by restructuring the metabolic configuration of stem cells.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.304-310
• /
• 2021

Background: Healthcare settings have been recognized among the most hazardous places to work. Based on the five categories of occupational hazards that were identified by the ILO and WHO, this study aimed to analyze policy framework relevant to occupational health protection of health workers (HWs) in public health service in China, then discussed how to share the experience of the National Health Service (NHS) England for improvement. Methods: Based on policy learning theories, policy analysis and qualitative interview were used in this study. Results: In the Chinese public health service, at least five laws related to the regulation of occupational health protection for HWs; however, enforcement of relevant laws was separated and multi-centered; the national monitoring system, which targeted to occupational hazards and health outcome for HWs in China, had yet to be developed; the top three priorities were workplace violence, bloodborne pathogens, and musculoskeletal disorders; national strategies included Security Hospital, and Healthy China 2030. In NHS England, three laws were fundamental; several monitoring systems had been set up, including NHS Staff Survey, Commissioning for Quality and Innovation incentive scheme; mental health, musculoskeletal problem, and nutrition disorder and overweight were raised great concern; Health and Safety, and NHS Healthy Workforce Program were critical nationwide strategies. Conclusion: There were several similarities as well as differences between the Chinese public health system and NHS England, which laid foundation of learning by China. Recommendations of improving occupational health policies in China were provided, based on the lessons learned from the NHS England.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.57-69
• /
• 2021

Urban green spaces supply ecosystem services (ESs), which are consumed by city residents and generate demand, to improve air quality. It is important to determine supply and demand for ESs and reduce the gap for efficient management. This study proposed a method to use the concept of supply and demand for ESs in the decision-making process for urban planning or management. PM₁₀ concentrations were converted to weight for demand assessment on PM₁₀ reduction, and PM₁₀ absorption capacity of all green spaces including the forests, and that of urban green spaces excluding forests, was calculated for each supply assessment. The differences in the calculated supply and demand were analyzed to derive the mismatched regions in Suwon. As a result, regions with big forested areas showed sufficient supply, indicating that the degree of mismatch among administrative neighborhoods (dong) varied greatly depending on whether they had a forest. An analysis of only urban green spaces showed that all neighborhoods lacked supply. Forests with high PM₁₀ absorption capacity had a great effect, but urban green spaces can be considered a key element in reducing PM₁₀ in daily life. Considering the mismatch of supply and demand, spatial distribution, and population distribution, it is possible to prioritize the supply of urban green spaces to reduce PM₁₀ and, furthermore, support decision making for priority zones subject to forest conservation and designation and cancellation of green spaces, which gives significance to this study.

• Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.512-527
• /
• 2018

This review provides a comprehensive overview of brain imaging studies of the brain-gut interaction in functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). Functional neuroimaging studies during gut stimulation have shown enhanced brain responses in regions related to sensory processing of the homeostatic condition of the gut (homeostatic afferent) and responses to salience stimuli (salience network), as well as increased and decreased brain activity in the emotional response areas and reduced activation in areas associated with the top-down modulation of visceral afferent signals. Altered central regulation of the endocrine and autonomic nervous responses, the key mediators of the brain-gut axis, has been demonstrated. Studies using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging reported abnormal local and global connectivity in the areas related to pain processing and the default mode network (a physiological baseline of brain activity at rest associated with self-awareness and memory) in FGIDs. Structural imaging with brain morphometry and diffusion imaging demonstrated altered gray- and white-matter structures in areas that also showed changes in functional imaging studies, although this requires replication. Molecular imaging by magnetic resonance spectroscopy and positron emission tomography in FGIDs remains relatively sparse. Progress using analytical methods such as machine learning algorithms may shift neuroimaging studies from brain mapping to predicting clinical outcomes. Because several factors contribute to the pathophysiology of FGIDs and because its population is quite heterogeneous, a new model is needed in future studies to assess the importance of the factors and brain functions that are responsible for an optimal homeostatic state.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.44 no.6
• /
• pp.556-562
• /
• 2018

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the boron concentrations in 30 slime products and estimate children's dermal exposure to boron. Methods: Thirty slime products from online and offline stores were purchased for boron analysis. The boron content of each slime sample was analyzed using ICP-OES. A nationwide survey was performed to determine use patterns of slimes by a home-visit survey of 10,000 children divided into three age groups: 0-2, 3-6, and 7-12 years. The dermal exposure to boron was calculated using an exposure algorithm for child slime users. Results: The proportion of the child population using slime was 45.8%, and the mean use frequency was $2.5{\pm}3.8$ per week (range: 0.08-35). Mean time spent playing with slime was $19.6{\pm}11.3min$ (range: 1-100). Twenty-five of the thirty slimes contained a boron concentration exceeding the EU limit for toys made with sticky material of 300 mg/kg. Dermal exposure ranged from $0.0008-13.78{\mu}g/kg/day$ with the maximum weight fractions of boron in the 30 products. The dermal exposure estimate was the highest in 7-12 years old group. Conclusion: Slime use among Korean children may cause high exposure to boron. Regulation is needed to minimize boron exposure from slime products.

• Plant Breeding and Biotechnology
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.354-362
• /
• 2018

Maize has high food and industrial value, whereas has difficulties in research because of their complex and huge size genome. Nested association mapping (NAM) was constructed to better understand maize genetics. However, most studies were conducted using the reference genome B73, and only a few studies were conducted on tropical maize. Ki3, one of the founder lines of the NAM population, is a tropical maize. We analyzed the genetic characteristics of Ki3 by using RNA sequencing and bioinformatics tools for various genetic studies. As results, a total of 30,526 genes were expressed, and expression profile were constructed. A total of 1,558 genes were differentially expressed in response to drought stress, and 513 contigs of them come from de novo assemblies. In addition, high-density polymorphisms including 464,930 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 21,872 multiple nucleotide polymorphisms (MNPs) and 93,313 insertions and deletions (InDels) were found compared to reference genome. Among them, 15.0 % of polymorphisms (87,838) were passed non-synonymous test which could alter amino acid sequences. The variants have 66,550 SNPs, 5,853 MNPs, and 14,801 InDels, also proportion of homozygous type was higher than heterozygous. These variants were found in a total of 15,643 genes. Of these genes, 637 genes were found as differentially expressed genes (DEGs) under drought stress. Our results provide a genome-wide analysis of differentially expressed genes and information of variants on expressed genes of tropical maize under drought stress. Further characterization of these changes in genetic regulation and genetic traits will be of great value for improvement of maize genetics.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.63-70
• /
• 2019

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) that are able to suppress T cell function are a heterogeneous cell population frequently observed in cancer, infection, and autoimmune disease. Immune checkpoint molecules, such as programmed death 1 (PD-1) expressed on T cells and its ligand (PD-L1) expressed on tumor cells or antigen-presenting cells, have received extensive attention in the past decade due to the dramatic effects of their inhibitors in patients with various types of cancer. In the present study, we investigated the expression of PD-1 on MDSCs in bone marrow, spleen, and tumor tissue derived from breast tumor-bearing mice. Our studies demonstrate that PD-1 expression is markedly increased in tumor-infiltrating MDSCs compared to expression in bone marrow and spleens and that it can be induced by LPS that is able to mediate $NF-{\kappa}B$ signaling. Moreover, expression of PD-L1 and CD80 on $PD-1^+$ MDSCs was higher than on $PD-1^-$ MDSCs and proliferation of MDSCs in a tumor microenvironment was more strongly induced in $PD-1^+$ MDSCs than in $PD-1^-$ MDSCs. Although we could not characterize the inducer of PD-1 expression derived from cancer cells, our findings indicate that the study on the mechanism of PD-1 induction in MDSCs is important and necessary for the control of MDSC activity; our results suggest that $PD-1^+$ MDSCs in a tumor microenvironment may induce tumor development and relapse through the modulation of their proliferation and suppressive molecules.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.413-426
• /
• 2019

Many factories indiscriminately located in the vicinity of residential areas need to be adjusted to quasi-industrial parks or new planning management area. In the present work, the changes of atmospheric $SO_2$ concentration according to clustering of individual location factories throughout Gimpo city into a new area were evaluated using a commercial dispersion model, AERMOD. As a result of the evaluation, it was suggested the possibility of improving the pollution through the relocation of individual factories. The combination of relocation and discharge regulation on the stack height may reduce the overall pollution from Gimpo approximately up to 70%, and some areas achieve maximum 87% decrease. However, the area selected as a cluster zone may show a relatively large increase compared to the change in the total pollution level of Gimpo.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.43-54
• /
• 2019

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of policies on water quality management based on the changes in pollutants and water quality in Special Water Preservation Area (SWPA) of Lake Paldang watershed from 1990 to 2016. The population, total sewage and flow rate of wastewater in SWPA continuously increased from 1990 to 2016, while the location of new facilities for industrial and livestock facilities has been restricted. However, unlike the buffer zone in which industrial and livestock facilities were continuously reduced after implementing of TMDL, it was found that the effect of land-use regulations on industrial and livestock facilities in SWPA were mitigated by the increase in the size of large facilities. Since 1999 when the emission standard of public sewage treatment plants (STP) was changed, the water quality of Lake Paldang has increased despite the increase of pollutant source. Since emission standard of STP changed in 2012 (BOD 5 mg/L, TP 0.2 mg/L), BOD concentration in Lake Paldang has also improved to the level of water quality in the early 1990s where as TP concentration has remained at its lowest since 1990. BOD and TP average discharge concentration of 43 STP (${\geq}500m^3/day$) in 2016 have been maintained $1.7{\pm}0.7mg/L$ and $0.06{\pm}0.02mg/L$ respectively. While the discharged load of STP in SWPA was decreased by the concentration management, the contribution rate to the total discharged load of non-point pollutants increased to 70 % in 2015, and the contribution rate to the point discharged load of individual treatment facilities increased to 80 %.