• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.160-165
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• 1998

Current discriminating technique of rice variety is known to be not objective till this time because of depending on naked eye of well trained inspector. DNA finger print method based on genetic character of rice has been indicated inappropriate for on-site application, because the method need much labor and skilled expert. The purpose of this study was to develops the identification technique of polished rice varieties using CCD camera images. To minimize the noise of the captured image, thresholding and median filtering were carried out, and edge was extracted from the image data. Image data after pretreatment of normalize and FFT(fast fourier transform) were used for library model and feedforward backpropagation neural network model. Image processing technique using CCD camera could discriminate the variety of rice with high accuracy in case of quite different rice of shape, but the accuracy was reached at 85% in the similar shape of rice.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.283-287
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• 2007

$TGF-{\beta}1$ induces Ig germ-line ${\alpha}$ ($GL{\alpha}$) transcription and subsequent class switching recombination (CSR) to IgA. In the present study, we investigated the roles of two E3-ubiquitin ligases, Smurfs (HECT type) and Arkadia (RING finger type) on $TGF{\beta}1$-induced IgA CSR. We found that over-expression of Smurf1 and Smurf2 decreased $TGF{\beta}1$-induced $GL{\alpha}$ promoter activity and strengthened the inhibitory effect of Smad7 on the promoter activity. Further, over-expression of Smurf1 and Smurf2 decreased both Smad3/4-mediated and Runx3-mediated $GL{\alpha}$ promoter activities, suggesting that the Smurfs can down-regulate the major $TGF-{\beta}1$ signaling pathway and decrease $GL{\alpha}$ gene expression. In parallel, the over-expressed Smurf1 decreased the expression of endogenous IgA CSR-predictive transcripts ($GLT_{\alpha}$, $PST_{\alpha}$, and $CT_{\alpha}$) and also $TGF{\beta}1$-induced IgA secretion. Conversely over-expression of Arkadia abolished the inhibitory effect of Smad7 on $TGF{\beta}1$-induced $GLT_{\alpha}$ expression and IgA secretion. Similar results were obtained in the presence of over-expressed Smad7 and Smurf1. These results indicate that Arkadia can amplify $TGF{\beta}1$-induced IgA CSR by degrading Smad7, which interacts with Smurf1. We conclude that Smurf and Arkadia have opposite roles in the regulation of $TGF{\beta}1$-induced IgA isotype expression.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.1630-1636
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• 2010

During the fermentation process of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, yeast cells must rapidly respond to a wide variety of external stresses in order to survive the constantly changing environment, including ethanol stress. The accumulation of ethanol can severely inhibit cell growth activity and productivity. Thus, the response to changing ethanol concentrations is one of the most important stress reactions in S. cerevisiae and worthy of thorough investigation. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between ethanol tolerance in S. cerevisiae and a unique protein called alcohol sensitive RING/PHD finger 1 protein (Asr1p). A real-time PCR showed that upon exposure to 8% ethanol, the expression of Asr1 was continuously enhanced, reaching a peak 2 h after stimulation. This result was confirmed by monitoring the fluorescence levels using a strain with a green fluorescent protein tagged to the C-terminal of Asr1p. The fluorescent microscopy also revealed a change in the subcellular localization before and after stimulation. Furthermore, the disruption of the Asr1 gene resulted in hypersensitivity on the medium containing ethanol, when compared with the wild-type strain. Thus, when taken together, the present results suggest that Asr1 is involved in the response to ethanol stress in the yeast S. cerevisiae.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.504-514
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• 2020

This study improves the dimensional suitability of nail tip products by reviewing the type of fingernail as seen among adult women in Korea. Subjects were 147 adult women ranging from age 20 to 40. Direct fingernails measurements were made using digital Vernier calipers and a curvature gauge. Data on various fingernail shapes were collected through indirect measurements using photography to reveal the shape characteristics of each fingernail types. In this sense, data were analyzed by statistical methods with the use of factor analysis. There were various factors considered to classify extracted fingernail types such as five factors (for the thumb), four factors (index, middle, and little fingers), and three factors (for the ring finger). The cluster analysis resulted in three types. Type 1 is a 'Square' shape characterized with wide fingernails, low height, flat, and low curvature of the cuticle line. Type 2 is 'U-round' shape characterized with narrow fingernails, high height, convex, and the highest curvature of the cuticle line. Type 3 is a 'Round' shape in which the fingernails are wide, high in height, convex, and characterized with a medium curvature of the cuticle line. The results are useful for companies that develop the free edge shape of fingernails for consumer products. The measured values of fingernail can be applied to the shape and lake setting of the nail tip product, depending on type of fingernail.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2005

The ubiquitin E3 ligase COP1 (Constitutive Photomorphogenesis 1) is a protein repressor of photomorphogenesis in Arabidopsisplants, and it found in various organisms, including animals. The COP1 protein regulates the stability of many of the light-signaling components that are involved in photomorphogenesis and in the developmental processes. To study the effect of COP1 on flowering in a short day plant, we have cloned a full-length of PnCOP1 (Pharbitis nil COP1) cDNA from Pharbitis nil Choisy cv. Violet, and we examined its transcript levels under various conditions. A full-length PnCOP1 cDNA consists of 2,280 bp nucleotidesthat contain 47 bp of 5'-UTR, 232 bp of 3'-UTR including the poly (A) tail, and 1,998 bp of the coding sequence. The deduced amino acid sequence contains 666 amino acids, giving it a theoretical molecular weight of 75 kD and a isolectric point of 6.2. The PnCOP1 contains three distinct domains, an N-terminal $Zn^2+$-binding RING-finger domain, a coiled-coil structure, and WD40 repeats at the C-terminal, implying that the protein plays a role in protein-protein interactions. The PnCOP1 transcript was detected in the cotyledon, hypocotyls and leaves, but not in root. The levels of the PnCOP1 transcript were reduced in leaves that were a farther distance away from the cotyledons. The expression level of the PnCOP1 gene was inhibited by light, while the expression was increased in the dark. During the floral inductive 16 hour-dark period for Pharbitis nil, the expression was increased and it reached its maximum at the 12th hour of the dark period. The levels of PnCOP1 mRNA were dramatically reduced upon light illumination. These results suggest that PnCOP1 may play an important function in the floral induction of Pharbitis nil.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.52-61
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• 2010

The use of the friction coefficient is known to provide good discrimination ability in the classification of human constitutions, which are used in alternative medicine. In this study, a system that uses a multi-axis load cell and a hemi-circular probe is designed. The equipment consists of a sensor (load cell type, manufactured by the authors), an x-axis linear-bush guide motorized mobile stage that supports the hand being analyzed, and a signal conditioner. Using the proposed system, the friction coefficients from different constitutions were compared, and the relative repeatability error for the friction coefficient measurement was determined to be less than 2 %. The direction along the ring finger line was determined to be the optimum measurement region for a constitutional diagnosis between Tae-eumin and Soyangin types using the proposed system. There were some differences in the friction coefficient between the two constitutions, as reported in ancient literature. The proposed system is applicable to a quantitative constitutional diagnosis between Tae-eumin and Soyangin types within an acceptable level of uncertainty.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.45-55
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• 2021

Objectives : This study was conducted to evaluate the anti-atrophic effect of polycan in dexamethasone-induced skeletal muscle atrophy in vitro model. Methods : C2C12 myoblast were differentiated into myotube by 2% horese serum medium for 6 days, and then treated polycan extract at different concentrations for 24h. The effect of dexamethasone on the induction of muscle atrophy and expression of atrophy-related genes in differentiated C2C12 myotubes using a GSH, ROS, real-time PCR, western blots analysis. Results : The results showed that Treatment with polycan (100 and 200 ㎍/㎖) noncytotoxic levels on both myoblast and myotube. Polycan decreased the ROS level overproduced with dexamethasone and improved the depletion of GSH level. Dexamethasone showed a decrease in myotube diameter, which was associated with up-regulation muscle-specific ubiquitin ligases markers, such as atrogin-1, FoxO3, myostatin and muscle RING finger-1 (MuRF1), and down-regulation of myogenin, MEF2, Myogenic regulatory factor 5, 6 and MyoD. The results showed that polycan treatment significantly dose-dependently inhibited it. Furthermore, decreased expressions of PI3K/Akt signal pathway by dexamethasone were reversed by treatment with polycan. Conclusions : Thus, polycan suppresses dexamethasone induced muscle atrophy in C2C12 myotube in vitro model through activation of PI3K/Akt pathway and protective effect of improve skeletal muscle function.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.623-635
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• 2021

The effect of deer antler extract on muscle differentiation and muscle atrophy were evaluated to minimize muscle loss following aging. Various deer antler extracts (HWE, hot water extract of deer antler; FE, HWE of fermented deer antler; ET, enzyme-assisted extract of deer antler; UE, extract prepared by ultrasonication of deer antler) were evaluated for their effect on muscle differentiation and inhibition of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside (AICAR)-induced muscle atrophy in C2C12 cells. Morphological changes according to the effect of antler extracts on muscle differentiation were confirmed by Jenner-Giemsa staining. In addition, the expression levels of genes related to muscle differentiation and atrophy were confirmed through qRT-PCR. In the presence of antler extracts, the length and thickness of myotubes and myogenin differentiation 1 (MyoD1) and myogenic factor 5 (Myf5) gene expression were increased compared to those in the control group (CON). Gene expression of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), MyoD1, and myogenin, along with the muscle atrophy factors muscle RING finger-1 (MuRF-1) and forkhead box O3a (FoxO3a) upon addition of deer antler extracts to muscle-atrophied C2C12 cells was determined by qRT-PCR after treatment with AICAR. The expression of MuRF-1 and FoxO3a decreased in the groups treated with antler extracts compared to that in the group treated with AICAR alone. In addition, gene expression of MyoD1 and myogenin in the muscle atrophy cell model was significantly increased compared that into the CON. Therefore, our findings indicate that antler extract can increase the expression of MyoD1, Myf5 and myogenin, inhibit muscle atrophy, and promote muscle differentiation.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.172-181
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• 2022

Pubertal onset is known to result from reactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, which is controlled by complex interactions of genetic and nongenetic factors. Most cases of precocious puberty (PP) are diagnosed as central PP (CPP), defined as premature activation of the HPG axis. The cause of CPP in most girls is not identifiable and, thus, referred to as idiopathic CPP (ICPP), whereas boys are more likely to have an organic lesion in the brain. ICPP has a genetic background, as supported by studies showing that maternal age at menarche is associated with pubertal timing in their offspring. A gain of expression in the kisspeptin gene (KISS1), gain-of-function mutation in the kisspeptin receptor gene (KISS1R), loss-of-function mutation in makorin ring finger protein 3 (MKRN3), and loss-of-function mutations in the delta-like homolog 1 gene (DLK1) have been associated with ICPP. Other genes, such as gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor subunit alpha-1 (GABRA1), lin-28 homolog B (LIN28B), neuropeptide Y (NPYR), tachykinin 3 (TAC3), and tachykinin receptor 3 (TACR3), have been implicated in the progression of ICPP, although their relationships require elucidation. Environmental and socioeconomic factors may also be correlated with ICPP. In the progression of CPP, epigenetic factors such as DNA methylation, histone posttranslational modifications, and non-coding ribonucleic acids may mediate the relationship between genetic and environmental factors. CPP is correlated with short- and long-term adverse health outcomes, which forms the rationale for research focusing on understanding its genetic and nongenetic factors.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.132-145
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• 2024

Sarcopenia, the age-related muscle atrophy, is a serious concern as it is associated with frailty, reduced physical functions, and increased mortality risk. Protein supplementation is essential for preserving muscle mass, and horse meat can be an excellent source of proteins. Since sarcopenia occurs under conditions of oxidative stress, this study aimed to investigate the potential anti-muscle atrophy effect of horse meat hydrolysate using C2C12 cells. A horse meat hydrolysate less than 3 kDa (A4<3kDa) significantly increased the viability of C2C12 myoblasts against H₂O₂-induced cytotoxicity. Exposure of C2C12 myoblasts to lipopolysaccharide led to an elevation of cellular reactive oxygen species levels and mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin 6, and these effects were attenuated by A4<3kDa treatment. Additionally, A4<3kDa activated protein synthesis-related proteins through the protein kinase B/mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway, while decreasing the expression of activity and degradation-related proteins, such as Forkhead box O3, muscle RING finger protein-1, and Atrogin-1 in dexamethasone-treated C2C12 myotubes. Therefore, the natural material A4<3kDa has the potential of protecting against muscle atrophy, while further in vivo study is needed.