• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제43권3호
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• pp.421-430
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• 2019

Background: The ginsenoside Rg3, one of active components of red ginseng, has chemopreventive and anticancer potential. Cancer stem cells retain self-renewal properties which account for cancer recurrence and resistance to anticancer therapy. In our present study, we investigated whether the standardized Korean Red Ginseng extract (RGE) and Rg3 could modulate the manifestation of breast cancer stem cell-like features through regulation of self-renewal activity. Methods: The effects of RGE and Rg3 on the proportion of $CD44^{high}/CD24^{low}$ cells, as representative characteristics of stem-like breast cancer cells, were determined by flow cytometry. The mammosphere formation assay was performed to assess self-renewal capacities of breast cancer cells. Aldehyde dehydrogenase activity of MCF-7 mammospheres was measured by the ALDEFLUOR assay. The expression levels of Sox-2, Bmi-1, and P-Akt and the nuclear localization of hypoxia inducible $factor-1{\alpha}$ in MCF-7 mammospheres were verified by immunoblot analysis. Results: Both RGE and Rg3 decreased the viability of breast cancer cells and significantly reduced the populations of $CD44^{high}/CD24^{low}$ in MDA-MB-231 cells. RGE and Rg3 treatment attenuated the expression of Sox-2 and Bmi-1 by inhibiting the nuclear localization of hypoxia inducible $factor-1{\alpha}$ in MCF-7 mammospheres. Suppression of the manifestation of breast cancer stem cell-like properties by Rg3 was mediated through the blockade of Akt-mediated self-renewal signaling. Conclusion: This study suggests that Rg3 has a therapeutic potential targeting breast cancer stem cells.

• 한국응용과학기술학회지
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• 제36권3호
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• pp.905-914
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• 2019

본 연구에서는 PMF 모델을 이용하여 $PM_{2.5}$에 대한 오염원 확인 및 오염원별 기여도를 분석하였다. A시의 배출원별 기여도 순위는 Secondary Sulfate가 19.8%로 가장 기여도가 높고, 그 다음으로는 Mobile 19.5%, Industry 16.0%, Biomass Buring 14.1%, Secondary Nitrate 14.1%, Oil Combustion 11.6%, Aged Sea Salt 2.6%, Soil 2.5% 등으로 분석되었다. Sulfate와 Ammonium 농도가 배출원별 프로파일에서 기여도가 가장 높은 오염원으로 분석되었는데, 이는 대기 중에서 가스상 전구물질(SOx와 암모니아 가스)이 광화학 반응하여 생성된 2차 에어로졸인 것으로 분석되었다.

• 대한화학회지
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• 제64권6호
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• pp.334-344
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• 2020

본 연구는 그래핀과 유사한 IV족 나노 시트로서 말단을 수소로 처리한 게르마닌(Germanene) 이차원(2D) 시트에 여러 유해 가스(COx, NOx, SOx)를 흡착시켰을 때 구조적 변화와 흡착에너지를 이론적으로 계산하였다. 이론 방법은 밀도 범함수 이론(density functional theory, DFT) 가운데 B3LYP와 CAM-B3lYP을 사용하였으며, 바탕집합(basis set)으로는 cc-pvDZ를 사용하였다. 분자 구조를 각 이론 수준에서 최적화한 후 진동 주파수를 계산하여 열역학적으로 가장 안정한 분자 구조를 확인하였다. 게르마닌 시트에 기체의 흡착은 CO, CO2, NO, SO2 가스의 경우 물리 흡착을 나타내었으며, NO2, SO, SO2 등은 화학 흡착을 나타내었다.

• 공업화학
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.237-242
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• 2021

미세먼지와 함께 질소산화물, 황산화물, 휘발성 유기화합물, 암모니아 비롯한 유발물질에 대한 동시 저감기술은 엄격해지는 환경규제와 실질적인 저감효과 제고를 위해 꾸준히 주목받아 왔다. 오존산화에 의한 비수용성 질소산화물 고속산화 공정은 전통적으로 적용되고 있는 선택적 촉매환원 공정에 비해 공간절약형 시스템 적용을 가능하게 할 뿐만 아니라 운영비용 절감 측면에서 매우 효과적인 방법으로 평가되고 있으며 황산화물을 비롯한 산성가스와 동시 저감이 가능한 공정 구현이 가능하다는 장점까지 있다. 본 논문에서는 오존 고속산화 공정에 대한 기술 이슈 및 개발 동향을 소개하며 향후 산업적 이용 확대를 위한 개발 방향에 대해서 고찰하고자 한다.

• 한방재활의학과학회지
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.1-16
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• 2021

Objectives This study was designed to evaluate the effects of Danggwisu-san (Dangguixu-san, DG) on bone repair from femur fracture in mice. Methods Mice were randomly divided into 4 groups (normal, control, positive control and DG 300 mg/kg-treated group). In order to investigate the effects of DG on gene expressions in experimental animals with fracture, we measured the levels of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2), Sox9, collagen type II alpha 1 chain (Col2a1), runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osterix genes. After the cytotoxicity test, we analyzed the levels of expression of osteocalcin and Runx2, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), a pro-inflammatory cytokine. The process of fusion in the fracture was also investigated by gross examination. Results Through in vivo BMP2, COX2 gene expression significantly decreased. Sox9 significantly increased. Col2a1, Runx2, osterix gene expression also increased as well, but there was no statistical significance. The degree of unilateral fracture fusion investigated by gross examination was significantly faster than those of the other groups. Through in vitro the level of TNF-α in macrophages was increased by DG in a dose-dependent mannerand and 250 and 500 ㎍/mL showed statistical significance. Osteocalcin and Runx2 genes expressions increased when DG was treated in osteoblasts. Conclusions DG promotes the healing of the fracture through the expression of bone repair-related genes and TNF-α production. This study may set the foundation for the clinical application of DG to the patients with bone fractures.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제32권10호
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• pp.1245-1252
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• 2022

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be generated from somatic cells using Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc (OSKM). Small molecules can enhance reprogramming. Licochalcone D (LCD), a flavonoid compound present mainly in the roots of Glycyrrhiza inflata, acts on known signaling pathways involved in transcriptional activity and signal transduction, including the PGC1-α and MAPK families. In this study, we demonstrated that LCD improved reprogramming efficiency. LCD-treated iPSCs (LCD-iPSCs) expressed pluripotency-related genes Oct4, Sox2, Nanog, and Prdm14. Moreover, LCD-iPSCs differentiated into all three germ layers in vitro and formed chimeras. The mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) is critical for somatic cell reprogramming. We found that the expression levels of mesenchymal genes (Snail2 and Twist) decreased and those of epithelial genes (DSP, Cldn3, Crb3, and Ocln) dramatically increased in OR-MEF (OG2^+/+/ROSA26^+/+) cells treated with LCD for 3 days, indicating that MET effectively occurred in LCD-treated OR-MEF cells. Thus, LCD enhanced the generation of iPSCs from somatic cells by promoting MET at the early stages of reprogramming.

• 한국기계가공학회지
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.1-10
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• 2022

Exhaust gases emitted from internal combustion engines contain nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SOx), which are major air pollutants causing acid rain, respiratory diseases, and photochemical smog. As a countermeasure, scrubber systems are being studied extensively. In this study, the pressure drop characteristics were analyzed by changing the exhaust gas inflow velocity using a scrubber for a 700 kW engine as a model. In addition, the fluid flow inside the scrubber and the behavioral characteristics of the droplets were studied using CFD, and the design compatibility of the cleaning device was verified. Flow analysis was performed using inertial and viscous resistances by applying porous media to the complex shape of the scrubber. The speed of the exhaust passing through the outlet nozzle from the inlet was determined through the droplet behavior analysis by spraying, and the flow characteristics for the pressure drop were studied. In addition, it was confirmed through computational analysis whether there was a stagnation section in the exhaust gas flow in the scrubber or the sprayed droplets were in good contact with the exhaust gas.

• BMB Reports
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• 제55권6호
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• pp.281-286
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• 2022

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a major health burden, and though various treatments through much research are available, difficulties in early diagnosis and drug resistance to chemotherapy-based treatments render several ineffective. Cancer stem cell model has been used to explain formation of heterogeneous cell population within tumor mass, which is one of the underlying causes of high recurrence rate and acquired chemoresistance, highlighting the importance of CSC identification and understanding the molecular mechanisms of CSC drivers. Extracellular CSC-markers such as CD133, CD90 and EpCAM have been used successfully in CSC isolation, but studies have indicated that increasingly complex combinations are required for accurate identification. Pseudogene-derived long non-coding RNAs are useful candidates as intracellular CSC markers - factors that regulate pluripotency and self-renewal - given their cancer-specific expression and versatile regulation across several levels. Here, we present the use of microarray data to identify stemness-associated factors in liver cancer, and selection of sole pseudogene-derived lncRNA ZNF204P for experimental validation. ZNF204P knockdown impairs cell proliferation and migration/invasion. As the cytosolic ZNF204P shares miRNA binding sites with OCT4 and SOX2, well-known drivers of pluripotency and self-renewal, we propose that ZNF204P promotes tumorigenesis through the miRNA-145-5p/OCT4, SOX2 axis.

• 한국동물생명공학회지
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.199-208
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• 2023

Background: Canine induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are an attractive source for veterinary regenerative medicine, disease modeling, and drug development. Here we used vitamin C (Vc) to improve the reprogramming efficiency of canine iPSCs, and its functions in the reprogramming process were elucidated. Methods: Retroviral transduction of Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, c-Myc (OSKM), and GFP was employed to induce reprogramming in canine fetal fibroblasts. Following transduction, the culture medium was subsequently replaced with ESC medium containing Vc to determine the effect on reprogramming activity. Results: The number of AP-positive iPSC colonies dramatically increased in culture conditions supplemented with Vc. Vc enhanced the efficacy of retrovirus transduction, which appears to be correlated with enhanced cell proliferation capacity. To confirm the characteristics of the Vc-treated iPSCs, the cells were cultured to passage 5, and pluripotency markers including Oct4, Sox2, Nanog, and Tra-1-60 were observed by immunocytochemistry. The expression of endogenous pluripotent genes (Oct4, Nanog, Rex1, and telomerase) were also verified by PCR. The complete silencing of exogenously transduced human OSKM factors was observed exclusively in canine iPSCs treated with Vc. Canine iPSCs treated with Vc are capable of forming embryoid bodies in vitro and have spontaneously differentiated into three germ layers. Conclusions: Our findings emphasize a straightforward method for enhancing the efficiency of canine iPSC generation and provide insight into the Vc effect on the reprogramming process.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.243-251
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• 2010

Estrogen related receptor $\beta$(Esrrb)는 오르판 수용체 중 하나로 전분화능 관련유전자인 Oct4와 Nanog의 발현을 조절함으로써 줄기세포의 미분화를 유지시키고, 지속적인 자기 복제를 가능케 하는 유전자로 알려져 있다. 또한 Feng 등 (2009)은 체세포에 Oct4, Sox2와 함께 Esrrb 유전자를 함께 도입하면, 유전자가 변형된 체세포가 배아 줄기세포와 유사한 유도만능줄기세포로 리프로그래밍(reprograming)되어 진다는 결과를 보고한 바 있다. 본 연구에서는 인간 ESRRB 단백질을 양수유래줄기세포 내로 직접도입하는 방법을 개발하고, 이를 통해 전분화능 관련유전자의 기능 조절을 확인하고자 하였다. 클로닝 된 인간 short-form ESRRB를 세포투과 펩타이드(cell-penetrating peptide, CPP)의 일종인 R7(아르기닌 7개)에 접합(Fusion)하였고, 합성단백질 (R7-ESRRB-His6)의 형태로 배양중인 인간 양수 유래 줄기세포에 처리하여 세포내로 도입하였다. R7-ESRRB-His6 단백질은 5시간 내에 세포막을 통과하였고, 24시간 내에 핵 내로 이동하였다. 또한 핵 내로 이동한 ESRRB 단백질은 OCT4와 NANOG 유전자의 발현을 증가시켰을 뿐만 아니라, 또 다른 전분화능 관련유전자인 SOX2의 발현도 함께 증가시킨다는 것을 확인하였다. 이상의 결과는 세포투과 펩타이드와 유전자의 접합을 통해 생산된 R7-ESRRB-His6 합성단백질이 양수유래줄기세포내로 원활하게 도입되는 것을 확인하였고, 유전자의 변형 없이 전분화능 관련유전자의 기능을 조절할 수 있는 방법임을 확인하였다.