• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.161-166
• /
• 2014

Lung cancer is the most common causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and a lack of effective methods for early diagnosis has greatly impacted the prognosis and survival rates of the affected patients. Tumor-initiating cells (TICs) are considered to be largely responsible for tumor genesis, resistance to tumor therapy, metastasis, and recurrence. In addition to representing a good potential treatment target, TICs can provide clues for the early diagnosis of cancer. MicroRNA (miRNA) alterations are known to be involved in the initiation and progression of human cancer, and the detection of related miRNAs in TICs is an important strategy for lung cancer early diagnosis. As Hsa-miR-155 (miR-155) can be used as a diagnostic marker for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a smart molecular beacon of miR-155 was designed to image the expression of miR-155 in NSCLC cases. TICs expressing CD133 and CD338 were obtained from A549 cells by applying an immune magnetic bead isolation system, and miR-155 was detected using laser-scanning confocal microscopy. We found that intracellular miR-155 could be successfully detected using smart miR-155 molecular beacons. Expression was higher in TICs than in A549 cells, indicating that miR-155 may play an important role in regulating bio-behavior of TICs. As a non-invasive approach, molecular beacons could be implemented with molecular imaging to diagnose lung cancer at early stages.

• Journal of the Korean Society for information Management
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.129-148
• /
• 2008

Analyzing out the Key Tasks and Developing the Professional Type of National Librarians through Job Analysis was made, because improving the professionalism of librarians is the strategy of survival in the competency based society. It is composed of 22 duties, 216 tasks of national librarian job and 96 key tasks is extracted among them. As the results, 12 types of professional librarian which is composed 10 function oriented types, and 2 user oriented types, is suggested: collection development librarian, cataloger taxonomist, information service librarian, reading coach, research librarian of international standards, database & system manager, international work librarian, national support librarian, marketing librarian, library literacy librarian, children' librarian, handicapped service librarian.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.7
• /
• pp.3061-3065
• /
• 2015

Background: Rac3, a member of the Rac family of small guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases), regulates a variety of cell functions, including the organization of the cytoskeleton, cell migration, and invasion. Overexpression of Rac3 has been reported in several human cancers. However, the role of Rac3 in lung cancer (LC) has not been determined in detail. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of silencing of Rac3 expression in human LC cells and the consequences for cell survival. Materials and Methods: Lentivirus small hairpin RNA (shRNA) interference techniques were utilized to knock down the Rac3 gene. Gene and protein expression was quantified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting. LC cell apoptosis was examined by annexin V-APC /propidium iodide staining. Results: Efficient silencing of Rac3 strongly inhibited A549 cell proliferation and colony formation ability, and significantly decreased tumor growth. Moreover, flow cytometry analysis showed that knockdown of Rac3 led to G2/M phase cell cycle arrest as well as an excess accumulation of cells in the G1 and S phase. Conclusions: Thus, functional analysis using shRNAs revealed a critical role for Rac3 in the tumor growth of LC cells. shRNA silencing of Rac3 could provide an effective strategy to treat LC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.18
• /
• pp.8079-8083
• /
• 2016

Metformin is an oral anti-hyperglycemic agent, which is the most commonly prescribed medication in the treatment of type-2 diabetes mellitus. It is purportedly associated with a reduced risk for various cancers, mainly exerting anti-proliferation effects on various human cancer cell types, such as pancreas, prostate, breast, stomach and liver. This mini-review highlights the risk and benefit of metformin used for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) prevention and therapy. The results indicated metformin might be a quite promising strategy CCA prevention and treatment, one mechanism being inhibition of CCA tumor growth by cell cycle arrest in both in vitro and in vivo. The AMPK/mTORC1 pathway in intrahepatic CCA cells is targeted by metformin. Furthermore, metformin inhibited CCA tumor growth via the regulation of Drosha-mediated expression of multiple carcinogenic miRNAs. The use of metformin seems to be safe in patients with cirrhosis, and provides a survival benefit. Once hepatic malignancies are already established, metformin does not offer any therapeutic potential. Clinical trials and epidemiological studies of the benefit of metformin use for CCA should be conducted. To date, whether metformin as a prospective chemotherapeutic for CCA is still questionable and waits further atttention.

• Environmental Sciences Bulletin of The Korean Environmental Sciences Society
• /
• v.3 no.3
• /
• pp.189-196
• /
• 1999

The community structure, phytomass, and primary productivity in Thuja orientalis stands on a limestone area located in Maepo-up, Chungbuk province in Korea were estimated quantitatively. Seven species including a small proportion of Quercus dentata were identified in the tree layer, 26 species including Ulmus macrocarpa in the shrub layer, and 79 species including Carex lnceolata in the herb layer of the Thuja stands. The vertical distribution of the fine root phytomass exhibited a power functional decrease relative to the soil depth. The seasonal changes in the fine root phytomass at a soil depth of 5 cm were closely related to the pecipitation in the study area. The productivity of the stand of stems, branches, leaves, and roots were 10.72, 0.82, 0.45 and 6.46 ton DM. $ha^{-1}$ .$yr^{-1}$, respectively. The Thuja stand had a high foliage(25%) and low rate of production per unit of foliage. The annual turnover rate of the fine roots int he Thuja stand was 6.71 $yr^{-1}$. The net primary production of the overstory including the understory was estimated at 19.48 ton DM.$ha^{-1}$.$yr^{-1}$ including an underground section of 6.46 ton DM.$ha^{-1}$.$yr^{-1}$(33%). The allocation ratio of net production to root was lower in the limestone Thuja communities than at the nearby non-limestone ones, whereas the production efficiency to leaf weight was higher in the limestone communities. These results would seem to indicate that the limited production capacity is due to the calcium toxicity and low availability of iron and phosphorus in a limestone soil with a high pH, calcium, and bicarbonate content with a strategy for survival in a hostile habitat.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.99-103
• /
• 2010

Background: Glycogen synthase kinase $3{\beta}$ ($GSK3{\beta}$) is a ubiquitous serine/threonine kinase that is regulated by serine phosphorylation at 9. Recent studies have reported the beneficial effects of a number of the pharmacological $GSK3{\beta}$ inhibitors in rodent models of septic shock. Since most of the $GSK3{\beta}$ inhibitors are targeted at the ATP-binding site, which is highly conserved among diverse protein kinases, the development of novel non-ATP competitive $GSK3{\beta}$ inhibitors is needed. Methods: Based on the unique phosphorylation motif of $GSK3{\beta}$, we designed and generated a novel class of $GSK3{\beta}$ inhibitor (GSK3i) peptides. In addition, we investigated the effects of a GSK3i peptide on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated cytokine production and septic shock. Mice were intraperitoneally injected with GSK3i peptide and monitored over a 7-day period for survival. Results: We first demonstrate its effects on LPS-stimulated pro-inflammatory cytokine production including interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-12p40. LPS-induced IL-6 and IL-12p40 production in macrophages was suppressed when macrophages were treated with the GSKi peptide. Administration of the GSK3i peptide potently suppressed LPS-mediated endotoxin shock. Conclusion: Collectively, we present a rational strategy for the development of a therapeutic GSK3i peptide. This peptide may serve as a novel template for the design of non-ATP competitive GSK3 inhibitors.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
• /
• 2000.05a
• /
• pp.88-92
• /
• 2000

Since the launch of WTO. the global telecommunications market has been accelerated to ensure interoperability between the various telecommunications or services and this effort is emerging as the realization of an importance of standardization. In addition, in recent years as standardization is recognized not as just a means of ensuring interoperability but as a key strategic means of economic survival in the new trade order at the international regional, and national levels. Thus, each country is working actively to process telecommunications standardization through such means as multilateral cooperation and collective counter-strategies, which are mapped out, in the various regional and global fora and consortia. In keeping with these trends, Asia-Pacific Telecommunity, which is taking charge of telecommunications affairs of Asia-Pacific region, has been pursuing not only regional common interests but enhancement of its status in the world market by standardization on the basis of intimate collaboration, obtained by establishing regional standardization organization named ASTAP(APT Standardization Program). Bearing in mind the consideration outlined above, this paper aims to analyze telecommunications standardization policy intended by Asia-Pacific regional standardization organization and accordingly, to suggest a strategy for strengthening telecommunications standardization activities in Asia-Pacific region.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.485-499
• /
• 1994

This study was focused on the effect of the altitude on the geographical variations of germination characteristics in the populations of Plantago asiatica L. distribute in Mt. Chiri. There was a significant difference among the 14 groups in the phenological pattern in relation to altitudes. When the altitude becomes higher, the thermal time which was required for 10 to 80% germination rate showed higher and wider distribution. On the other hand, the germination response of increasing temperature (IT) and secreasing temperature (DT) regime was classified into 3 group. The first group was the spering germination type. This group showed that the IT regime hadhigher germination rate than that of the DT regime, and was distributed in Macheon(300m) and Packmudong (500m). The second was the spring-fall germination type which was distributed in Hadong (900m) and Saemt대 (1100m). This group also showed higher germination rate in the IT regime, but the difference of the germination rate between IT and DT regime was less than that in the first group (the spring type). The third group was the early fall germination type which was found in the Nogodan (1507m), Changetomok (1750m) and Cheonwangbong (1915m). The germination rate of this group showed almost 100% similarity between IT and DT regime. These data suggested that the geographical varations of germination characteristics within species was an important ecological strategy for the survival from severe environmental conditions.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.77-90
• /
• 2012

As the influence of service industry into domestic economy is increasing, it also has been influenced more powerfully at the domestic GDP(Gross Domestic Product) relative importance and employment relative importance continuously. By means of these reason, the Korean government announced the synthetic countermeasure for strengthening the competitive power of service industry in December, 2006. After then, it announced phase I of 'service industry advancing plan' which is concrete execution plan in April, 2008. Also, it is announced to announce phase II plans in september, 2008 and phase III plan in December, 2008 additionally. Service quality is the most powerful competitive means at service marketing and a key point for improving service productivity. The improvement of service quality has considerable influence on survival and profitability of service industry. Therefore, the study of objective service quality measurement in service industry is very important issue. The purpose of this study is to suggest a measurement model of service quality using fuzzy theory and AHP which measuring service quality objectively in subjective environment. It is expected that this study will help the improvement of competition power of service industry as well as establishment of effective decision-making.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.275-281
• /
• 2014

Autophagy is a series of catabolic process mediating the bulk degradation of intracellular proteins and organelles through formation of a double-membrane vesicle, known as an autophagosome, and fusing with lysosome. Autophagy plays an important role of death-survival decisions in neuronal cells, which may influence to several neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson's disease. Chebulagic acid, the major constituent of Terminalia chebula and Phyllanthus emblica, is a benzopyran tannin compound with various kinds of beneficial effects. This study was performed to investigate the autophagy enhancing effect of chebulagic acid on human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell lines. We determined the effect of chebulagic acid on expression levels of autophagosome marker proteins such as, DOR/TP53INP2, Golgi-associated ATPase Enhancer of 16 kDa (GATE 16) and Light chain 3 II (LC3 II), as well as those of its upstream pathway proteins, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and Beclin-1. All of those proteins were modulated by chebulagic acid treatment in a way of enhancing the autophagy. Additionally in our study, chebulagic acid also showed a protective effect against 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ($MPP^+$) - induced cytotoxicity which mimics the pathological symptom of Parkinson's disease. This effect seems partially mediated by enhanced autophagy which increased the degradation of aggregated or misfolded proteins from cells. This study suggests that chebulagic acid is an attractive candidate as an autophagy-enhancing agent and therefore, it may provide a promising strategy to prevent or cure the diseases caused by accumulation of abnormal proteins including Parkinson's disease.