• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.19-28
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• 2018

Rapidly proliferating cancer cells require energy and cellular building blocks for their growth and ability to maintain redox balance. Many studies have focused on understanding how cancer cells adapt their nutrient metabolism to meet the high demand of anabolism required for proliferation and maintaining redox balance. Glutamine, the most abundant amino acid in plasma, is a well-known nutrient used by cancer cells to increase proliferation as well as survival under metabolic stress conditions. In this review, we provide an overview of the role of glutamine metabolism in cancer cell survival and growth and highlight the mechanisms by which glutamine metabolism affects cancer cell signaling. Furthermore, we summarize the potential therapeutic approaches of targeting glutamine metabolism for the treatment of numerous types of cancer.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.26-36
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• 2016

Emerging trends for cardiac tissue engineering are focused on increasing the biocompatibility and tissue regeneration ability of artificial heart tissue by incorporating various cell sources and bioactive molecules. Although primary cardiomyocytes can be successfully implanted, clinical applications are restricted due to their low survival rates and poor proliferation. To develop successful cardiovascular tissue regeneration systems, new technologies must be introduced to improve myocardial regeneration. Electrospinning is a simple, versatile technique for fabricating nanofibers. Here, we discuss various biodegradable polymers (natural, synthetic, and combinatorial polymers) that can be used for fiber fabrication. We also describe a series of fiber modification methods that can increase cell survival, proliferation, and migration and provide supporting mechanical properties by mimicking micro-environment structures, such as the extracellular matrix (ECM). In addition, the applications and types of nanofiber-based scaffolds for myocardial regeneration are described. Finally, fusion research methods combined with stem cells and scaffolds to improve biocompatibility are discussed. [BMB Reports 2016; 49(1): 26-36]

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.66-71
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• 2017

Background: The sprouts of oak species play an important role in maintaining the oak community in a disturbed environment. In this study, we cut 1-year-old oak in three times during the 3 years and measured the sprout responses to know sprouting ability of six deciduous oaks in Korea. Results: Oak sprouts have appeared in spring and fall, and some of the sprouts had lifespan as short as a month. As the number of cutting increases, sprout number of Quercus acutissima increased whereas the other oak species decreased or died. The average number of sprouts over the 3 years was from 1.4 (Quercus mongolica) to 2.2 (Q. acutissima) per individual. Quercus serrata died after the second cutting, and Quercus dentata died after the third cutting. So, the two species have the lowest sprouting ability among six oak species. The sprouts grew actively during fall and slowly in summer. The sprout length during the 3 years was in the following descending order: Q. acutissima, Quercus aliena, Q. dentata, and Q. mongolica. Sprout of Q. acutissima and Q. aliena generated steadily over the 3 years, and sprout of Quercus variabilis and Q. mongolica was changed by year. After the 3 years, the number of sprouts increased only in Q. acutissima but sprout number of the other five oak species decreased. The sprout length of Q. acutissima, Q. aliena, and Q. variabilis increased, but sprout length of the other three oak species decreased. The average survival rate of saplings over the 3 years was in the following descending order: Q. acutissima, Q. aliena, Q. variabilis, and Q. mongolica. Conclusions: As a result, the sprouting ability of Q. acutissima was the highest. Such level of sprouting ability may be the evidence of how Q. acutissima community exists as a dominant species in a disturbed environment in lowlands of Korea peninsula.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.1521-1524
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• 2003

In this paper, we propose a "Distance Correlation Selection operator (DCS)" as a new selection operator. For Genetic Algorithm (GA), many improvements have been proposed. The MGG (Minimal Generation Gap) model proposed by Satoh et.al. shows good performance. The MGG model has all advantages of conventional models and the ability of avoiding the premature convergence and suppressing the evolutionary stagnation. The proposed method is an extension of selection operator in the original MGG model. Generally, GA has two types of selection operators, one is "selection for reproduction", and the other is "selection for survival"; the former is for crossover and the latter is the individuals which survive to the next generation. The proposed method is an extension of the former. The proposed method utilizes distance information between individuals. From this extension, the proposed method aims to expand a search area and improve ability to search solution. The performance of the proposed method is examined with several standard test functions. The experimental results show good performance better than the original MGG model.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.139-146
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• 2010

The advent of Internet has greatly increased the ability of companies to conduct their business faster, more accurately, over a wider range of time and space, at reduced cost and with the ability to customize and personalize customer offerings. However it may be difficult for companies to sustain a long-run survival in competition environment of e-business. The purpose in this study is to analyze the relationship among site loyalty characteristics, customer's repurchasing intention and switching intention of internet shopping mall. The results showed that reputation variables of internet shopping mall only affected significantly e-loyalty. And the relationship among e-brand loyalty, customer's repurchasing intention and switching intention was significantly supported.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.79-85
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• 2024

SlyA is known as a transcriptional regulator that regulates the expression of hemolysin (HlyE) in E. coli, a member of the Enterobacteriaceae family such as Salmonella. However, Salmonella has the slyA gene but lacks the hlyE gene. Then, because we were curious about the role of SlyA in Salmonella, we constructed and explored a mutant strain with a deletion of the slyA gene. S. Typhimurium CK295 (ΔslyA) was constructed using an allelic exchange approach. In a comparative analysis between the wild-type and the CK295 strain, no significant differences were observed in growth characteristics, motility, total protein analyses, and secreted protein analyses. However, the CK295 strain exhibited slightly reduced biofilm formation compared to the wild-type. Interestingly, as a result of comparing the survival ability in macrophages, the mutant strain showed a 60% decrease in survival ability compared to the wild-type. To evaluate toxicity in mice, mortality was measured after oral administration to 6-week-old BALB/c mice. As a result, the LD₅₀ value of the CK295 (ΔslyA) was more than 100 times higher than that of wild-type S. Typhimurium 𝜒3339 in BALB/c. In conclusion, SlyA is presumed to regulate the expression of genes encoding virulence factors involved in the in vivo survival of Salmonella.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.90-96
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• 1972

The author tried to isolate the Vibrio parahaemolyticus from Han River water and river fishes, to investigate the route of contamination by way of marine product and to make clear the survival ability in various kinds of food. The results are as follows: 1. Twenty eight strains of V. parahaemolyticus were identified among 312 samples in Han river from March to August. 2. V. parahaemolyticus was detected in the margenic content of Cyprinus and Anguilla. 3. 9 strains of K-3 type, 5 strains of K-11 type, 8 strains of K-8 type, 6 strains of K-32 type and 1 strain of K-52 type were clarified through K-antiserum reaction.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.173-178
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• 1998

The objective of this study was to evaluate the embryonic development ability and the appearance of blastocysts of bovine in vitro fertilized oocytes cultured in different culture media, and also to evaluate survival rate after thawing of frozen embryos by using 1.5 or 1.8M ethylene glycol(EG) with sucrose or trehalose. Fertilized oocytes were divided into three groups; i ) monolayer of cumulus /granulosa cell prepared by TGM 199+5% calf serum(TGM199), ii)GRlaa+5% CS, iii)SOF+5% CS, and they were cultured after insemination for 9 days, at 39˚C, under 5% $CO_2$ in air, but SOF+5% CS was cultured at 39˚C, under 5% 02, 5% GO2, 99% N2. Blastocysts derived from GRlaa + 5% CS on day 7~8 after insemination were frozen by using 1.5M EG or 1.8M EG with/without 0.2M sucrose or O.1M trehalose. The development rate of blastocysts on day 7 after insemination in SOF+5% CS was significant higher than in TCM199 or CR1aa(P<0.05). The appearance rate of blastocysts on day 7-8 after insemination was higher than in TCM199, when fertilized oocytes were cultured in GRlas or SOF. The survival rate of frozen blastocysts after thawing tended to increase, when blastocysts were frozen by using 1.8M EG with 0.2M sucrose or O.1M trehalose. These results indicated that SOF or CRlaa media with amino acids was superior to TCM199 with monolayer in terms of blastocyst development in culturing of in vitro fertilized bovine nocytes, and sucrose or trehalose was supposed to prevent embryos from the freezing shock.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.349-356
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• 2011

The existence of symbiotic relationships between Acanthamoeba and a variety of bacteria is well-documented. However, the ability of Acanthamoeba interacting with host bacterial pathogens has gained particular attention. Here, to understand the interactions of Escherichia coli K1 and E. coli K5 strains with Acanthamoeba castellanii trophozoites and cysts, association assay, invasion assay, survival assay, and the measurement of bacterial numbers from cysts were performed, and nonpathogenic E. coli K12 was also applied. The association ratio of E. coli K1 with A. castellanii was 4.3 cfu per amoeba for 1 hr but E. coli K5 with A. castellanii was 1 cfu per amoeba for 1 hr. By invasion and survival assays, E. coli K5 was recovered less than E. coli K1 but still alive inside A. castellanii. E. coli K1 and K5 survived and multiplied intracellularly in A. castellanii. The survival assay was performed under a favourable condition for 22 hr and 43 hr with the encystment of A. castellanii. Under the favourable condition for the transformation of trophozoites into cysts, E. coli K5 multiplied significantly. Moreover, the pathogenic potential of E. coli K1 from A. castellanii cysts exhibited no changes as compared with E. coli K1 from A. castellanii trophozoites. E. coli K5 was multiplied in A. castellanii trophozoites and survived in A. castellanii cysts. Therefore, this study suggests that E. coli K5 can use A. castellanii as a reservoir host or a vector for the bacterial transmission.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.81-90
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• 2016

The effect of sudden changes of water temperature (WT) on the survival rate and physiological responses of the red spotted grouper (Epinephelus akaara) were examined by manipulating WT control system for 9 days. Experimental condition was divided in two different regimes at low (from $10^{\circ}C$ to $4^{\circ}C$, decreased $1^{\circ}C/d$) and high (from $28^{\circ}C$ to $34^{\circ}C$, increased $1^{\circ}C/d$) WT. Survival rate of experimental fishes were observed, and determined the changes of hematological characteristics by analyzing plasma levels of cortisol, glucose, total protein, and electrolytes ($Na^+$, $Cl^-$, $K^+$). No mortality was observed until low WT $6^{\circ}C$ (144 h) and high WT $32^{\circ}C$ (96 h), and 100% mortality was observed at low WT $4^{\circ}C$ (216 h) and high WT $35^{\circ}C$ (171 h). Plasma levels of cortisol and glucose increased rapidly as decreasing WT, and the loss of swimming ability and respiration response was observed at low WT $7^{\circ}C$ and high WT $34^{\circ}C$ conditions.