• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.661-666
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• 2015

Background: Postoperative carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) is an independent predictor of survival for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), and more powerful than preoperative CA19-9. However, making decisions just dependent on postoperative CA19-9 may result in necessary treatments not being performed. Materials and Methods: A total of 178 patients with resected PDAC were eligible for this retrospective study, classified into two corresponding subgroups according to postoperative CA19-9. Prognostic significance of all clinicopathologic factors was evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Postoperative CA19-9, preoperative CA125 and lymph node status were independent predictors. Better predictive performances for overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were achieved by postoperative CA19-9 compared to preoperative CA125 and lymph node status. Particularly, preoperative CA125 was associated with poor OS (p<0.001 for the normalized CA19-9 patients, p=0.012 for the elevated) and RFS (p=0.005 for the normalized, p=0.004 for the elevated). Moreover, preoperative CA125 levels related with survival in double-negative patients. Conclusions: Normalization of CA19-9 is not tantamount to be cured. Preoperative CA125 is a critical predictor for PDAC patients, especially in double-negative patients.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.433-440
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• 1993

The bioactivity of glasses in the CaO-SiO2 system and CaO-P2O5-SiO2 system with less than 10mol% of P2O5 was investigated by in vitro test in simulated body flood(SBF). The formation of Ca.P film and hydroxyapatite on the surface of glasses after in vitro test was analysed by X-ray photoelectron spectoscopy (XPS), fourier transform infrared reflection spectroscopy (FT-IRRS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation. In the early stage of Ca.P film formation after in vitro test for CaO-SiO2 and CaO-P2O5-SiO2 glasses, the rate of Ca.P film formation on the surface of the glasses was dependent of structural parameter (Y) evaluated from the glass composition. First, in the case of the glasses having Y value below 2, Ca.P film and SiO2-rich layer were formed simultaneously, and there were no differences of the rate of Ca.P film formation in terms of the Y values. Second, in the case of the glasses having Y value above 2, the SiO2-rich layer was formed, and then Ca.P.Si mixed layer was formed in the silica gel structure of the SiO2-rich layer, and finally the Ca.P film on the surface of SiO2-rich layer. The rate of Ca.P film formation delayed as the Y values increased. The rate of hydroxyapatite formation of glasses (the rate of transformation from Ca.P film to hydroxyapatite) seems to be propotional to the rate of Ca.P film formation and Y value. The rate of hydroxyapatite formation of glasses belonging to the second group was delayed as structural parameter increased, and the hydroxyapatite crystal showed spherical growth in the early reaction stage, and then showed silkworm-like linear growth as the reaction time increased.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.363-367
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• 1994

In an effort to investigate the role of calmodulin (CaM) as a modulating molecule in the signal transduction system in plant cells, we established methods for introduction of purified CaM into cultured soybean cells. CaM was purified from bovine testis, and was labelled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). Suspension -cultured cells were healed with saponin (0.1 mg/mL) to permeabilize the plasma membrane and coincubated with FITC-CaM complex. Saponin pretreatment was found to increase the fluorescence in the suspension cultured cells, indicating that the FITC-CaM complex could be incorporated into the cytoplasm. Optimal conditions for introducing FITC-CaM complex into protoplasts by electroporation were established with various electric pulses. With increasing field strength, the fluorescence in the protoplase was increased, while the viability of the protoplase decreased. FITC-CaM complex was successfully introduced into the protoplasts by electroporation and the amount of FITC-CaM complex in the protoplase was estimated.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.379-387
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• 1998

Magnesium(Mg) plays an important role in lipid metabolism and Mg deficiency but Ca sufficiency Increases serum cholesterol and triglyceride. The relationships of serum Mg, Ca, Ca/Mg ratio with lipids was examined in 79 female college students in Choong-Nam area. Subjects were divided into underweight, normal and overweight groups according to their BMI. The average age, body weight, height and BMI were 21.9yr, 55.9kg, 158.5cm and 22.62kg/$m^2$ respectively. Height was not different between groups. Serum cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentrations were significantly lower in the underweight group than other groups. BMI had positive correlations with LDL-cholesterol, atherogenic index (AI) and LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio(LPH), and negative correlations with HDL-cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio. Serum minerals (serum Mg, Ca, Ca/Mg ratio) and serum lipid concentrations were not significantly different between groups. However, there was a tendency of increasing serum Mg level with increasing serum HDL-cholestrol, HDL-cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio and decreasing serum LDL-cholesterol, LPH, total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio(TPH) and AI. And there was a tendency of increasing serum Ca level with increasing serum HDL-cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio and decreasing serum triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol, LPH, TPH and AI. And there was a tendency of increasing serum Ca /Mg ratio level with decreasing triglyceride, serum LDL-cholesterol and TPH. This study was limited within serum levels of minerals (serum Mg, Ca and Ca/Mg ratio), serum lipids concerned with CHD, therefore I hope there will be wider efforts to consider about the dietary levels of minerals for presentation of the connection between dietary Mg, Ca and serum lipids.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2006

Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), which accumulates in atherosclerotic arteries, has been reported to inhibit endothelium-dependent relaxation (EDR) in many different species. However, the underlying mechanism of LPC-induced inhibition of EDR is still uncertain. In the present study, we measured simultaneously both isometric tension and cytosolic free $Ca^{2+}$ ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) in rabbit carotid strips, and examined the effect of LPC on tension and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$. In carotid strips with intact-endothelium, high $K^+$ (70 mM) increased both tension and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$, and cumulative addition of acetylcholine (ACh) from 0.1 to $10{\mu}M$ induced dose dependent increase of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ with concomitant relaxation. In the presence of L-NAME (0.1 mM), ACh increased $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ without affecting the amplitude of high $K^+-induced$ tension. These ACh-induced change of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ and tension was abolished by removal of endothelium or 10 nM 4-DAMP (muscarinic receptor antagonist) pretreatment. Pretreatment of LPC ($10{\mu}M$) inhibited ACh ($10{\mu}M$)-induced change of tension and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ in endothelium-intact carotid artery. On the other hand, LPC had no effect on ACh-induced change of tension and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ in endothelium denuded artery. In $Ca^{2+}$-free external solution, ACh transiently increased $[Ca^{2+}]_i$, and pretreatment of LPC significantly inhibited ACh-induced transient $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ change. Based on the above results, it may be concluded that LPC inhibits the ACh-induced $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ change through inhibition of $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization in vascular endothelial cells, resulting in decreased production of NO and concomitant inhibition of endotheliumdependent vascular relaxation.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 2000

To investigate the mechanism of smooth muscle contraction induced by emptying of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ stores, we measured isometric contraction and $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ influx. $CaCl_2$ increased $Ca^{2+}$ store emptying- induced contraction in dose-dependent manner, but phospholipase C activity was not affected by the $Ca^{2+}$ store emptying-induced contraction. The contraction was inhibited by voltage-dependent $Ca^{2+}$ channel antagonists dose dependently, but not by TMB-8 (intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release blocker). Both PKC inhibitors (H-7 and staurosporine) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (genistein and methyl 2,5-dihydroxycinnamic acid) significantly inhibited the contraction, but calmodulin antagonists (W-7 and trifluoperazine) had no inhibitory effect on the contraction. The combined inhibitory effects of protein kinase inhibitors, H-7 and genistein, together with verapamil were greater than that of each one alone. In $Ca^{2+}$ store-emptied condition, $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ influx was significantly inhibited by verapamil, H-7 or genistein but not by trifluoperazine. However combined inhibitory effects of protein kinase inhibitors, H-7 and genistein, together with verapamil were not observed. Therefore, this kinase pathway may modulate the sensitivity of contractile protein. These results suggest that contraction induced by emptying of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ stores was mediated by influx of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ through voltage-dependent $Ca^{2+}$ channel, also protein kinase C and/or tyrosine kinase pathway modulates the $Ca^{2+}$ sensitivity of contractile protein.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.269-280
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• 2003

Objective: We reported the overcoming effect of $Ni^{2+}$ on the in vitro 2-cell block of mouse embryos. In this study, we aim to investigate whether $Ni^{2+}$ should induce intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ transient in the mouse embryos. Materials and Methods: Embryos were collected at post hCG 32hr from the oviduct of the ICR mouse and cultured in M2 medium omitted phenol red. Intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ was checked by using a confocal laser scanning microscope and fluo-3AM by using various intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ antagonists. Results: In 1mM $Ni^{2+}$ treated medium which contained $Ca^{2+}$(1.71mM), 75.7% of the embryos showed $[Ca^{2+}]i$ transient about 200 sec later. In the $Ca^{2+}$-free medium, 69.8% of the embryos showed $[Ca^{2+}]i$ transient. In U73122, phospholipaseC(PLC) inhibitor (5uM, 10min) pretreated group, 33.3% of the embryos showed $[Ca^{2+}]i$ transient. Heparine, inositol 1, 4, 5-triphosphate receptor(IP3R) antagonist preinjected embryos showed no response with 1mM $Ni^{2+}$. In danthrolene treatment, ryanodine receptor(RyR)-antagonist, 43% embryos showed $[Ca^{2+}]i$ transient but they showed delayed response about 340sec in the presence of $Ca^{2+}$. Conclusions: Summing up the above results, $Ni^{2+}$ seems to induce $Ca^{2+}$-release from the $Ca^{2+}$-store even in the $Ca^{2+}$-free medium. IP3 receptors of the mouse 2-cell embryos might have an essential role for the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ increase by $Ni^{2+}$.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.229-233
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• 2011

BACKGROUND: Soil acidification, which is known to be one of the reasons of forest decline, is associated with decreases in exchangeable Ca and increases in Al concentration, leading to low Ca/Al ratio in soil solution. As tree rings are datable archives of environmental changes, Ca/Al ratios of annual growth ring may show decreasing pattern in accordance with the progress of soil acidification. This study was conducted to investigate Ca/Al pattern of Pinus densiflora tree ring in an attempt to test its usefulness as an indicator of historical soil acidification. METHODS AND RESULTS: Three P. densiflora tree disks were collected from P. densiflora forests in Jeonnam province, and soil samples (0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm in depth) were also collected from the tree locations. Soils were analyzed for pH and exchangeable Ca and Al concentrations, and Ca/Al was calculated. Annual growth rings formed between 1969 and 2007 were separated and analyzed for Ca/Al. Soil Ca/Al was positively (P<0.01) correlated with soil pH, suggesting that soil acidification decreased Ca while increasing Al availability, lowering Ca/Al in soil solution. The Ca/Al of tree rings also showed a decreasing pattern from 18.2 to 5.5 during the period, and this seemed to reflect historical acidification of the soils. CONCLUSION(s): The relationship between soil pH and Ca/Al and the decreasing pattern of Ca/Al of tree ring suggest that Ca/Al of tree ring needs to be considered as a proxy of the progress of soil acidification in P. densiflora forest in southern Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 2008

Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), a metabolite of membrane phospholipids by phospholipase $A_2$, has been considered responsible for the development of abnormal vascular reactivity during atherosclerosis. $Ca^{2+}$ influx was shown to be augmented in atherosclerotic artery which might be responsible for abnormal vascular reactivity. However, the mechanism underlying $Ca^{2+}$ influx change in atherosclerotic artery remains undetermined. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of LPC on L-type $Ca^{2+}$ current $(I_{Ca(L)})$ activity and to elucidate the mechanism of LPC-induced change of $I_{Ca(L)}$ in rabbit portal vein smooth muscle cells using whole cell patch clamp. Extracellular application of LPC increased $I_{Ca(L)}$ through whole test potentials, and this effect was readily reversed by washout. Steady state voltage dependency of activation or inactivation properties of $I_{Ca(L)}$ was not significantly changed by LPC. Staurosporine (100 nM) or chelerythrine $(3{\mu}M)$, which is a potent inhibitor of PKC, significantly decreased basal $I_{Ca(L)}$, and LPC-induced increase of $I_{Ca(L)}$ was significantly suppressed in the presence of PKC inhibitors. On the other hand, application of PMA, an activator of PKC, increased basal $I_{Ca(L)}$ significantly, and LPC-induced enhancement of $I_{Ca(L)}$ was abolished by pretreatment of the cells with PMA. These findings suggest that LPC increased $I_{Ca(L)}$ in vascular smooth muscle cells by a pathway that involves PKC, and that LPC-induced increase of $I_{Ca(L)}$ might be, at least in part, responsible for increased $Ca^{2+}$ influx in atherosclerotic artery.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.58-64
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• 2011

Recovery of novel metals such as Au, Ag and Ni from wastes PCB was investigated by slag treatments. The CaO-$Al_2O_3$(-$SiO_2$) and CaO-$SiO_2$-$CaF_2$ slags were employed in the present study. The PCB/Cu ratio is recommended to be lower than unity. The use of CaO-$SiO_2$-$CaF_2$ slag provided the more higher yield of Au, Ag and Ni than the CaO-$Al_2O_3$(-$SiO_2$) slag did, which was mainly due to the lower melting point and the viscosity of $CaF_2$-containing slag. The terminal descending velocity of metal droplets in the slag phase increased with decreasing slag viscosity.