• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.503-511
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• 2020

Autophagy is a major catabolic process that maintains cell metabolism by degrading damaged organelles and other dysfunctional proteins via the lysosome. Abnormal regulation of this process has been known to be involved in the progression of pathophysiological diseases, such as cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. Although the mechanisms for the regulation of autophagic pathways are relatively well known, the precise regulation of this pathway in the treatment of cancer remains largely unknown. It is still complicated whether the regulation of autophagy is beneficial in improving cancer. Many studies have demonstrated that autophagy plays a dual role in cancer by suppressing the growth of tumors or the progression of cancer development, which seems to be dependent on unknown characteristics of various cancer types. This review summarizes the key targets involved in autophagy and malignant transformation. In addition, the opposing tumor-suppressive and oncogenic roles of autophagy in cancer, as well as potential clinical therapeutics utilizing either regulators of autophagy or combinatorial therapeutics with anti-cancer drugs have been discussed.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.111-127
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• 2024

There is an increasing concern in the United States regarding the workforce's ability to maintain a competitive position in the global economy. This has led to an increased interest in effective science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of STEM project-based learning (PBL) on students' self-regulation and motivation to learn. Secondary students (n = 60) participated in a STEM summer camp in which STEM PBL was utilized. Results showed that students increased their self-regulation skills (t = 2.83, df = 59, p = .004) and motivation (t = 2.25, df = 59, p =.004), with Cohen's d effect sizes of 0.395 and 0.404, respectively. Student-centered learning and peer collaboration while solving real-world problems were likely the greatest contributing factors to the outcomes. Educators should utilize the results to provide opportunities for students to experience STEM PBL.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1999

Transforming growth factor-$\beta$ (TGF-$\beta$) is the prototypical multifunctional cytokine, participating in the regulation of vital cellular activities such as proliferation and differentiations as well as a number of basic physiological functions. The effects of TGF-$\beta$ are critically dependent on the expression and distribution of a family of TGF-$\beta$ receptors, the TGF-$\beta$ types I, II, and III. It is now known that a wide variety of human pathology can be caused by aberrant expression and function of these receptors. the coding sequence of the type II receptor (RII) appears to render it uniquely susceptible to DNA replication errors in the course of normal cell division. By virtue of its key role in the regulation of cell proliferation, TGF-$\beta$ RII should be considered as a tumor suppressor gene. High levels of mutation in the TGF-$\beta$ RII gene have been observed in a wide range of primarily epithelial malignancies, including colon and gastric cancer. It appears likely that mutation of the TGF-$\beta$ RII gene may be a very critical step in the pathway of carcinogenesis.

• BMB Reports
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• v.54 no.12
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• pp.626-631
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• 2021

Janus kinase 2 (JAK2), a non-receptor tyrosine kinase, is a critical component of cytokine and growth factor signaling pathways regulating hematopoietic cell proliferation. JAK2 mutations are associated with multiple myeloproliferative neoplasms. Although physiological and pathological functions of JAK2 in hematopoietic tissues are well-known, such functions of JAK2 in the nervous system are not well studied yet. The present study demonstrated that JAK2 could negatively regulate neuronal differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Depletion of JAK2 stimulated neuronal differentiation of mouse ESCs and activated glycogen synthase kinase 3β, Fyn, and cyclin-dependent kinase 5. Knockdown of JAK2 resulted in accumulation of GTP-bound Rac1, a Rho GTPase implicated in the regulation of cytoskeletal dynamics. These findings suggest that JAK2 might negatively regulate neuronal differentiation by suppressing the GSK-3β/Fyn/CDK5 signaling pathway responsible for morphological maturation.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.363-369
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• 2005

Purpose: To determine the role of Insulin-like Growth Factor-I (IGF-I) in the regulation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) expression in MG-63 cells and then to find the mechanism b which this regulation occurs. Materials and methods: MG-63 cells were grown to confluence in 60-mm dishes. To determine the effects of IGF-I on expression of VEGF mRNA according to time and concentration, the cells were treated with 10 nM IGF-I, following isolation of total RNA and Northern blot analysis after 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 hours and after 2 hours of treatment with 0.5, 2, 10, 25, 50 nM IGF-I respectively, isolation of total RNA and Northern blot analysis were followed. To determine the mechanism of action of IGF-I, inhibitors such as hydroxyurea $(76.1\;{\mu}g/ml)$, actinomycin D $(2.5\;{\mu}g/ml)$, cycloheximide $(10\;{\mu}g/ml)$ were added 1 hour after treatment of 10 nM IGF-I. Results: 1. the expression of VEGF mRNA was increased with treatment of IGF-I. 2. The expression of VEGF mRNA was increased according to time-and concentration dependent manner of IGF-I. 3. The effect of IGF-I was decreased by hydroxyuera, actinomycin D, but not by cycloheximide. Conclusion: IGF-I regulate the expression of VEGF mRNA in the level of DNA synthesis and transcription. These results could suggest that IGF-I plays an important role in angiogenesis in the process of new bone formation and remodeling.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.253-268
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• 2020

This study examined the effectiveness of policy measures in a growth management plan by analyzing empirically the influence of regulations and incentives in a non-urban growth management plan of Sejong City using the binomial logistic model. The parcel unit data related development location of Sejong City from 2012 to 2017 was used in the model. The analysis showed that time regulation in the growth management plan has a negative (-) impact on the spread of development, which means it is effective in slowing urban sprawl by lowering the profits of developers. The time regulation applied in Sejong City needs to be used actively in other cities in Korea to prevent urban sprawl. Nevertheless, floor ratio incentives had no influence in inducing development within the growth management area, which means a new incentive policy to meet the local characteristics is needed to strengthen the effectiveness of the growth management plan. This study is meaningful because it attempted an empirical analysis of the effects of the growth management plan at The National Territory Act, and this study could encourage further studies.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.266-275
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• 1990

c-raf protein kinase, a kind of oncogene, is a cytopiasmic serine / threonine-specific protein and is activated by mitogenic or oncogenic signals. The strncture and functions of c-raf protein kinase are considered very similar to those of protein kinase C. Using immunocytochemical approach, the time course of singal transduction of c-raf protein kinase in EC-4 cell was examined with 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) as tumor promotor and plateletderived growth factor (PDGF) as mitogenic factor. Immunoreactive c-raf was initially bound to the perinuclear membrane and then moved into the nucleus. The effect of the long-term treatment with TPA or PDGF was taken place down regulation at different time point. These results indicate that TPA and PDGF give rise to the translocation of c-raf protein kinase through the two different pathways.

• BMB Reports
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.174-181
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• 2018

A number of genes have been therapeutically targeted to relieve cancer, but cancer relapse is still a growing issue. The concept that the surrounding tumor environment is critical for the progression of cancer may foster an answer to the issue of cancer malignancy. Runt domain transcription factors (RUNX1, 2, and 3) are evolutionarily conserved and have been intensively studied for their roles in normal development and pathological conditions. During tumor growth, a hypoxic microenvironment and infiltration of the tumor by immune cells are common phenomena. In this review, we briefly introduce the consequences of hypoxia and immune cell infiltration into the tumor microenvironment with a focus on RUNX3 as a critical regulator. Furthermore, based on our current knowledge of the functional role of RUNX3 in hypoxia and immune cell maintenance, a probable therapeutic intervention is suggested for the effective management of tumor growth and malignancy.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.329-337
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• 2008

Src-family kinases are critically involved in the control of cytoskeleton organization and in the generation of integrin-dependent signaling responses, inducing tyrosine phosphorylation of many signaling and cytoskeletal proteins. Activity of the Src family of tyrosine kinases is tightly controlled by inhibitory phosphorylation of a carboxy-terminal tyrosine residue, inducing an inactive conformation through binding with its SH2 domain. Dephosphorylation of C-ter tyrosine, as well as its deletion of substitution with phenylalanine in oncogenic Src kinases, leads to autophosphorylation at a tyrosine in the activation loop, thereby leading to enhanced Src activity. Beside this phophorylation/dephosphorylation circuitry, cysteine oxidation has been recently reported as a further mechanism of enzyme activation. Mounting evidence describes Src activation via its redox regulation as a key outcome in several circumstances, including growth factor and cytokines signaling, integrin-mediated cell adhesion and motility, membrane receptor cross-talk as well in cell transformation and tumor progression. Among the plethora of data involving Src kinase in physiological and pathophysiological processes, this review will give emphasis to the redox component of the regulation of this master kinase.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.367-373
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• 2000

In the present study we determined if NELL2, a neural tissue-specific protein containing 6 epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like repeat domains, plays an important role in the regulation of puberty initiation in the rat hypothalamus. We origin811y found that NELL2 is a new estrogen-responsive gene in hypothalami derived from estrogen-sterilized and control rats using a PCR differential display. In the 40-day-old female rat hypothalamus, NELL2 was up-regulated by neonatal estrogen treatment. In situ hybridization histochemistry showed that NELL2 is very abundant in the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus that is responsible for the control of sex behavior. NELL2 mRNA level in the medial basal hypothalamus showed a dramatic increase before female puberty onset, which suggests that NELL2 may be involved in the process regulating female puberty onset. We attemped to block NELL2 synthesis with intracerebroventricular injection of an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) to the NELL2 mRNA, and examined its effect on the puberty onset of the female rat. The antisense ODN significantly delayed puberty initiation determined by vaginal opening. In summary, NELL2 may play an important role in the regulation of female puberty onset.