• Toxicological Research
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.267-276
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• 2014

Exposures to lead (Pb) are associated with neurological problems including psychiatric disorders and impaired learning and memory. Pb can be absorbed by iron transporters, which are up-regulated in hereditary hemochromatosis, an iron overload disorder in which increased iron deposition in various parenchymal organs promote metal-induced oxidative damage. While dysfunction in HFE (High Fe) gene is the major cause of hemochromatosis, the transport and toxicity of Pb in Hfe-related hemochromatosis are largely unknown. To elucidate the relationship between HFE gene dysfunction and Pb absorption, H67D knock-in Hfe-mutant and wild-type mice were given drinking water containing Pb 1.6 mg/ml ad libitum for 6 weeks and examined for behavioral phenotypes using the nestlet-shredding and marble-burying tests. Latency to nestlet-shredding in Pb-treated wild-type mice was prolonged compared with non-exposed wild-types (p < 0.001), whereas Pb exposure did not alter shredding latency in Hfe-mutant mice. In the marble-burying test, Hfe-mutant mice showed an increased number of marbles buried compared with wild-type mice (p = 0.002), indicating more repetitive behavior upon Hfe mutation. Importantly, Pb-exposed wild-type mice buried more marbles than non-exposed wild-types, whereas the number of marbles buried by Hfe-mutant mice did not change whether or not exposed to Pb. These results suggest that Hfe mutation could normalize Pb-induced behavioral alteration. To explore the mechanism of repetitive behavior caused by Pb, western blot analysis was conducted for proteins involved in brain dopamine metabolism. The levels of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporter increased upon Pb exposure in both genotypes, whereas Hfe-mutant mice displayed down-regulation of the dopamine transporter and dopamine D1 receptor with D2 receptor elevated. Taken together, our data support the idea that both Pb exposure and Hfe mutation increase repetitive behavior in mice and further suggest that these behavioral changes could be associated with altered dopaminergic neurotransmission, providing a therapeutic basis for psychiatric disorders caused by Pb toxicity.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.277-284
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• 2019

ARID1A and PGR plays an important role in embryo implantation and decidualization during early pregnancy. Uterine specific Arid1a knockout ($Pgr^{cre/+}Arid1a^{f/f}$) mice exhibit in non-receptive endometrium at day 3.5 of gestation (GD 3.5). In previous studies, using transcriptomic analysis in the uterus of $Pgr^{cre/+}Arid1a^{f/f}$ mice, we identified proline-rich acidic protein 1 (PRAP1) as one of the down-regulated genes by ARID1A in the uterus. In the present study, we performed RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry analysis to investigate the regulation of PRAP1 by ARID1A and determine expression patterns of PRAP1 in the uterus during early pregnancy. During early pregnancy, PRAP1 expression was strong at day 0.5 of gestation (GD 0.5) and then decreased at GD 3.5 in the epithelium and stroma. After implantation, PRAP1 expression was remarkably reduced in the uterus. However, the expression of PRAP1 at GD 3.5 was remarkably increased in the $Pgr^{cre/+}Arid1a^{f/f}$ mice. To determine the ovarian steroid hormone regulation of PRAP1, we examined the expression of PRAP1 in ovariectomized control, $Pgr^{cre/+}Arid1a^{f/f}$, and progesterone receptor knock-out (PRKO) mice treated with progesterone. While PRAP1 proteins were strongly expressed in the luminal and glandular epithelium of control mice treated with vehicle, progesterone treatment suppressed the expression of PRAP1. However, PRAP1 was not suppressed in both the $Pgr^{cre/+}Arid1a^{f/f}$ and PRKO mice compared to controls. Our results identified PRAP1 as a novel target of ARID1A and PGR in the murine uterus.

• Journal of Ship and Ocean Technology
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.1-13
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• 2001

As Indonesia determines to increase its marine fishery production, the development of tradi-tional boatyards has to be included in the agenda as it will give the local fishing communities a better chance to compete with large capital intensive fishing companies. It will also spread job opportunities evenly throughout the country instead of concentration fishing vessel con- struction in a few large shipyards located primarily on the highly populated island of Java. However development every single boatyard in indonesia would not only be prohibitively ex-pensive, but it would also create social tensions as the introduced technology would not be immediately accepted by the rural societies whose own traditions are still culturally signif-icant. Both these problems can be reduced by developing a collaborative scheme between traditional boatyards and a larger shipyard. The shipyard, with modern facilities, can develop work packages containing knock down components which are then assembled in the tradi-tional boatyards. The work packages are planned and designed so that every component can be assembled with relatively simple tools. Radical changes can be avoided as new techniques can be introduced gradually, responding to the boatyard\\`s own requirements and aspirations. While this manufacturing procedure is conceptually straightforward its efficient implemen-tation is in practice complicated by the fact that each traditional boatyard has unique char-acteristics in terms of labour resources, technological capability, and transportation links. By developing a computer model to simulate the interaction between the main shipyard and small traditional a computer model to simulate the interaction between the main shipyard and small traditional boatyards work packages can be designed that ensure that activities at all manufacturing locations are efficient.

• Genes and Genomics
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• 제40권12호
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• pp.1301-1308
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• 2018

Background Adipocyte differentiation is completed by changing gene expression. Chromatin is closely related to gene expression. Therefore, its structure might be changed for adipocyte differentiation. Mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocytes have been used as a cell model to study molecular mechanisms of adipogenesis. Objective To examine changes of chromatin modification and expression of histone modifying enzymes during adipocyte differentiation. Methods Microscopic analysis and Oil Red O staining were performed to determine distinct phenotype of adipocyte differentiation. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis were used to examine expression levels of histone modifying enzymes during adipocyte differentiation. Histone modifications were examined by immunostaining analysis. Results Expression levels of P300 and cbp were increased during adipocyte differentiation. However, acetylation of histones was not quantitatively changed postdifferentiation of 3T3-L1 cells compared to that at pre-differentiation. RT-PCR and Western blot analyses showed that expression levels of hdac2 and hdac3 were increased during adipocyte differentiation, suggesting histone acetylation at chromatin level was homeostatically controlled by increased expression of both HATs and HDACs. Tri-methylation level of H3K9 (H3K9me3), but not that of H3K27me3, was significantly decreased during adipocyte differentiation. Decreased expression of setdb1 was consistent with reduced pattern of H3K9me3. Knock-down of setdb1 induced adipocyte differentiation. This suggests that setdb1 is a key chromatin modifier that modulates repressive chromatin. Conclusion These results suggest that there exist extensive mechanisms of chromatin modifications for homeostatic balance of chromatin acetylation and deconstruction of repressive chromatin during adipocyte differentiation.

• 아태비즈니스연구
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.243-260
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• 2020

Purpose - This paper aims to investigate the properties of crude oil based derivative security (DLS) focusing on step-down type for comprehensive understanding of its risk. Design/methodology/approach - Kernel estimation is conducted to figure out statistical feature of the process of oil price. We simulate oil price paths based on kernel estimation results and derive probabilities of hitting the barrier and early redemption. Findings - The amount of issuance for crude oil based DLS is relatively low when base prices are below $40 while it is high when base prices are around $60 or $100, which is not consistent with kernel estimation results showing that oil futures prices tend to revert toward $46.14 and the mean-reverting speed is faster as oil price is lower. The analysis based on simulated oil price paths reveals that probability of early redemption is below 50% for DLS with high base prices and the ratio of the probability of early redemption to the probability of hitting barrier is remarkably low compared to the case for DLS with low base prices, as the chance of early redemption is deferred. Research implications or Originality - Empirical results imply that the level of the base price is a crucial factor of the risk for DLS, thus introducing a time-varying knock-in barrier, which is similar to adjust the base price, merits consideration to enhance protection for DLS investors.

• 정보처리학회논문지:컴퓨터 및 통신 시스템
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• 제11권11호
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• pp.411-418
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• 2022

최근 항만에서는 부정확한 컨테이너 적재로 인해 컨테이너가 강풍에 쉽게 쓰러지는 컨테이너 붕괴 사고가 빈번이 발생하고 있으며 이는 물적 피해와 항만 시스템 마비로 이어지고 있다. 본 논문에서는 이런 사고를 미연에 방지하기 위해 딥러닝 기반 컨테이너 적재 상태 및 사고 위험도 검출 시스템을 제안한다. 제안된 시스템은 darknet 기반 YOLO 모델을 활용하여 컨테이너 상하의 코너캐스팅을 통해 컨테이너 정렬 상태를 실시간으로 파악하고 관리자에게 사고 위험도를 알리는 시스템이다. 제안된 시스템은 추론 속도, 분류 정확도, 검출 정확도 등을 성능 지표와 실제 구현 환경에서 최적의 성능을 보인 YOLOv4 모델을 객체 인식 알고리즘 모델로 선택하였다. 제안된 알고리즘인 YOLOv4가 YOLOv3보다 추론속도와 FPS의 성능 측면에서 낮은 성능을 보이기는 했지만, 분류 정확도와 검출 정확도에서 강력한 성능을 보임을 증명하였다.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.348-359
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• 2022

Gastric adenocarcinoma is among the top causes of cancer-related death and is one of the most commonly diagnosed carcinomas worldwide. Benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) has been reported to inhibit the gastric cancer metastasis. In our previous study, BITC induced apoptosis in AGS cells. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of BITC on autophagy mechanism in AGS cells. First, the AGS cells were treated with 5, 10, or 15 μM BITC for 24 h, followed by an analysis of the autophagy mechanism. The expression level of autophagy proteins involved in different steps of autophagy, such as LC3B, p62/SQSTM1, Atg5-Atg12, Beclin1, p-mTOR/mTOR ratio, and class III PI3K was measured in the BITC-treated cells. Lysosomal function was investigated using cathepsin activity and Bafilomycin A1, an autophagy degradation stage inhibitor. Methods including qPCR, western blotting, and immunocytochemistry were employed to detect the protein expression levels. Acridine orange staining and omnicathepsin assay were conducted to analyze the lysosomal function. siRNA transfection was performed to knock down the LC3B gene. BITC reduced the level of autophagy protein such as Beclin 1, class III PI3K, and Atg5-Atg12. BITC also induced lysosomal dysfunction which was shown as reducing cathepsin activity, protein level of cathepsin, and enlargement of acidic vesicle. Overall, the results showed that the BITC-induced AGS cell death mechanism also comprises the inhibition of the cytoprotective autophagy at both initiation and degradation steps.

• BMB Reports
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• 제56권12호
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• pp.657-662
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• 2023

Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by distinct protein aggregates, such as those of α-synuclein and tau. Lysosomal defect is a key contributor to the accumulation and propagation of aberrant protein aggregates in these diseases. The discoveries of common proteinopathies in multiple forms of lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) and the identification of some LSD genes as susceptible genes for those proteinopathies suggest causative links between LSDs and the proteinopathies. The present study hypothesized that defects in lysosomal genes will differentially affect the propagation of α-synuclein and tau proteins, thereby determining the progression of a specific proteinopathy. We established an imaging-based high-contents screening (HCS) system in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model, by which the propagation of α-synuclein or tau is measured by fluorescence intensity. Using this system, we performed RNA interference (RNAi) screening to induce a wide range of lysosomal malfunction through knock down of 79 LSD genes, and to obtain the candidate genes with significant change in protein propagation. While some LSD genes commonly affected both α-synuclein and tau propagation, our study identified the distinct sets of LSD genes that differentially regulate the propagation of either α-synuclein or tau. The specificity and efficacy of these LSD genes were retained in the disease-related phenotypes, such as pharyngeal pumping behavior and life span. This study suggests that distinct lysosomal genes differentially regulate the propagation of α-synuclein and tau, and offer a steppingstone to understanding disease specificity.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.214-223
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• 2024

Metabolic abnormalities in the liver are closely associated with diverse metabolic diseases such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ameliorating effect of robinetin (RBN) on the significant pathogenic features of metabolic failure in the liver and to identify the underlying molecular mechanism. RBN significantly decreased triglyceride (TG) accumulation by downregulating lipogenesis-related transcription factors in AML-12 murine hepatocyte cell line. In addition, mice fed with Western diet (WD) containing 0.025% or 0.05% RBN showed reduced liver mass and lipid droplet size, as well as improved plasma insulin levels and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) values. CD38 was identified as a target of RBN using the BioAssay database, and its expression was increased in OPA-treated AML-12 cells and liver tissues of WD-fed mice. Furthermore, RBN elicited these effects through its anti-histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity. Computational simulation revealed that RBN can dock into the HAT domain pocket of p300, a histone acetyltransferase, which leads to the abrogation of its catalytic activity. Additionally, knock-down of p300 using siRNA reduced CD38 expression. The chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay showed that p300 occupancy on the promoter region of CD38 was significantly decreased, and H3K9 acetylation levels were diminished in lipid-accumulated AML-12 cells treated with RBN. RBN improves the pathogenic features of metabolic failure by suppressing the p300-CD38 axis through its anti-HAT activity, which suggests that RBN can be used as a new phytoceutical candidate for preventing or improving this condition.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.26.1-26.9
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• 2020

Cereblon (CRBN), a negative modulator of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), is highly expressed in the retina. We confirmed the expression of CRBN in ARPE-19 human retinal cells by Western blotting. We also demonstrated that CRBN knock-down (KD) could effectively downregulate IL-6 and MCP-1 protein and gene expression in LPS-stimulated ARPE-19 cells. Additionally, CRBN KD increased the phosphorylation of AMPK/acetylcoenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) and the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in ARPE-19 cells. Furthermore, CRBN KD significantly reduced LPS-induced nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 and activation of NF-κB promoter activity. However, these processes could be inactivated by compound C (inhibitor of AMPK) and zinc protoporphyrin-1 (ZnPP-1; inhibitor of HO-1). In conclusion, compound C and ZnPP-1 can rescue LPS-induced levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and MCP-1) in CRBN KD ARPE-19 cells. Our data demonstrate that CRBN deficiency negatively regulates proinflammatory cytokines via the activation of AMPK/HO-1 in the retina.