• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.179-186
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• 2009

Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) is a bioaccumulative, persistent, and toxic pollutant. HCB is one of the 12 priority of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) intended for global action by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Governing Council. POPs are organic compounds that are resistant to environmental degradation through chemical, biological, and photolytic processes. Some of HCB is ubiquitous in air, water, soil, and biological matrices, as well as in major environmental compartments. HCB has effects on various organs such as thyroid, bone, skin, kidneys and blood cells and especially, revealed strong toxicity to liver. In this study, we identified genes related to hepatotoxiciy induced by HCB in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells using microarray and gene ontology (GO) analysis. Through microarray analysis, we identified 96 up- and 617 down-regulated genes changed by more than 1.5-fold by HCB. And after GO analysis, we determined several key pathways which known as related to hepatotoxicity such as metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P450, complement and coagulation cascades, and tight junction. Thus, our present study suggests that genes expressed by HCB may provide a clue for hepatotoxic mechanism of HCB and gene expression profiling by toxicogenomic analysis also affords promising opportunities to reveal potential new mechanistic markers of toxicity.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.40-50
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• 2015

In the interaction between plants and pathogens, carbon (C) resources provide energy and C skeletons to maintain, among many functions, the plant immune system. However, variations in C availability on pathogen associated molecular pattern (PAMP) triggered immunity (PTI) have not been systematically examined. Here, three types of starch mutants with enhanced susceptibility to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 hrcC were examined for PTI. In a dark period-dependent manner, the mutants showed compromised induction of a PTI marker, and callose accumulation in response to the bacterial PAMP flagellin, flg22. In combination with weakened PTI responses in wild type by inhibition of the TCA cycle, the experiments determined the necessity of C-derived energy in establishing PTI. Global gene expression analyses identified flg22 responsive genes displaying C supply-dependent patterns. Nutrient recycling-related genes were regulated similarly by C-limitation and flg22, indicating re-arrangements of expression programs to redirect resources that establish or strengthen PTI. Ethylene and NAC transcription factors appear to play roles in these processes. Under C-limitation, PTI appears compromised based on suppression of genes required for continued biosynthetic capacity and defenses through flg22. Our results provide a foundation for the intuitive perception of the interplay between plant nutrition status and pathogen defense.

• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.241-247
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• 2020

As an intracellular degradation system, autophagy is an essential and defensive cellular program required for cell survival and cellular metabolic homeostasis in response to various stresses, such as nutrient deprivation and the accumulation of damaged organelles. In general, autophagy flux consists of four steps: (1) initiation (formation of phagophore), (2) maturation and completion of autophagosome, (3) fusion of autophagosomes with lysosomes (formation of autolysosome), and (4) degradation of intravesicular components within autolysosomes. The number of genes and reagents that modulate autophagy is increasing. Investigation of their effect on autophagy flux is critical to understanding the roles of autophagy in many physiological and pathological processes. In this review, we summarize and discuss ways to analyze autophagy flux quantitatively and qualitatively with the use of imaging tools. The suggested imaging method can help estimate whether each modulator is an inhibitor or a promoter of autophagy and elucidate the mode of action of specific genes and reagents on autophagy processes.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.19-26
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• 2017

Rapid progress in epigenetic studies has resulted in genome wide information of genetic functions, other than DNA sequence information. However, insufficient understanding and unclear research direction in epigenetics has failed to attract many researchers. Here, we review the sexual reproduction processes that are particularly related to epigenetics in plants. We aim to elucidate the roles of epigenetic information and molecular mechanisms involved in the complex sexual reproduction process of plants, and examine their biological significance.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.344-348
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• 2010

Messenger ribonucleoprotein particles (mRNPs) are used to transport mRNAs along neuronal dendrites to their site of translation. Staufen2 is an mRNA-binding protein expressed in the cell bodies and cellular processes of different brain cells. It is notably involved in the transport of dendritic mRNAs along microtubules. Its knockdown expression was shown to change spine morphology and impair synaptic functions. However, the identity of Staufen2-bound mRNAs in brain cells is still completely unknown. As a mean to identify these mRNAs, we immunoprecipitated Staufen2-containing mRNPs from embryonic rat brains and used a genome wide approach to identify Staufen2-associated mRNAs. The genome wide approach identified 1780 mRNAs in Staufen2-containing mRNPs that code for proteins involved in cellular processes such as post-translational protein modifications, RNA metabolism, intracellular transport and translation. These results represent an additional and important step in the characterization of Staufen2- mediated neuronal functions in rat brains.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.331-340
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• 2007

We examined the evolutionary and ecological processes shaping current geographical distributions of a Korean wood-eating cockroach species, Cryptocercus kyebangensis. Our research aims were to understand evolutionary pattern of DNA sequences, to construct genetic network of Cryptocercus kyebangensis local populations and to understand evolutionary and ecological processes shaping their current geographical distribution patterns via DNA sequence information and genetic networks, using sequence data of two genes (ITS-2 and AT region) from local populations of C. kyebangensis. The results suggest that the ITS-2 and AT region are appropriate molecular markers for elucidating C. kyebangensis geographic patterns at the population level. The MSN-A based on the ITS-2 showed two possible routes, the Hwaak-san and Myeongji-san route and the Seorak-san and Gyebang-san route, for migration of ancestral C. kyebangensis into South Korea. The MSNs (MSN-A and -B) elucidate migration routes well within South Korea, especially the route of Group I and Group II.

• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.12
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• pp.655-667
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• 2015

Lineage tracing is a widely used method for understanding cellular dynamics in multicellular organisms during processes such as development, adult tissue maintenance, injury repair and tumorigenesis. Advances in tracing or tracking methods, from light microscopy-based live cell tracking to fluorescent label-tracing with two-photon microscopy, together with emerging tissue clearing strategies and intravital imaging approaches have enabled scientists to decipher adult stem and progenitor cell properties in various tissues and in a wide variety of biological processes. Although technical advances have enabled time-controlled genetic labeling and simultaneous live imaging, a number of obstacles still need to be overcome. In this review, we aim to provide an in-depth description of the traditional use of lineage tracing as well as current strategies and upcoming new methods of labeling and imaging.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.327-337
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• 2020

Junctional neurulation represents the most recent adjunct to the well-known sequential embryological processes of primary and secondary neurulation. While its exact molecular processes, occurring at the end of primary and the beginning of secondary neurulation, are still being actively investigated, its pathological counterpart -junctional neural tube defect (JNTD)- had been described in 2017 based on three patients whose well-formed secondary neural tube, the conus, is widely separated from its corresponding primary neural tube and functionally disconnected from corticospinal control from above. Several other cases conforming to this bizarre neural tube arrangement have since appeared in the literature, reinforcing the validity of this entity. The cardinal clinical, neuroimaging, and electrophysiological features of JNTD, and the hypothesis of its embryogenetic mechanism, form part of this review.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1992.07b
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• pp.580-583
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• 1992

In calculating the hysteresis loops with the Preisach model for ferromagnetism, Everett function is used generally. Because the Everett function is usually given as a table of the lattice-shaped, it is very difficult to directly obtain the Everest table from the data. Therefore this makes some defects in the calculation processes or the accuracy of the results. In this study, using the data sufficiently obtained from the experiment by drawing up the Everett table in the triangle-shaped, and applying the generalized hysteresis model in which the magnetization is depend on the sum of the applied magnetic field and the molecular field, it is shown that our proposal is acceptible in calculating the hysteresis processes.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.70-80
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• 2018

Natural organic matter (NOM) is among the most common pollutant in underground and surface waters. It comprises of humic substances which contains anionic macromolecules such as aliphatic and aromatic compounds of a wide range of molecular weights along with carboxylic, phenolic functional groups. Although the concentration of NOM in potable water usually lies in the range of 1-10 ppm. Conventional treatment technologies are facing challenge in removing NOM effectively. The main issues are concentrated to low efficiency, membrane fouling, and harmful by-product formation. Ion-exchangers can be considered as an efficient and economic pretreatment technology for the removal of NOM. It not only consumes less time for pretreatment but also resist formation of trihalomethanes (THMs), an unwanted harmful by-product. This article provides a comprehensive review of ion exchange processes for the removal of NOM.