• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.117-130
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• 2020

Noises can distort acquired geophysical data, leading to their misinterpretation. Potential noises sources include anthropogenic activity, natural phenomena, and instrument noises. Conventional denoising methods such as wavelet transform and filtering techniques, are based on subjective human investigation, which is computationally inefficient and time-consuming. Recently, many researchers attempted to implement neural networks to efficiently remove noise from geophysical data. This study aims to review and analyze different types of neural networks, such as artificial neural networks, convolutional neural networks, autoencoders, residual networks, and wavelet neural networks, which are implemented to remove different types of noises including seismic, transient electromagnetic, ground-penetrating radar, and magnetotelluric surveys. The review analyzes and summarizes the key challenges in the removal of noise from geophysical data using neural network, while proposes and explains solutions to the challenges. The analysis support that the advancement in neural networks can be powerful denoising tools for geophysical data.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.219-226
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• 2003

Background: Phage display is the most widely used technique among display methods to produce monoclonal antibody fragment with a specific binding activity. Having a large library for efficient antibody display/selection is quite laborious process to have more than $10^9$ members of transformants. To overcome these limitations, several in vitro selection approaches have been reported. Ribosome display that links phenotypes, proteins, directly to genotype, mRNA, is one of the in vitro display methods. Ribosome display can reach the size of scFv library up to $10^{14}$ molecules and it can be further diversified during PCR steps. To select the high affinity scFv from one pot library, we established ribosome display technique by modifying the previously reported eukaryotic translation system. Methods: To establish the antibody selection system by ribosome display, we used 3D8, anti-DNA antibody. A 3D8 scFv was synthesized in vitro by an in vitro transcription-translation system. The translated 3D8 scFv and the encoding 3D8 mRNA are connected to the ribosome. These scFv-ribosome-mRNA complexes were selected by binding to their specific antigens. The eluted mRNAs from the complexes are reverse transcribed and re-amplified by PCR. To apply this system, antibody library from immunized mouse with terminal protein (TP)-peptide of hepatitis B virus DNA polymerase TP domain was also used. This TP-peptide encompasses the 57~80 amino acid residues of TP. These mRNA/ribosome/scFv complexes by our system were panned three times against TP-peptide. The enrichment of antibody from library was determined by radioimmunoassay. Results: We specifically selected 3D8, anti-DNA antibody, against ssDNA as a model system. The selected 3D8 RNAs sequences from translation complexes were recovered by RT-PCR. By applying this model system, we enriched TP-peptide-specific scFv pools through three cycles of panning from immunized library. Conclusion: We show that our translating ribosome complexes are well maintained and we can enrich the TP-specific scFv pools. This system can be applied to select specific antibody from an antibody library.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.310-319
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• 2003

Inflammatory mediators has been recognized as an important role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). IL-17 is increasingly recognized as an important regulator of immune and inflammatory responses, including induction of proinflammatory cytokines and osteoclastic bone resorption. Evidence of the expression and proinflammatory activity of IL-17 has been demonstrated in RA synovium and in animal models of RA. However, the signaling pathways that regulate IL-17 production remain unknown. In the present study, we investigated the role of the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)-Akt pathway in the regulation of IL-17 production in RA. PBMC were separated from RA (n=24) patients, and stimulated with various agents (anti CD3, anti CD28, PHA, ConA, IL-15). IL-17 levels were determined by sandwich ELISA and RT-PCR. The production of IL-17 was significantly increased in cells treated with anti-CD3 antibody, PHA, IL-15 or MCP-1 (P<0.05). ConA also strongly induced IL-17 production (P<0.001), whereas TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-18 or TGF-beta did not. IL-17 was detected in the PBMC of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) but their expression levels were much lower than those of RA PBMC. Anti-CD3 antibody activated the PI3K-Akt pathway and activation of the PI3K-Akt pathway resulted in a pronounced augmentation of nuclear factor kappaB ($NF-{\kappa}B$). IL-17 production by activated PBMC in RA is completely or partially blocked in the presence of $NF-{\kappa}B$ inhibitor PDTC and PI3K-Akt inhibitor, wortmannin and LY294002, respectively. Whereas the inhibition of AP-1 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 did not affect IL-17 production. These results provide new insight into that PI3K/Akt and $NF-{\kappa}B$ dependent signal transduction pathway could be involved in the overproduction of key inflammatory cytokine, IL-17 in rheumatoid arthritis.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.201-210
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• 2003

Objective: The role of prostaglandin $E_2$ (PGE2) in the etiopathogenesis of immune and inflammatory diseases has become the subject of recent debate. To determine the role of PGE2 in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), we tested the effect of exogenous PGE2 on the production of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) by rheumatoid synoviocytes. Methods: Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) were prepared from the synovial tissues of RA patients, and cultured in the presence of PGE2. The COX-2 mRNA and protein expression levels were determined by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. The PGE2 receptor subtypes in the FLS were analyzed by RT-PCR. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) was used to measure the NF-${\kappa}B$ binding activity for COX-2 transcription. The in vivoeffect of PGE2 on the development of arthritis was also tested in collagen induced arthritis (CIA) animals. Results: PGE2 ($10^{-11}$ to $10^{-5}M$) dose-dependently inhibited the expression of COX-2 mRNA and the COX-2 protein stimulated with IL-$1{\beta}$, but not COX-1 mRNA. NS-398, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, displayed an additive effect on PGE2-induced COX-2 downregulation. The FLS predominantly expressed the PGE2 receptor (EP) 2 and EP4, which mediated the COX-2 suppression by PGE2. Treatment with anti-IL-10 monoclonal antibodies partially reversed the PGE2-induced suppression of COX-2 mRNA, suggesting that IL-10 may be involved in modulating COX-2 by PGE2. Experiments using an inducer and an inhibitor of cyclic AMP (cAMP) suggest that cAMP is the major intracellular signal that mediates the regulatory effect of PGE2 on COX-2 expression. EMSA revealed that PGE2 inhibited the binding of NF-${\kappa}B$ in the COX-2 promoter via a cAMP dependent pathway. In addition, a subcutaneous injection of PGE2 twice daily for 2 weeks significantly reduced the incidence and severity of CIA as well as the production of IgG antibodies to type II collagen. Conclusion: Our data suggest that overproduced PGE2 in the RA joints may function as an autocrine regulator of its own synthesis by inhibiting COX-2 production and may, in part, play an anti-inflammatory role in the arthritic joints.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.69-89
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• 2001

This study is focused that the electronic commerce(EC) on the purchasing section may improve the efficiency and transparency of the hospitals management. After reviewing the purchasing activity of hospitals, I study the introduction, expected effects, and problems of EC. So, I am going to provide basic information for activating EC. The samples are managers of 170 hospitals, which are located on Seoul. As a result of collection this survey, I analyze 79 hospitals. For data analysis, I use $X^2$-test and ANOVA for purchasing management and the relevance of EC according to the level of care. The results of this study are 1. The problems on the management of purchasing section are: firstly, they don't have sufficient time to study market. Secondly, it is difficult to find competitive suppliers. And, lastly, they cannot gather a lot of information about the price of products. 2. There are many answers of the needs on the introduction of B2B. However, some hospitals think they don't need it. But, the most answers are that the EC will be settled within 4 years. So, we can realize that these hospitals are getting interested on the EC. On the other hand, I find that they prefer outside EC companies for the introduction of EC. 3. On the expected effects on EC, first is the effectiveness of the market survey. The next is to collect information of adequate price of products owing to clear transaction, find easier new suppliers and gather useful data. 4. On the external problems of the introduction of EC, there is low credibility related to the security and the weakness of suppliers' information system. Especially, on the Real Transaction Price Payment system, the bigger bed size, the higher understanding on these problems. On the internal problems of the introduction of EC, first is the burden of the introduction of EC and operating cost. Especially, on the burden of the disclosure of revenue source, the smaller bed size, the higher understanding on this problem So, this is a point which deserves my attention statistically. However, this shows relatively little understanding about incomplete the standard of product category and the weak information system of hospital. Through this study, I am going to suggest 3 points for the activation of the introduction of EC on hospitals. 1. The reform of the Real Transaction Price Payment System on medical supplies and materials for medical treatment 2. The establishment of the standard of product category 3. The promotion of information system based on network.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.7
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• pp.547-553
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• 2014

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most common brain malignancies and has a very poor prognosis. Recent evidence suggests that the presence of cancer stem cells (CSC) in GBM and the rare CSC subpopulation that is resistant to chemotherapy may be responsible for the treatment failure and unfavorable prognosis of GBM. A garlic-derived compound, Z-ajoene, has shown a range of biological activities, including anti-proliferative effects on several cancers. Here, we demonstrated for the first time that Z-ajoene specifically inhibits the growth of the GBM CSC population. CSC sphere-forming inhibition was achieved at a concentration that did not exhibit a cytotoxic effect in regular cell culture conditions. The specificity of this inhibitory effect on the CSC population was confirmed by detecting CSC cell surface marker CD133 expression and biochemical marker ALDH activity. In addition, stem cell-related mRNA profiling and real-time PCR revealed the differential expression of CSC-specific genes, including Notch, Wnt, and Hedgehog, upon treatment with Z-ajoene. A proteomic approach, i.e., reverse-phase protein array (RPPA) and Western blot analysis, showed decreased SMAD4, p-AKT, 14.3.3 and FOXO3A expression. The protein interaction map (http://string-db.org/) of the identified molecules suggested that the AKT, ERK/p38 and $TGF{\beta}$ signaling pathways are key mediators of Z-ajoene's action, which affects the transcriptional network that includes FOXO3A. These biological and bioinformatic analyses collectively demonstrate that Z-ajoene is a potential candidate for the treatment of GBM by specifically targeting GBM CSCs. We also show how this systemic approach strengthens the identification of new therapeutic agents that target CSCs.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.1444-1450
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• 2009

The number of patients with immune- mediated dermatitis such as contact dermatitis is increasing year by year. Allergic contact dermatitis is a complex phenomenon that involves resident epidermal cells, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells, as well as invading leukocytes that interact with each other under the control of a network of cytokines and lipid mediators. It is a cell-mediated immune reaction, which occurs after susceptible individuals are exposed to sensitizing chemicals, and characteristic eczematous reaction is seen at the point of contact with an allergen. In this study, we investigated the allergy prevention effects of quercetin on mast cell-mediated allergic inflammation in BALB/c mice. BALB/c mice were sensitized with 40 ${\mu}l$ of 1.5% picryl choloride (PCL) to the left and right ear each. Total serum IgE levels and histamine levels were measured by the sandwich ELISA method using mouse IgE, histamine measuring kit. For histopathological examination, paraffin sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin(HE) or toluidine blue(TB). Ear swelling responses were much weaker in the high-dose group (100 mg/kg) than the control group (0 mg/kg). The number of mast cells showed a significant decrease in the high-dose group (100 mg/kg) compared to the control group (0 mg/kg). Degranulation of mast cells was also confirmed by Toluidine Blue (TB) staining method. Both total serum IgE and histamine levels were significantly decreased in the high-dose group (100 mg/kg) compared to other groups. These findings suggest a certain relationship between the elevation of IgE, histamine levels and the degranulation of mast cells. These results show that the pharmacological actions of quercetin indicate its potential activity for prevention of allergic inflammatory diseases through the down-regulation of mast cell activation.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.26-42
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• 2020

Soils are the basis for plant rooting and ecosystem creation, the site of life for humankind, and require much time for their creation, so there will be no disagreement about the importance and necessity of soil conservation and management. Soil resilience is the ability of soils to maintain their original structure and function (resistance and recovery) from various kinds of disturbances, and is an indispensable field of study that prepares for a future with high uncertainty and unpredictability. Therefore, this study summarizes the concept and necessity of soil resilience, which is not yet widely known in Korea, and the contents of previous studies were reviewed. This study was carried out with the aim of contributing to lowering the threshold for entry into resilience research for domestic and foreign researchers who are new to soil resilience. In the first part of this study, we introduced resilience and soil resilience, and in the second part, we summarized the main causes of stress or disturbance that have been studied by many soil resilience researches. This makes it easy to find the references authors need. It is virtually impossible to find the same soil environment because there is no same area on the earth with all the same rock, climate, human activity, and culture, suggesting that each soil has its own uniqueness. Therefore, the researcher who wants to utilize the results of this study should take into consideration the specificity of the soil and the region to which the soil resilience is introduced, and modify it if necessary. In addition, efforts should be made to strengthen the network of soil resilience researchers to create a basis for sharing and actively utilizing the research results.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.154-162
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• 2006

Background: Dendritic cell (DC)-based cancer immunotherapy is studied for several years. However, it is mainly derived from autologous PBMC or leukapheresis from patient, which has limitations about yield and ability of DC production according to individual status. In order to solve these problems, inquiries about allogeneic DCs are performed but there are no preclinical trial answers for effect or toxicity of allogeneic DC to use for clinical trial. In this study, we compared the anti-tumor effect of allogeneic and autologous DCs from mouse bone marrow stem cells in mouse metastatic melanoma model. Methods: B16F10 melanoma cells ($5{\times}10^4$/mouse) were injected intravenously into the C57BL/6 mouse. Therapeutic DCs were differentiated from autologous (C57BL/6: CDC) or allogeneic (B6C3F1: BDC) bone marrow stem cells with GM-CSF, SCF and IL-4 for 13days and pulsed with B16F10 tumor cell lysate (Blys) for 18hrs. DC intra-peritoneal injections began on the 8th day after the tumor cell injection by twice with one week interval. Results: Anti-tumor response was observed by DC treatment without any toxicity especially in allogeneic DC treated mice (tumor burden score: $2.667{\pm}0.184,\;2.500{\pm}0.463,\;2.000{\pm}0.286,\;1.500{\pm}0.286,\;1.667 {\pm}0.297$ for saline, CDC/unpulsed-DC: U-DC, CDC/Blys-DC, BDC/U-DC and BDC/Blys-DC, respectively). IFN-${\gamma}$ secretion was significantly increased in allogeneic DC group stimulated with B16F10 cell lysate ($2,643.3{\pm}5,89.7,\;8,561.5{\pm}2,204.9.\;6,901.2{\pm}141.1pg/1{\times}10^6$ cells for saline, BDC/U-DC and BDC/Blys-DC, respectively) with increased NK cell activity. Conclusion: Conclusively, promising data was obtained that allogeneic DC can be used for DC-based cancer immunotherapy.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.65-90
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• 2017

Rewards or penalties become informative only when contingent on an immediately preceding response. Our goal was to determine if the brain responds differently to motivational events depending on whether they provide feedback with the contingencies effective for learning. Event-related fMRI data were obtained from 22 volunteers performing a visuomotor categorical task. In learning-condition trials, participants learned by trial and error to make left or right responses to letter cues (16 consonants). Monetary rewards (+500) or penalties (-500) were given as feedback (learning feedback). In random-condition trials, cues (4 vowels) appeared right or left of the display center, and participants were instructed to respond with the appropriate hand. However, rewards or penalties (random feedback) were given randomly (50/50%) regardless of the correctness of response. Feedback-associated BOLD responses were analyzed with ANOVA [trial type (learning vs. random) x feedback type (reward vs. penalty)] using SPM8 (voxel-wise FWE p < .001). The right caudate nucleus and right cerebellum showed activation, whereas the left parahippocampus and other regions as the default mode network showed deactivation, both greater for learning trials than random trials. Activations associated with reward feedback did not differ between the two trial types for any brain region. For penalty, both learning-penalty and random-penalty enhanced activity in the left insular cortex, but not the right. The left insula, however, as well as the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex/dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, showed much greater responses for learning-penalty than for random-penalty. These findings suggest that learning-penalty plays a critical role in learning, unlike rewards or random-penalty, probably not only due to its evoking of aversive emotional responses, but also because of error-detection processing, either of which might lead to changes in planning or strategy.