• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.159-163
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the interaction among the neck, trunk, and lower extremities on the non-paretic side in head rotation along with non-paretic-side weight shifting of stroke patients. To compare stroke patients' ability to control posture through muscle activity variation related to pertubation during head rotation along with the non-paretic limb. Methods: We tested 15 hemiplegic patients and 15 normal individuals. Each group's muscle activity was measured by electromyography in neutral head position and head rotation position. We compared each group's resu lt based on measured values in patients' non-paretic neck muscles, trunk muscles, and lower limbs muscles activation. Results: The study showed that muscle activity increased in the sternocleidomastoid muscle (102.26%, 53.00%), splenius capitis muscle (97.93%, 54.93%), erector spinae muscle (241.00%, 127.60%), external oblique abdominal muscle (256.66%, 152.00%), and internal oblique abdominal muscle (252.80%, 152.6%), peroneus longus muscle (117.53%, 137.13%) and gastrocnemius muscle (119.06%, 137.20%), while the results for the sternocleidomastoid muscle, splenius capitis muscle, erector spinae muscle, external oblique abdominal muscle, internal oblique abdominal muscle, peroneus longus muscle, and gastrocnemius muscle showed a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). Conclusion: It is hard for stroke patients to engage in normal movement control under suggested conditions because of the insufficient movement against gravity on the stroke patient's non-paretic side and impaired cooperative patterns. To solve these problems, patients need their bodies to improve through effective movement, resulting in advanced control of their effective and functional activity.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제53권4호
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• pp.371-377
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• 2015

Trichomonas vaginalis induces proinflammation in cervicovaginal mucosal epithelium. To investigate the signaling pathways in $TNF-{\alpha}$ production in cervical mucosal epithelium after T. vaginalis infection, the phosphorylation of PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways were evaluated in T. vaginalis-infected SiHa cells in the presence and absence of specific inhibitors. T. vaginalis increased $TNF-{\alpha}$ production in SiHa cells, in a parasite burden-dependent and incubation time-dependent manner. In T. vaginalis-infected SiHa cells, AKT, ERK1/2, p38 MAPK, and JNK were phosphorylated from 1 hr after infection; however, the phosphorylation patterns were different from each other. After pretreatment with inhibitors of the PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways, $TNF-{\alpha}$ production was significantly decreased compared to the control; however, $TNF-{\alpha}$ reduction patterns were different depending on the type of PI3K/MAPK inhibitors. $TNF-{\alpha}$ production was reduced in a dose-dependent manner by treatment with wortmannin and PD98059, whereas it was increased by SP600125. These data suggested that PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling pathways are important in regulation of $TNF-{\alpha}$ production in cervical mucosal epithelial SiHa cells. However, activation patterns of each pathway were different from the types of PI3K/MAPK pathways.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.35-43
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• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Bo-du-san (BOS) on apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells, SNU-l cells. BOS, a drug preparation consisting of two herbs, that is, Crotonis Fructus (Strychni ignatii Semen, bodu in Korean) and Glycyrrhizae Radix (Glycyrrhizae uralensis FISCH, Gamcho in Korean). Methodss : In this study, methanol extract of BOS was examined for cytotoxic activity on human gastric cancer cells, SNU-1 cells, using XTT assay, with an IC50 value was 0.7 mg/ml and 0.3 mg/ml at 24 hrs and 48 hrs, respectively. Apoptosis induction by BDS in SNU-l cells was verified by the induction of DNA fragmentation, cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), and activation of caspase-3, -8 and -9. Inhibitors of caspase-3, -8 and -9 (Ac-DEVD-CHO, Z-IETD-FMK and Z-LEHD-FMK) efficiently blocked BOS-induced cell death of SNU-l. Resultss : BOS-induced cell death was via caspase dependent apoptosis. Moreover, treatment of BOS result in the decrease the G1/S cycle regulation proteins (cyclin D1 and E) expression and increase CDK inhibitor proteins (p21 and p27) expression, and increase apoptotic protein, p53 expression. Thus, BOS induces apoptosis in SNU-1 cells via cell cycle arrested in G1 phase. Conclusions : These results indicated that BOS has some potential for use as an anti-cancer agent.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.501-508
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• 2004

전통발효 식품인 간장으로부터 chitinase활성이 높으면서 갈변반응을 일으키는 균주인 CJ-3를 분리하여 갈변반응생성물이 면역기능, 항산화력 및 세포활성에 미치는 영향과 생화학적 특성을 규명하였다. 분리된 CJ-3 균주는 16S rDNA 염기서열분석에 의하여 Bacillus atrophaeus로 동정되었으며 분리된 균주의 분자량은 대략 31.0 kDa으로 colloidal chitin(0.5, 1.0, 2.0%)의 첨가에 의하여 chitinase 활성이 현저히 증가되었다 B. atrophaeus CJ-3에 의해서 유도되는 갈변반응물 200${\mu}\ell$ 첨가로 LPS에 의하여 유도되는 nitric oxide (NO) 활성을 45%까지 감소시켰다. MTT 분석을 통한 세포활성에서도 갈변반응물은 LPS에 의하여 세포활성을 정상수준으로 회복하였다. CJ-3. 균주의 DPPH 전자공여능법에 의한 항산화력은 갈변반응에 의하여 약 55% 증가하였다 . 이러한 결과들은 갈변반응생성물은 면역기능 및 세포활성을 증가시키는 것으로 추정된다. 분리된 균주의 최적 생육조건은 최적온도 37$^{\circ}C$, 최적 pH 7.0 및 염 농도는 9% NaCl농도까지는 잘 생육하는 것으로 나타났으며 분리된 균주의 주요 intracellular 유리아미노산은 glutamate로 나타났다.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.6-11
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• 2020

The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of a two-terminal tandem solar cell depends upon the tunnel-recombination junction (TRJ) between the top and bottom sub-cells. An optimized TRJ in a tandem cell helps improve its open-circuit voltage (V_oc), short-circuit current density (J_sc), fill factor (FF), and efficiency (PCE). One of the parameters that affect the TRJ is the buffer layer thickness. Therefore, we investigated various TRJs by varying the thickness of the buffer or intermediate layer (TRJ-buffer) in between the highly doped p-type and n-type layers of the TRJ. The TRJ-buffer layer was p-type nc-Si:H, with a doping of 0.06%, an activation energy (E_a) of 43 meV, an optical gap (E_g) of 2.04 eV, and its thickness was varied from 0 nm to 125 nm. The tandem solar cells we investigated were a combination of a heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer (HIT) bottom sub-cell and an a-Si:H (amorphous silicon) top sub-cell. The initial cell efficiency without the TRJ buffer was 7.65% while with an optimized buffer layer, its efficiency improved to 11.74%, i.e., an improvement in efficiency by a factor of 1.53.

• 한국식물생명공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국식물생명공학회 2004년도 생명공학 실용화를 위한 비젼
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• pp.81-90
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• 2004

Sialic acid containing glycosphingolipids (gangliosides) have been implicated in the regulation of various biological phenomena such as atherosclerosis. Recent report suggeststhat exogenously supplied disialoganglioside (GD3) serves a dual role in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) proliferation and apoptosis. However, the role of the GD3 synthase gene in VSMC responses has not yet been elucidated. To determine whether a ganglioside is able to modulate VSMC growth. the effect of overexpression of the GD3 synthase gene on DNA synthesis was examined. The results show that the overexpression of this gene has a potent inhibitory effect on DNA synthesis and ERK phosphorylation in cultured VSMC in the presence of PDGF. The suppression of the GD3 synthase gene was correlated with the down-regulation of cyclinE/CDK2. the up-regulation of the CDK inhibitor p21 and blocking of the p27 inhibition,whereas up-regulation of p53 as the result of GD3 synthase gene expression was not observed. Consistently, blockade of GD3 function with anti-GD3 antibody reversed VSMC proliferation and cell cycle proteins. The expression of the CD3 synthase gene also led to the inhibition of TNF--induced matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression in VSMC as determined by zymography and immunoblot. Furthermore, GD3 synthase gene expression strongly decreased MMP-9 promoteractivlty in response to TNF-. This inhibition was characterized by the down-regulation of MMP-9,which was Iranscriptionally regulated at NF-B and activation protein-1 (AP-1) sites in the MMP-9promoter Finally, the overexpression of MMP-9 in GD3 synthase transfectant cells rescued VSMC proliferation. However MMP-2 overexpression was not affected the cell proliferation. These findings suggest that the fl13 synthase gene represents a physiological modulator of VSMC responses that may contribute to plaque instability in atherosclerosis.

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.158-172
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• 2017

Nigella sativa (N. sativa, family Ranunculaceae) is a medicinal plant that has been widely used for centuries throughout the world as a natural remedy. A wide range of chemical compounds found in N. sativa expresses its vast therapeutic effects. Thymoquinone (TQ) is the main component (up to 50%) in the essential oil of N. sativa. Also, pinene (up to 15%), p-cymene (40%), thymohydroquinone (THQ), thymol (THY), and dithymoquinone (DTQ) are other pharmacologically active compounds of its oil. Other terpenoid compounds, such as carvacrol, carvone, 4-terpineol, limonenes, and citronellol, are also found in small quantities in its oil. The main pharmacological characteristics of this plant are immune system stimulatory, anti-inflammatory, hypotensive, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anti-cancer, hypoglycemic, anti-tussive, milk production, uricosuric, choleretic, anti-fertility, and spasmolytic properties. In this regard, we have searched the scientific databases PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar with keywords of N. sativa, anti-cancer, apoptotic effect, antitumor, antioxidant, and malignancy over the period from 2000 to 2017. The effectiveness of N. sativa against cancer in the blood system, kidneys, lungs, prostate, liver, and breast and on many malignant cell lines has been shown in many studies, but the molecular mechanisms behind that anti-cancer role are still not clearly understood. From among the many effects of N. sativa, including its anti-proliferative effect, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, ROS generation, anti-metastasis/anti-angiogenesis effects, Akt pathway control, modulation of multiple molecular targets, including p53, p73, STAT-3, PTEN, and $PPAR-{\gamma}$, and activation of caspases, the main suggestive anti-cancer mechanisms of N. sativa are its free radical scavenger activity and the preservation of various anti-oxidant enzyme activities, such as glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and glutathione-S-transferase. In this review, we highlight the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis and the anti-cancer effects of N. sativa, with a focus on its molecular targets in apoptosis pathways.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.452-458
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• 2005

Cordyceps militaris is a medicinal fungus, which has been used for patient suffering from cancer in Oriental medicine. It was reported previously that C. militaris extracts are capable of inhibiting tumor growth, however, the anti-poliferative effects of human cancer cells have not been poorly understood. In this study, to elucidate the growth inhibitory mechanisms of human cancer cells by treatment of aqueous extract of C. militaris (AECM) we investigated the anti-proliferative effects of AECM in human leukemia U937 cell line. AECM treatment inhibited the growth of U937 cells and induced the apoptotic cell death in a concentration-dependent manner, which was associated with morphological changes. We observed the up-regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitor p21(WAF1/CIP1) by p53-independent manner and activation of caspase-3 in AECM-treated U937 cells, however, the activity of caspase-9 was remained unchanged. Additionally, AECM treatment caused a dose-dependent inhibition of the expression of telomere regulatory gene products such as human telomere reverse transcriptase (hTERT) and telomerase-associated protein-1 (TEP-1). Taken together, these findings suggest that AECM-induced inhibition of human leukemic cell proliferation is associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death via modulation of several major growth regulatory gene products, and C. militaris may have therapeutic potential in human lung cancer.

• BMB Reports
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• 제50권12호
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• pp.599-600
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• 2017

Many studies have focused on the tumor suppressive role of $TGF-{\beta}$ signaling during the early stages of tumorigenesis by activating the target genes involved in cytostasis and apoptosis. We investigated the effects of $TGF-{\beta}$ inhibition on early tumorigenesis in the liver, by employing diverse inhibitory methods. Strikingly, $TGF-{\beta}$ inhibition consistently suppressed hepatic tumorigenesis that was induced either by activated RAS plus p53 downregulation or by the co-activation of RAS and TAZ signaling; this demonstrates the requirements for canonical $TGF-{\beta}$ signaling in tumorigenesis. Moreover, we found that Snail is the target gene of the $TGF-{\beta}$ signaling pathway that promotes hepatic carcinogenesis. The knockdown of Snail suppressed the early tumorigenesis in the liver, as did the $TGF-{\beta}$ inhibition, while the ectopic expression of Snail restored tumorigenesis that was suppressed by the $TGF-{\beta}$ inhibition. Our findings establish the oncogenic $TGF-{\beta}$-Smad-Snail signaling axis during the early tumorigenesis in the liver.

• BMB Reports
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• 제51권9호
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• pp.425-426
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• 2018

As highly conserved signaling cascades of multicellular organisms, Wnt and Hippo pathways control a wide range of cellular activities, including cell adhesion, fate determination, cell cycle, motility, polarity, and metabolism. Dysregulation of those pathways are implicated in many human diseases, including cancer. Similarly to ${\beta}-catenin$ in the Wnt pathway, the YAP transcription co-activator is a major player in Hippo. Although the intracellular dynamics of YAP are well-known to largely depend on phosphorylation by LATS and AMPK kinases, the molecular effector of YAP cytosolic translocation remains unidentified. Recently, we reported that the Dishevelled (DVL), a key scaffolding protein between canonical and non-canonical Wnt pathway, is responsible for nuclear export of phosphorylated YAP. The DVL is also required for YAP intracellular trafficking induced by E-cadherin, ${\alpha}-catenin$, or metabolic stress. Note that the p53/LATS2 and LKB1/AMPK tumor suppressor axes, commonly inactivated in human cancer, govern the reciprocal inhibition between DVL and YAP. Conversely, loss of the tumor suppressor allows co-activation of YAP and Wnt independent of epithelial polarity or contact inhibition in human cancer. These observations provide novel mechanistic insight into (1) a tight molecular connection merging the Wnt and Hippo pathways, and (2) the importance of tumor suppressor contexts with respect to controlled proliferation and epithelial polarity regulated by cell adhesion.