• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1132-1139
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• 2018

The stability of diverse cellular proteins in eukaryotes is regulated via ubiquitination. Moreover, E3 ligase plays a crucial role in determining substrate specificity and transfers ubiquitins into the substrates during the ubiquitination process. As a type of multi-subunit E3 ligase, cullin4 (CUL4)-based E3 ligase (CRL4) complex is involved in a variety of cellular processes, such as hormonal and stress responses in plants. In spite of several reports on the versatile roles of CRL4 in various signalings in Arabidopsis, CRL4's function in rice has been poorly known. To learn about CRL4-mediated cellular processes in rice in more detail, OsCUL4 that exhibits the highest homology with Arabidopsis CUL4 was isolated, and its expression patterns in various tissues and in response to plant hormones and abiotic stresses were monitored. Exogenous application of ABA or cytokinin increased the transcript levels of the OsCUL4 gene. Moreover, OsCUL4 was significantly upregulated in response to drought and salt stresses. These findings imply that OsCUL4 may be functionally related to ABA- and/or cytokinin-mediated cellular responses. OsCUL4 directly interacted with OsDDB1, an adaptor protein of CRL4, indicating that OsCUL4 can act as a scaffold protein of CRL4. An expression study on the OsCUL4 gene from this report could be used as a starting point to elucidate cellular responses in which a CRL4-mediated ubiquitination process is involved in rice.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.1 s.69
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• pp.237-248
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• 2007

Objectives : Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Etiological studies of diabetes and its complications showed that oxidative stress might play a major role. Therefore, many efforts have been tried to regulate free oxygen radicals for treating diabetes and its complications. Iksujisundan has been known to be effective for the treatment of diabetes. The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of Iksujisundan on renal function, peroxynitrite(ONOO-) scavenging activity and polyol pathway in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Methods : The crushed Iksujisundan was extracted 3 times, each time with 3 volumes of methyl alcohol at 60$^{\circ}C$ for 24 h. The extract was filtered and evaporated under a reduced pressure using a rotary evaporator to yield 87.8g. Iksujisundan extract was orally administreted at 100 mg per 1 kg of body weight for 20 days to the diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin(60mg/kg). The effects of Iksujisundan extract on the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were observed by measuring the serum level of glucose, insulin, lipid components, creatinine and BUN, and also the kidney levels of superoxide anion radical(${\cdot}$O2-), nitric oxide(NO) and ONOO-, and also the enzyme activities involved in the polyol pathway. Results : The effects of Iksujisundan on the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats with regards to body weight, blood glucose and indulin levels, creatinine and BUN levels, total cholesterol and triglyceride lavels, and HDL-cholesterol levels were all shown to be good enough to prevent and cure the diabetes and its complications. Iksujisundan inhibited the generation of ${\cdot}$O2-,NO and ONOO- in the kidney of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Renal aldose reductase and sorbitol dehydrogenase activities were increased in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were reversed toward natural activities. Conclusions : Iksujisundan might inhibit the development of diabetes and its complications by scavenging reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, thereby by reducing oxidative stresses and also by regulating the activities of polyol pathway enzymes, all of which could help to recover kidney function.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.249-255
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• 2015

Wnk kinase maintains cell volume, regulating various transporters such as sodium-chloride cotransporter, potassium-chloride cotransporter, and sodium-potassium-chloride cotransporter 1 (NKCC1) through the phosphorylation of oxidative stress responsive kinase 1 (OSR1) and STE20/SPS1-related proline/alanine-rich kinase (SPAK). However, the activating mechanism of Wnk kinase in specific tissues and specific conditions is broadly unclear. In the present study, we used a human salivary gland (HSG) cell line as a model and showed that $Ca^{2+}$ may have a role in regulating Wnk kinase in the HSG cell line. Through this study, we found that the HSG cell line expressed molecules participating in the WNK-OSR1-NKCC pathway, such as Wnk1, Wnk4, OSR1, SPAK, and NKCC1. The HSG cell line showed an intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) increase in response to hypotonic stimulation, and the response was synchronized with the phosphorylation of OSR1. Interestingly, when we inhibited the hypotonically induced $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase with nonspecific $Ca^{2+}$ channel blockers such as 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate, gadolinium, and lanthanum, the phosphorylated OSR1 level was also diminished. Moreover, a cyclopiazonic acid-induced passive $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ elevation was evoked by the phosphorylation of OSR1, and the amount of phosphorylated OSR1 decreased when the cells were treated with BAPTA, a $Ca^{2+}$ chelator. Finally, through that process, NKCC1 activity also decreased to maintain the cell volume in the HSG cell line. These results indicate that $Ca^{2+}$ may regulate the WNK-OSR1 pathway and NKCC1 activity in the HSG cell line. This is the first demonstration that indicates upstream $Ca^{2+}$ regulation of the WNK-OSR1 pathway in intact cells.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 2017

Alignment of 967 reference sequences of the typical 2-Cys peroxiredoxin family of proteins revealed that 10 amino acids were conserved, with over 99% identity. To investigate whether the conserved aspartic acid residues and serine residue affect the peroxidase and chaperone activity of the protein, we prepared yeast TSA1 mutant proteins in which aspartic acids at positions 75 and 103 were replaced by valine or asparagine, and serine at position 73 was replaced by alanine. By non-reducing SDS-PAGE, TSA1 and the S73A, D75V and D75N mutants were detected in dimeric form, whereas the D103V and D103N mutants were detected in various forms, ranging from high molecular-weight to monomeric. Compared with wild type TSA1, the D75N mutant exhibited 50% thioredoxin peroxidase activity, and the S73A and D75V mutants showed 25% activity. However, the D103V and D103N mutants showed no peroxidase activity. All proteins, except for the D103V and D103N mutants, exhibited chaperone activity at $43^{\circ}C$. Our results suggest that the two conserved aspartic acid residues and serine residue of TSA1 play important roles in its thioredoxin peroxidase activity, and D103 plays a critical role in its chaperone activity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
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• v.5 no.3 s.18
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• pp.1-9
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• 2005

The primary source of disaster information for victims as well as ordinary people is mass media. In spite of their importance, the media often inaccurately portrays reality, which has stimulated academic debates. In Korea, however, media reporting patters of disaster have been hardly addressed. Therefore, the paper analyzes how newspaper and television news have reported typhoon Rusa between August 29 and October 1 in 2002 by using KINDS(Korean Integrated News Database System). The results show that television news tend to present more soft news stories emphasizing human interest stories than newspaper articles, relying on victims as primary interviewees. It is also pointed out that the Korean media do not play a significant role in providing disaster information to public regarding how to lessen the effects of impact through preparation. Disaster mythology representing wrong beliefs about human behavior in disaster is found in Korean media reporting, too. Unlike their western counterparts, however, Korean media seem to use the dependency image of helpless victims in order to stimulate donations. Analyses of disaster reporting patterns suggest that, in make disaster warning messages associated with behavioral responses, credible and official sources should provide clear and precise warning messages to the media, and the media also need to stress individual responsibilities in protecting his or her own properties not to make victims heavily dependent on public supports, while inducing donations.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 2012

The abnormal maturation and ossification of articular chondrocytes play a central role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Inhibiting the enzymatic degradation of the extracellular matrix and maintaining the cellular phenotype are two of the major goals of interest in managing OA. Ginseng is frequently taken orally, as a crude substance, as a traditional medicine in Asian countries. Ginsenoside $Rb_1$, a major component of ginseng that contains an aglycone with a dammarane skeleton, has been reported to exhibit various biological activities, including anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. However, a chondroprotective effect of ginsenoside $Rb_1$ related to OA has not yet been reported. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the chondroprotective effect of ginsenoside $Rb_1$ on the regulation of pro-inflammatory factors and chondrogenic genes. Cultured rat articular chondrocytes were treated with 100 ${\mu}M$ ginsenoside $Rb_1$ and/or 500 ${\mu}M$ hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) and assessed for viability, reactive oxygen species production, nitric oxide (NO) release, and chondrogenic gene expression. Ginsenoside $Rb_1$ treatment resulted in reductions in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine and NO in $H_2O_2$-treated chondrocytes. The expression levels of chondrogenic genes, such as type II collagen and SOX9, were increased in the presence of ginsenoside $Rb_1$, whereas the expression levels of inflammatory genes related to chondrocytes, such as MMP1 and MMP13, were reduced by approximately 50%. These results suggest that ginsenoside $Rb_1$ has potential for use as a therapeutic agent in OA patients.

• Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.69-86
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• 2012

Collaboration between teacher librarians and parents is one of the very important elements for school library management in characteristics of learning communities and expanding its' administration. These partnerships are necessary to relieve stress and risk conditions and improve ego-resilience of students. This study analyzed cases of student guidance within the partnerships between teacher librarians and parents and then inquired into formal or informal communication channels for their partnerships through written interview with 10 teacher librarians. The results of analyses teacher librarians have appreciated the necessity of collaboration with parents, and they have experienced student guidance, career guidance, reader's advisory and balancing acts between classroom teachers and parents. It turns out that reading programs with parents are formal communication channel rather than institutional committee such as School Library Council and Parents' Library-Assisting Volunteers and Parent Association and Training in the school library are informal communication channels. The teacher librarians also provide periodic reading events and training for parents and they utilize the School Homepage and Educational Newsletters as the main ways of public relation. In order to promote students' ego-resilience through their collaboration, parents should involve in School Library Council as an essential way for formal communication. And parents' role in school library management should be expanded from offering helping hands to activities to read book, library instruction, assisting teacher librarians in the Library-Assisted Instruction and production of teaching mediums.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.29-41
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• 2005

Objectives : The use of natural products with therapeutic properties is as ancient as human civilisation and, for a long time, mineral, plant and animal products were the main sources of drugs. Catalposide, the major iridoid glycoside isolated from the stem bark of Catalpa ovata G. Don (Bignoniceae) has been shown to possess anti-microbial and anti-tumoral properties. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a stress response protein and is known to play a protective role against the oxidative injury. In this study, we examined whether catalposide could protect Neuro 2A cells, a kind of neuronal cell lines, from oxidative damage through the induction of HO-1 protein expression and HO activity. We also examined the effects of catalposide on the productions of tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}\;(TNF-{\alpha})$ and nitric oxide (NO) on RAW 264.7 macrophages activated with the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide. Methods : HO-1 expression in Neuro 2A cells was measured by Western blotting analysis. NO and $TNF--{\alpha}$ produced by RAW 264.7 macrophage were measured by Griess reagent and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Results : The treatment of the cells with catalposide resulted in dose- and time-dependent up-regulations of both HO-1 protein expression and HO activity. Catalposide protected the cells from hydrogen peroxide-induced cell death. The protective effect of catalposide on hydrogen peroxide-induced cell death was abrogated by zinc protoporphyrin IX, a HO inhibitor. Additional experiments revealed the involvement of CO in the cytoprotective effect of catalposide-induced HO-1. In addition, catalposide inhibited the productions of $TNF--{\alpha}$ and NO with significant decreases in mRNA levels of $TNF--{\alpha}$ and inducible NO synthase. Conclusions : Our results indicate that catalposide is a potent inducer of HO-1 and HO-1 induction is responsible for the catalposide-mediated cytoprotection against oxidative damage and that catalposide may have therapeutic potential in the control of inflammatory disorders.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.449-457
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• 2002

The main purpose of this study is to examine the concepts appeared on researches and provide the future research directions in field of child health nursing. A descriptive study was conducted. 205 studies were included in an analysis the concepts in terms of the domain of client for a total 321 researches. All were originally published between 1990 and 2000 in Korea. An analysis of concepts for this study was used the metaparadigm framework for nursing proposed by H.S. Kim(2000). The concepts for this study were categorized by essentialistic concepts, problematic concepts, health-care experiential concepts with the following results. 1. Based on the four domains suggested Kim (2000), 205 studies(63.9％) belong to the domain of client ; 109 studies(34％) belong to the practice domain of nursing; 3 studies(0.9％) belong to the client-nurse domain; and 4 studies belong to the domain of environment, respectively. 2. In the domain of client, 117(57.1％) studies used concept of parent. Among them, mother was the prevailing research population(103 studies). 64 studies(31.2％) used child population and the developmental stage of children varied from preterm to puberty but school aged children was the most target population(28 studies). Family as a concept of client was used in 20 studies(9.8％) but most primary care provider was the mother. 3. In terms of research design, non-experimental design(83.5％) is the most and among them survey was 159 studies(77.6％). Qualitative research(23 studies) and experimental research(10 studies) methods were used relatively few. 4. In terms of the categories of concepts, 196 (61.4％) studies included the essentialistic concepts like stress and coping(20.4％), mothering role and child care(7.8％), health (5.6％), breast feeding(4.7％). 31 studies included problematic concepts like power-lessness, safety, obesity, pain, anxiety. And 65 studies included health-care experiential concepts like compliance, growth, hope, environment but relatively few. The findings of this study provide the evidence that research related problematic concept and health-care experiential concept should be conducted actively to improve the practice of child health nursing. Also to deeply understand the phenomena of client in field of child health nursing, interpretive research methods should be conducted actively, too.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.253-282
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• 2004

The study is to examine the actual conditions and problems of educational welfare which is a part of social welfare and to offer its future directions and things to do. First of all, education has been considered to be part of social welfare in developed countries for a long time and it has been used the same as school educational welfare. These days Korea is confronted with increasing needs of educational welfare caused by emphasis of manpower, appearance of new poor class after IMF, handing down poverty to their children, absence of public education and educational fever, stress of life long learning and extending needs of students' social welfare service. In advanced countries compared to Korea, people perceive education as an equal opportunity. To reach this thesis, various efforts have been making in terms of manpower development such as reform of related laws, financial and official support, offering of parental skills and protecting children for the disadvantaged, dispatching school social workers and overall life improvement. The subjects and age of educational welfare are also diverse ranging from poor families and pre school children to general public and adults. On the other hand, Korea lacks related laws and financial support that are supposed to enforce educational welfare systematically. Also integrated and professional services are not often available due to the lack of cooperation between related agencies. Therefore, government's role and responsibility should be defined clearly in the future directions of educational welfare in Korea. For this, it is needed to establish related laws and build a concrete financial and executive interrelationship. Also every person should be a target of educational welfare putting priorities on the disadvantaged. A lot of efforts should be made to achieve things mentioned above. Multi-dimensional approach intertwined with education, welfare and labour, establishment of cooperation system between related agencies, reinforcement of life long learning, extension of free education including infants and toddlers, and offering financial support to the poor are a few among these efforts. Finally, institutionalization of school social welfare and improvement school facilities are strongly recommended to get to the right track of educational welfare.