• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.207-216
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• 2010

Objective: This study was performed to clarify the role of HomeoboxA (HOXA) and its related signaling molecules in the decidualization of primary cultured endometrial cells. Methods: Human endometrial tissues were obtained by curettage of hysterectomy specimens from patients with conditions other than endometrial diseases. Tissues were minced and digested with Trypsin-EDTA for 20 min, $37^{\circ}C$. Cells were cultured with DMEM/F12 medium in $37^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$ incubator for 24 hrs. Cells were treated with HOXA10 siRNA and added transforming growth factor (TGF)-${\beta}1$ (10 ng/mL) for 48 hrs to induces decidualization in vitro. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis was accomplished to observe the expression of HOXA10, prolactin, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, peroxisome proliferatoractivated receptor (PPAR)-$\gamma$, and wingless-type MMTV integration site family (Wnt). Results: HOXA10 expression was increased (1.8 fold vs. non-treated control) in TGF-${\beta}1$ treated cells. Decidualization marker, prolactin, was significantly increased in TGF-${\beta}1$ treated cells compared with HOXA10 siRNA treated cells. Endometrial cell differentiation marker, COX-2 was down-regulated by HOXA10 siRNA even if cells were treated with TGF-${\beta}1$. Wnt4 was down-regulated by treated with HOXA10 siRNA, this expression patters was not changed by TGF-${\beta}1$. Expression of PPAR-$\gamma$ was down regulated by TGF-${\beta}1$ in regardless of HOXA10 siRNA treatment. Conclusion: TGF-${\beta}1$ which is induced by progesterone in endometrial epithelial cells may induces stromal cell decidualization via HOXA10 and Wnt signaling cascade.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1445-1451
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• 2017

Mitochondria play a central role in energy generation by using electron transport coupled with oxidative phosphorylation. They also participate in other important cellular functions including metabolism, apoptosis, signaling, and reactive oxygen species production. Therefore, mitochondrial dysfunction is known to contribute to a variety of human diseases. Furthermore, there are various inherited diseases of energy metabolism due to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations. Unfortunately, therapeutic options for these inherited mtDNA diseases are extremely limited. In this regard, mitochondrial replacement techniques are taking on increased importance in developing a clinical approach to inherited mtDNA diseases. In this study, green fluorescence protein (GFP)-tagged mitochondria were isolated by differential centrifugation from a mammalian cell line. Using microinjection technique, the isolated GFP-tagged mitochondria were then transferred to bovine oocytes that were triggered for early development. During the early developmental period from bovine oocytes to blastocysts, the transferred mitochondria were observed using fluorescent microscopy. The microinjected mitochondria were dispersed rapidly into the cytoplasm of oocytes and were passed down to subsequent cells of 2-cell, 4-cell, 8-cell, morula, and blastocyst stages. Together, these results demonstrate a successful in vitro transfer of isolated mitochondria to oocytes and provide a model for mitochondrial replacement implicated in inherited mtDNA diseases and animal cloning.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.9
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• pp.884-892
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• 1998

Background: The gastroepiploic artery is not only an alternative graft but also may be considered an important primary graft for coronary revascularization. However, the long-term patency of the gastroepiploic arterial graft is yet to be determined and the incidence of perioperative spasm and long-term patency of a coronary graft may be affected by the properties of the graft response to certain vasoactive substances. The reactivity of the gastroepiploic artery to vasoactive substances has not been studied extensively and the results of the studies are contradictory. Material and Method: This study was designed to test the reactivity of human gastroepiploic artery to four constrictors and four relaxants. The middle sections of the human gastroepiploic arteries were collected from the patients undergoing gastrectomy and the arterial rings with intact endothelium were suspended in organ baths for isometric tension recording. Result: Epinephrine, norepinephrine, and potassium chloride induced the maximum constriction to higher forces (7.0$\pm$1.1g, 6.6$\pm$0.9g, and 6.5$\pm$1.1g) than 5-hydroxytryptamine did (3.8$\pm$1.7g, p<0.05). Nitroprusside and histamine induced almost full relaxation in the gastroepiploic arteries preconstricted with norepinephrine. There was no significant difference between two relaxants regarding maximum relaxation force. Acetylcholine induced the maximum relaxation to weaker force when compared with nitroprusside and histamine (p<0.05), and isoproterenol was the weakest of the relaxants (p<0.05 compared with acetylcholine). Conclusion: The gastroepiploic artery has a strong capacity of endothelium-dependent relaxation which could have an important influence on long-term patency. The gastroepiploic artery exhibits a potent contractility to catecholamines and the enhanced contractility may facilitate vasospasm in the presence of high circulating levels of catecholamines. Nitroprusside, a potent relaxant in gastroepiploic artery, might be beneficial for the treatment of gastroepiploic arterial graft spasm. The gastroepiploic arterial graft with intact endothelium may respond weakly to beta-adrenoceptor agonist and 5-hydroxytryptamine.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.73.4-74
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• 2021

한국천문연구원은 2017년 제1차 구술채록사업에 이어 2020년 제2차 사업을 진행하면서 최초로 원외 원로에 대한 구술채록을 시도하였다. 국가 대표 천문연구의 산실로서 연구원 존재 의의를 확립하기 위하여 원내 원로에 국한되었던 구술자 대상을 확장한 것이다. 그 첫 외부 구술 대상자로 방득룡 전임 노스웨스턴 천문학과 교수를 선정하여 2020년 7월부터 준비단계에 들어갔다. 방득룡 전(前)교수가 첫 번째 한국천문연구원 원외 인사 구술자로 선정된 이유는, 그가 우리나라 천문대1호 망원경 구매 선정에 개입한 서신(1972년)이 자료로 남아있었기 때문이다. 한국천문연구원에서 2017년에 수행한 제1차 구술채록사업에서 구술자로 참여한 오병렬 한국천문연구원 원로가 기증한 사료들은 대부분 연구원 태동기 국립천문대 구축과 망원경 구매 관련 자료였으며 이 가운데 1972년 당시 과학기술처 김선길 진흥국장에게 Boller and Chivesns(사(社))의 반사경을 추천한 방득룡 전(前)교수의 서신은 한국 천문학 발전사에서 중요한 사료였다. 연구진은 이 자료를 시작으로, 방득룡 전(前)교수의 생존 여부와 문서고의 공기록물들에서 그의 흔적을 찾아가기 시작했다. 놀랍게도 그는 실제 세계와 한국천문연구원 문서고 깊숙이 기록물들 모두에서 상존하고 있었다. 1927년생인 방득룡 전(前)교수, Dr. John D. R.은 미국 플로리다 한 실버타운에서 건강한 정신으로 생존하여 있었고 연구진의 인터뷰에 흔쾌히 응했다. 2020년 9월 16일에 한국천문연구원 본원 세종홀 2층 회의실에서 영상통신회의로 그와의 구술인터뷰가 진행되었다. 이 구술인터뷰는 원외 인사가 대상이란 점 외에도 방법적으로는 전형적인 대면 방식이 아닌 영상 인터뷰였다는 점에서 코로나 시대의 대안이 되는 실험적 시도였다. 현대 한국천문학 발전사의 재조명 측면에서도 의미가 있었다. 1960년대 초반부터 1992년 정년퇴임까지 30년을 미국 유수 대학교 천문학과 교수로 재직하며 활발한 활동을 해 온 한국계 천문학자가 우리나라 최초 반사망원경 구매 선정에 적극 개입하였던 역사는, 공문서 자료들과 서신 사료들에 이어 그의 육성으로 나머지 의구심의 간극이 채워졌다. 또 구술자 개인이 주관적으로 중요하다고 여기는 '기억'이 중요한 아카이빙 콘텐츠 확장의 단초가 될 수 있다는 것을 보여줌으로써 구술사 연구에 있어서도 중요한 관점을 주었다. 애초 연구진이 방득룡 전(前)교수의 공식 기록에서 아카이빙의 큰 줄기로 잡았던 것은 1948년 도미, 1957년 위스콘신 대학교 천문학 박사학위 취득, 1962년부터 노스웨스턴 대학(일리노이주 에반스턴)의 천문학 교수진, 1992년 은퇴로 이어진 생애였다. 그러나 그와의 구술 준비 서신 왕래와 구술을 통하여 알게 된 그가 인생에서 중요시 여겼던 지점은, 1948년 도미 무렵 한국의 전쟁 전 상황과 당시 비슷한 시기에 유학한 한국 천문학자들의 동태, 그리고 1957년부터 1962년까지 프린스턴 대학교에서 M. Schwarzschild 교수와 L. Spitzer 교수를 보조하며 Stratoscope Project를 연구하였던 경험이었다. 기록학적 의미에서도, 전자를 통해서 그와 함께 동시대 한국 천문학을 이끌었던 인재들의 맥락정보를 얻을 수 있었으며, 후자를 통해서는 세계 천문학사에 큰 영향을 미친 석학에 대한 아카이브 정보와의 연계 지점과 방득룡 전(前)교수의 연구 근원을 찾을 수 있었다. 이들은 추후 방득룡 콘텐츠 서비스 시에 AIP, NASM, Lyman Spitzer 콘텐츠, 평양천문대, 화천조경천문대, 서울대와 연세대, 그리고 한국천문연구원까지 연계되어 전 세계 폭넓은 이용자들의 유입을 유도할 수 있는 검색 도구가 될 수 있다. 이번 방득룡 구술사 연구에서 구술자 개인의 주관적인 소회가 공식 기록이 다가갈 수 없는 역사적 실체에 일정 부분 가까울 수 있다는 것, 그리고 이를 통하여 개인의 역사는 공동체의 역사로 확장될 수 있다는 사실을 발견할 수 있었다. 또 연구진은 방득룡 전(前)교수의 회상을 통하여 구술자 개인의 시각으로 한국과 미국 천문학계의 공동체 역사를 재조명할 수 있었고, 이것을 아카이브 콘텐츠 확장 서비스에 반영할 수 있다는 기대를 가지게 되었다. 무엇보다 이 연구를 통하여 다양한 주제의 아카이브로 연동될 수 있는 주제어와 검색도구를 구술자 개인의 회상으로부터 유효하게 도출할 수 있다는 것을 확인하였다. 그리고 향후 한국천문 구술아카이브의 확장을 통하여 보다 다양한 활용과 연구 재활용의 선순환이 가능하다는 것도 알 수 있었다. 이는 최근 기록학계에서 대두되고 있는 LOD(Linked Open Data)의 방향성과도 흡사하여 한국천문학 구술사연구의 차세대 통합형 기록관리의 미래모형을 기대케 하는 대목이다.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.161-174
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• 1997

Omega-3 fatty acids have been major research interests in medical and nutritional science relating to life sciences since after the epidemiologic data on Green3and Eskimos reported by several researchers clearly showed fewer per capita deaths from heart diseases and a lower incidence of adult diseases. Linolenic acid(LNA) is an essential fatty acid for human beings as well as linoleic acid(LA) due to the fact that vertebrates lack an enzyme required to incorporate a double bond beyond carbon 9 in the chain. In addition the ratio of omega-6 and 3 fatty acids seems to be important in terms of alleviation of heart diseases since LA and LNA competes for the metabolic pathways of eicosanoids synthesis. High consumption of omega-3 fatty acids in seafoods may control heart diseases by reducing blood cholesterol, triglyceride, VLDL, LDL and increasing HDL and by inhibiting plaque development through the formation of antiaggregatory substances like PGI$_2$, PGI$_3$ and TXA$_3$ metabolized from LNA. Omega 3 fatty acids also play an important role in neuronal developments and visual functioning, in turn influence learning behaviors. Current dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids are limited mostly to seafoods, leafy vegetables, marine and some seed oils and the most appropriate way to provide omega-3 fatty acids is as a part of the normal dietary regimen. The efforts to enhance the intake of omega-3 fatty acids due to several beneficial effects have been made nowadays by way of food processing technology. Two different ways can be applied: one is add Purified and concentrated omega-3 fatty acids into foods and the other is to produce foods with high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids by raising animals with specially formulated feed best for the transfer of omega-3 fatty acids. Recently, items of manufactured and marketed omega-3 fatty acids fortified foodstuffs are pork, milk, cheese, egg, formula milk and ham. In domestic food market, many of them are distributed already, but problem is that nutritional informations on the amounts of omega-3 fatty acids are not presented on the labeling, which might cause distrust of consumers on those products, result in lower sales volumes. It would be very much wise if we consume natural products, result in lower sales volumes. It would be very much wise if we consume natural products high in omega-3 fatty acids to Promote health related to many types of adult diseases rather than processed foods fortified with omega-3 fatty acids.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 2019

Purpose : To evaluate the effectiveness of Jaw-tracking(JT) technique in Intensity-modulated radiation therapy(IMRT) and Volumetric-modulated arc therapy(VMAT) for radiation therapy of esophageal cancer by analyzing volume dose of perimetrical normal organs along with the low-dose volume regions. Materials and Method: A total of 27 patients were selected who received radiation therapy for esophageal cancer with using $VitalBeam^{TM}$(Varian Medical System, U.S.A) in our hospital. Using Eclipse system(Ver. 13.6 Varian, U.S.A), radiation treatment planning was set up with Jaw-tracking technique(JT) and Non-Jaw-tracking technique(NJT), and was conducted for the patients with T-shaped Planning target volume(PTV), including Supraclavicular lymph nodes(SCL). PTV was classified into whether celiac area was included or not to identify the influence on the radiation field. To compare the treatment plans, Organ at risk(OAR) was defined to bilateral lung, heart, and spinal cord and evaluated for Conformity index(CI) and Homogeneity index(HI). Portal dosimetry was performed to verify a clinical application using Electronic portal imaging device(EPID) and Gamma analysis was performed with establishing thresholds of radiation field as a parameter, with various range of 0 %, 5 %, and 10 %. Results: All treatment plans were established on gamma pass rates of 95 % with 3 mm/3 % criteria. For a threshold of 10 %, both JT and NJT passed with rate of more than 95 % and both gamma passing rate decreased more than 1 % in IMRT as the low dose threshold decreased to 5 % and 0 %. For the case of JT in IMRT on PTV without celiac area, $V_5$ and $V_{10}$ of both lung showed a decrease by respectively 8.5 % and 5.3 % in average and up to 14.7 %. A $D_{mean}$ decreased by $72.3{\pm}51cGy$, while there was an increase in radiation dose reduction in PTV including celiac area. A $D_{mean}$ of heart decreased by $68.9{\pm}38.5cGy$ and that of spinal cord decreased by $39.7{\pm}30cGy$. For the case of JT in VMAT, $V_5$ decreased by 2.5 % in average in lungs, and also a little amount in heart and spinal cord. Radiation dose reduction of JT showed an increase when PTV includes celiac area in VMAT. Conclusion: In the radiation treatment planning for esophageal cancer, IMRT showed a significant decrease in $V_5$, and $V_{10}$ of both lungs when applying JT, and dose reduction was greater when the irradiated area in low-dose field is larger. Therefore, IMRT is more advantageous in applying JT than VMAT for radiation therapy of esophageal cancer and can protect the normal organs from MLC leakage and transmitted doses in low-dose field.