• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.893-900
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• 2011

Prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) is one of the widely used biomarkers in the diagnosis of prostate cancer. It was initially identified in 1935 and is the most abundant phosphatase in the human prostate. PAP is a prostate-specific enzyme that is synthesized in prostate epithelial cells. It belongs to the acid phosphatase group that shows enzymatic activity in acidic conditions. PAP is abundant in prostatic fluid and is thought to have a role in fertilization and oligospermia. It also has a potential role in reducing chronic pain. But one of the most apparent functions of PAP is the dephosphorylation of macromolecules such as HER-2 and PI3P that are involved in the ERK1/2 and MAPK pathways, which in turn leads to inhibition of cell growth and tumorigenesis. Currently, clinical trials using PAP DNA vaccine are underway and FDA-approved immunotherapy using PAP is commercially available. Despite these clinically important aspects, molecular mechanisms underlying PAP regulation are not fully understood. The promoter region of PAP was reported to be regulated by NF-${\kappa}B$, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-1, androgen and androgen receptors. Here, the features of PAP gene and protein structures together with the function, regulation and roles of PAP in prostate cancer are discussed.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1291-1300
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• 2014

Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are a ubiquitous family of antioxidant enzymes that participate in a variety of biological processes, including $H_2O_2$-mediated signal transduction, molecular chaperoning, and mitochondrial function. In this study, we isolated and characterized a Prx 2 cDNA from abalone (Haliotis discus hannai). The abalone Prx 2 cDNA encoded a 199-amino acid polypeptide that belongs to a class of typical 2-Cys Prxs that contain peroxidatic and resolving cysteines. The deduced abalone Prx 2 protein showed strong homology (64-99%) with Prx 2 proteins from other species, including mollusk, fish, amphibians, and mammals, and it was most closely related to disk abalone (H. discus discus) Prx 2. Abalone Prx 2 mRNA was ubiquitously detected in tested tissues, and its expression was comparatively high in the mantle, gills, liver, foot, and digestive duct. The expression level of abalone Prx 2 mRNA was 106.7-fold, 51.9-fold, and 437.8-fold higher, respectively, in the gills, digestive duct, and liver than in the muscles. The expression level of abalone Prx 2 mRNA in the liver peaked at 6 hr postinfection with Vibrio parahemolyticus and decreased at 12 hr postinfection. The expression level of abalone Prx 2 mRNA in hemocytes was drastically increased at 1 hr postinfection with V. parahemolyticus. These results suggest that abalone Prx 2 is conserved through evolution and that it may play a role similar to that of its mammalian counterpart.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.746-749
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• 2006

Two known flavonoids, luteolin (1) and acacetin (2) were isolated from a $CHCI_3$ soluble fraction of the whole plants of Chrysanthemum zawadskii Herbich var. latilobum Kitamura, and their structures were determined by NMR analysis. The luteolin (1) was isolated from this plant for the first time. These compounds were examined for their in vitro cytotoxic activities against four human cancer cell lines including HCT116 (colon), UO-31 (renal), PC-3 (prostate) and A549 (lung) by sulforhodamine B(SRB) assay. Acacetin (2) showed significant cytotoxic activity against HCT116 and UO-31 cells with an $IC_{50}$ of 2.44 and $2.89\;{\mu}g/ml$, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.435-438
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• 2017

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) contains M. avium-intracellular complex (MAC), M. fortuitum, M. chelonae, M. abscessus, M. kansasii, etc., which causes infections in swine, poultry, and other animals. These bacteria are opportunistic pathogens that can contaminate people, and in doing so, cause various social economic problems. This study proved that NTM are also present in air conditioners of multiuse facilities in frequently visited populated areas. The results of this study are meaningful because they showed that pathogenic microbes can live in the surroundings and cause diseases to people with impaired immunity. This study used the AFB stain, L-J medium culture, and PCR method for the detection of MTB and NTM in air conditioner dust. MTB was not detected in any of the collected samples, while NTM was detected in 2 out of 40 samples (5%). Most people living in the modern environment cannot avoid being exposed to air conditioners so special attention is needed for sanitary inspections and the management of air conditioners. Moreover, it is important to study NTM through various individuals, accumulate the related data and establish the methods and standards of hygiene management system to reduce NTM infections in public areas. Moreover, it would be necessary to identify the precise species of NTM through DNA sequencing and evaluate the effects of NTM on the pulmonary tuberculosis in immunodeficiency patients.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.421-425
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• 1993

Hololeion maximowiczii root was analyzed for proximate composition, free sugar, fatty acids of crude lipid, amino acids and minerals after freeze dried (FD), hot air dried (HAD) and hot air dried after blanched (HADB), respectively. Proximate composition was little different among drying methods. Free sugar was abundant in order of sucrose $(28{\sim}29mg/g\;dw)$, fructose $(0.8{\sim}3mg/g\;dw)$, glucose and xylose (trace). Fructose was decreased in HADB. In fatty acid composition of crude lipids, linoleic acid was highest $(55{\sim}59%)$ and then palmitic and linolenic acid in abundance. These three fatty acids made $88{\sim}90%$ of total lipid, Low molecular fatty acids showed decreasing tendancy in HAD and HADB. Amino acid composition of hydrolyzed sample showed abundancy in order of arginine $(34{\sim}42mg/g)$, lysine, glutamic acid, glycine, aspartic acid, valine and histidine, while that of free amino acids was arginine, histidine, lysine, aspartic acid, serine, glutamic acid, isoleucine. Glycine and glutamic acid in hydrolyzed sample showed slight decreasing tendency in HADB. Mineral content was abundance in order of Ca $(1927{\sim}2379\;ppm),\;K\;(1159{\sim}1259ppm)$ and $Mg(760{\sim}777\;ppm)$. No difference was found in drying methods.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.136-140
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• 2000

Two steroidal saponins were isolated from MeOH extract of the rhizomes of Asparagus oligoclonos. Using the spectroscopic techniques of $^1H,\;^{13}C$ NMR and 2D NMR, they were identified as $3-O-[{\beta}-D-glucopyranosyl-(1{\rightarrow}2)-{\beta}-D-glucopyranosyl]-(25S)-spirostan-3{\beta}-ol$ and $3-O-{{\beta}-D-glucopyranosyl-(1{\rightarrow}2)-[{\beta}-D-xylopyranosyl-(1{\rightarrow}4)]-{\beta}-D-glucopyranosyl}-(25S)-spirostan-3{\beta}-ol$, respectively. They were first isolated from A. oligoclonos. The in vitro antibacterial activities as well as antibacterial spectrums against 20 bacteria strains were investigated with MIC test. Both saponins inhibited the growth of 10 bacteria strains at the concentration of$100\;{\mu}g/ml$.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.106-109
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• 2000

In order to determine the optimum harvest time of Acanthopanax koreanum Nakai, free sugars, organic acids, amino acids and minerals were investigated. Ash, crude fat and crude protein of 4-age's tree of Acanthopanax koreanum were $2.98%{\sim}3.90%,\;1.93%{\sim}2.34%,\;3.52%{\sim}4.23%$, respectively. Minerals were 835.9 mg/100g of K, 971.3 mg/100g of Ca, 168.7 mg/100g of Mg, 38.8 mg/100g, of Na, 18.6 mg/100g of Fe, and 8.5 mg/100g of Cu on average, respectively. Calcium content was increased distinguishably as late as harvest time, especially in stem and root. Glucose, fructose and sucrose content of stem were $0.71{\sim}0.75%,\;0.31{\sim}0.03%,\;and\;0.16{\sim}0.21%$, respectively. Organic acid was $381.0\;mg/100g{\sim}504.9\;mg/100g$, and was mainly consisted of succinic acid, citric acid and malic acid. Twelve kinds of free amino acids were detected. Total amino acids was $33.56\;mg/100g{\sim}48.60\;mg/100g$, and it was the highest on samples harvested at September. Arginine, phenylalanine and glutamic acid were the main free amino acids of stems.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.271-277
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• 2017

Ethyl formate has been used for the control of insect pests by fumigation. However, there were not many reports to show its target site of fumigant toxicity on insect pests since its first use in the agricultural industry. In the present study, we showed the presumable target sites of ethyl formate fumigation in insect pests using Myzus persicae nymphs. After ethyl formate fumigation, the nymphs of this species were collected and the changes at the biochemical and molecular level were determined. The activity of cytochrome c oxidase (COX) was approximately two-fold higher after ethyl formate fumigation. In addition, the expression levels of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) decreased gradually with increasing ethyl formate concentration. These two findings suggested that COX and AChE might be the major target sites of ethyl formate fumigation. In addition to these results, the analysis of lipid content using MALDI-TOF MS/MS identified 9 phospholipids differently generated 2-fold higher in the ethyl formate-treated nymphs than that in the control nymphs, thereby leading to changes in cell membrane composition in M. persicae nymphs. Therefore, the ethyl formate fumigation caused lethal effects on M. persicae nymphs by changing COX activity, AChE gene expression, and phospholipid production.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.288-291
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• 2012

Korean oak wilt disease caused by Raffaelea quercus-mongolicae is vectored by the ambrosia beetle Platypus koryoensis. To prevent the spread of the disease, the beetle infested oak tree had been cut into logs, covered with plastic vinyl, fumigated with a pesticide, and stored for three years on the site where the tree was cut. This study was carried out to get information on the fungi colonizing the fumigated oak wood. Wood disk samples collected from the fumigated oak logs at two locations in the Taejo Mountain, Cheonan city, were used for fungal isolation. A total of 99 filamentous fungal isolates were obtained from the wood disk samples. Hypocrea spp., Trichoderma spp. and Penicillium spp. were identified based on morphological characteristics and nucleotide sequence analysis of translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene and ITS rDNA region. Trichoderma was the major fungal group. R. quercus-mongolicae, and P. koryoensis were not detected from the fumigated oak wood. Our work provided evidence that after three years of storage, the fumigated oak wilt-diseased logs should be no longer harmful source of oak wilt disease transmission.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.71-78
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• 2012

Purpose: Human bocavirus (hBoV), a recently discovered virus, has been detected in children with respiratory tract infections worldwide. The aim of this study was to analyze the frequency and molecular phylogeny of hBoV in the respiratory samples of children with acute respiratory tract infections in 2010. Methods: Nasopharyngeal samples were collected from 953 children with lower respiratory tract infections at Severance children's hospital in Korea from January 2010 to December 2010. We applied the multiplex PCR technique for the identification of 12 respiratory viruses from the samples. Among the total specimens, hBoV positive samples were subjected to phylogenetic analysis by sequencing a fragment of the VP1/VP2 gene junction. Results: hBoV was detected in 141 (14.8%) among 953 patients. The 61.7% of hBoV-positive samples were found to co-exist with other respiratory viruses. The results of phylogenetic analysis showed that all 141 hBoV-positive isolates were identified as hBoV 1, revealing a high similarity among the isolates (>98%). Conclusion: hBoV 1 with minimal sequence variations circulated in children with acute respiratory infections during 2010. More research is needed to determine the clinical severity and outcomes of the minimal sequence variations.