• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2008

Although many studies show that thromboxane $A_2\;(TXA_2)$ has the action of gastrointestinal (GI) motility using GI muscle cells and tissue, there are no reports on the effects of $TXA_2$ on interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) that function as pacemaker cells in GI tract. So, we studied the modulation of pacemaker activities by $TXA_2$ in ICC with whole cell patch-clamp technique. Externally applied $TXA_2\;(5{\mu}M)$ produced membrane depolarization in current-clamp mode and increased tonic inward pacemaker currents in voltage-clamp mode. The tonic inward currents by $TXA_2$ were inhibited by intracellular application of GDP-${\beta}$-S. The pretreatment of ICC with $Ca^{2+}$ free solution and thapsigargin, a $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase inhibitor in endoplasmic reticulum, abolished the generation of pacemaker currents and suppressed the $TXA_2$-induced tonic inward currents. However, chelerythrine or calphostin C, protein kinase C inhibitors, did not block the $TXA_2$-induced effects on pacemaker currents. These results suggest that $TXA_2$ can regulate intestinal motility through the modulation of ICC pacemaker activities. This modulation of pacemaker activities by $TXA_2$ may occur by the activation of G protein and PKC independent pathway via extra and intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ modulation.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.20-29
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• 1989

The humoral immune response of Eicosapentanoic acid(EPA) was investigated in mice. ICR male mice were divided into 8 groups and received intraperitoneal injection of EPA(5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg/kg) for 4 weeks. Cyclophosphamide(5 mg/kg) was administered i.p. 2 days prior to secondary immunization. Humoral immune response was evaluated by antibody titer, hypersensitivity to SRBC (Arthus), plaque forming cell(PFC) and organ weight. The ontanined results were as followings: The increased rate of body weight, the ratio of liver weight, spleen weight to body weight were decreased by all EPA administration groups as compared to normal group. HA titer, HY titer and Arthus reaction were enhanced according to the increase of EPA doses as compared to normal group. PFC was significantly enhanced by EPA 10 mg administration group. These results suggest that EPA enhances humoral immune response to SRBC in mice, indicating that EPA may block a immunoglobulin synthesis inhibition of arachidonic acid.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.204-208
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• 1995

The cytologic findings of endodermal sinus tumor of the ovary are reported. The cytologic preperations were obtained from ascitic specimens. The findings on Papanicolaou-stained smears included a clean background and poorly preserved atypical cells loosely arranged in irregular or papillary groups. At high magnification, the cells had ill-defined and microvacuolated cytoplasms, with an increased nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio and prominent nucleoli. Hyaline globules characteristic of the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-synthesizing cells of endodermal sinus tumor were observed within the cells with periodic-acid-Schiff(PAS) stain. The presence of PAS-positive hyaline globules can be regarded, therefore, as a diagnostic clue to endodermal sinus tumor in an appropriate clinical setting and in the presence of AFP production. The cytologic findings in a cell block is important, in addition to smears, to obtain more diagnostic clues. A preliminary cytomorphologic diagnosis of this highly malignant tumor is valuable as a guide in planning further immunocytochemical and serologic studies.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.12-27
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to study main characters' (Roxie Hart, Velma Kelly) costumes and color images in the movie "Chicago". First, regarding the costumes and color images in characters, Roxie's straight silhouette slip in skin tone reflected her frailty and monotonous routines in reality. On the other hand, a white beaded dress showed her fame-hungry and self-absorption in fantasy. Also, a low waistline blue dress and a see-through black dress with a white collar were to disguise her guilt and draw sympathy to win a suitcase. Black and contrasting colors of red and blue body-suit style dresses expressed Velma's sensual attraction, aggressiveness, and desperation. Second, these images were reinforced by color images in the backgrounds in the film. On the scene of Velma's 'cell block tango', black and red showed her strong character. Contrasting colors of the red and blue expressed Velma's desire and despair in her act of 'the desperation'. As for images of black color on Roxie's stages, they represented her self-absorption and frustration of failing to attract public attention. On the ending of duet performance of Roxie and Velma, the yellow of the background expressed success and joy in life.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.158-161
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• 1998

An inhibitor of farnesy-protein transferae is known to be a fgood candidate for antitumor agent that block the oncogenic activity of Ras protein . We recently isolated and characterized dihydrotanshinone I from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen), an oriental herb, which has an inhibitory activity of toposimerase I to some cancer cell lines. In order to examine the molecular mechanism of dihydrotanshinone I, we studied the farmesy-Protein Transferase activity by dihydrotanshinone I. As a result, we found that result, we found that dihydrotanshinone I showed inhibitory effect on farnesyl-protein transferase with $IC_{50}$ value of 15 ug/ml. This result suggest that dihydrotanshinone I may be an useful anticancer agent with the inhibitory activity of farnesyl-protein transferase.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.641-654
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• 2014

A new computer code, named CORONA (Core Reliable Optimization and thermo-fluid Network Analysis), was developed for the core thermo-fluid analysis of a prismatic gas cooled reactor. The CORONA code is targeted for whole-core thermo-fluid analysis of a prismatic gas cooled reactor, with fast computation and reasonable accuracy. In order to achieve this target, the development of CORONA focused on (1) an efficient numerical method, (2) efficient grid generation, and (3) parallel computation. The key idea for the efficient numerical method of CORONA is to solve a three-dimensional solid heat conduction equation combined with one-dimensional fluid flow network equations. The typical difficulties in generating computational grids for a whole core analysis were overcome by using a basic unit cell concept. A fast calculation was finally achieved by a block-wise parallel computation method. The objective of the present paper is to summarize the motivation and strategy, numerical approaches, verification and validation, parallel computation, and perspective of the CORONA code.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Telematics and Electronics C
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• v.34C no.2
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• pp.1-11
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• 1997

We developed a base station modulator ASIC for CDMA digital cellular system. In CDMA digital cellular system, the modulation is performed by convolutional encoding and QPSK with spread spectrum. The function blocks of base station modulator are CRC, convolutional encoder, interleaver pseudo-moise scrambler, power control bit puncturing, walsh cover, QPSK, gain controller, combiner and multiplexer. Each function block was designed by the logic synthesis of VHDL codes. The VHDL code was described at register transfer level and the size of code is about 8,000 lines. The circuit simulation and logic simulation were performed by COMPASS tools. The chip (ES-C2212B CMB) contains 25,205 gates and 3 Kbit SRAM, and its chip size is 5.25 mm * 5,45 mm in 0.8 mm CMOS cell-based design technology. It is packaged in 68 pin PLCC and the power dissipation at 10MHz is 300 mW at 5V. The ASIC has been fully tested and successfully working on the CDMA base station system.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.428-430
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• 2011

We previously demonstrated that in vivo engagement of CD137, a member of TNF receptor superfamily, can delete allorective $CD4^+$ T cells through the induction of activation-induced cell death (AICD) in chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) and subsequently reverse established cGVHD. In this study, we further showed that agonistic anti-CD137 mAb was highly effective in triggering AICD of donor $CD8^+$ T cells as well as donor $CD4^+$ T cells in the $C57BL/6{\rightarrow}unirradiated$ $(C57BL/6\;{\times}\;DBA/2)F1$ acute GVHD model. Our results suggest that strong allostimulation should facilitate AICD of both alloreactive $CD4^+$ and $CD8^+$ T cells induced by CD137 stimulation. Therefore, depletion of pathogenic T cells using agonistic anti-CD137 mAb combined with potent TCR stimulation may be used to block autoimmune or inflammatory diseases mediated by T cells.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.18-24
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• 2024

The origin and distribution of median nerve varies among the different individuals. The median nerve variations in axillary region were reported by many authors previously. Understanding of these variations is especially necessary for clinicians to prevent iatrogenic nerve damage. The current work aimed to evaluate the possible anatomical variations of median nerve in the axillary region in a sample of the Iranian cadavers (Shiraz, Fars). We dissected 26 upper limbs from 13 male cadavers to investigate the different variations of median and musculocutaneous nerves according to Venieratos and Anagnostopoulou classification. In 23.07% of specimens (n=6), the medial root united with 2 lateral roots and formed the median nerve proximal to the coracobrachialis muscle. In one case, a communicating branch separated from the musculocutaneous nerve distal to the coracobrachialis and connected to the median nerve in upper arm. Our results suggest that there are anatomical variations of the median nerve in terms of its origin and its communication with the musculocutaneous nerve in the population of southern Iran. The anatomical knowledge of the median nerve variations is important for clinicians to improve patient health outcome. Theses variations of the median nerve should be considered during surgical procedures of the axillary region and nerve block of the infra clavicular part of the brachial plexus.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.1256-1266
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• 2004

2-Bromooctanoic acid (2-BrOA) is known to block the formation of polyhydroxyalkanoic acid (PHA) in Pseudomonasfluorescens BM07 without any influence on the cell growth when grown on fructose, but it inhibits the cell growth when grown on octanoate (OA) (Lee et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67: 4963- 4974, 2001). We investigated the role of 2-BrOA in the PHA synthesis of the bacterium grown with mixtures of fructose and fatty acids. OA, 11­phenoxyundecanoic acid (1 1-POU), and 5-phenylvaleric acid (5-PV) were selected as model substrates. When supplemented with 50 mM fructose, all these carboxylic acids suppressed the formation of PHA from fructose, however, the ~-oxidation coenzyme A monomers derived from the carboxylic acids were efficiently polymerized, but the conversion yield [(mol of carboxylate substrate converted into PHA)/(mol of carboxylate substrate in the feed)] was low (e.g., maximally $\~53\%$ for 5 mM 11-POU). Addition of 2-BrOA (up to 5 mM) to the mixed carbon sources raised the conversion yield sensitively and effectively only at low levels of the acid substrates (e.g., 2 mM 1 1-POU or 5 mM OA): For instance, $100\%$ of 2 mM ll-POU were converted into PHA in the presence of 5 mM 2-BrOA, whereas only $\~10\%$ of the 1 1-POU were converted in the absence of 2-BrOA. However, at highly saturated suppressing levels (e.g., 5 mM ll-POU), 2-BrOA inhibitor showed no significant additional effect on the conversion ($60- 70\%$ conversion irrespective of 2-BrOA level). The existence of competitive and compensative relationship between 2­BrOA and all the carboxylic acid substrates used may indicate 'Present address: Section on Brain Physiology and Metabolism, Bldg. 10, Rm. 6N202, National Institute on Agmg, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, U.S.A. that all the acid substrate-derived inhibiting species bind to the same site as the 2-BrOA inhibiting species does. We, therefore, suggest that 2-BrOA can be used for efficiently increasing the yield of conversion of expensive substituted fatty acids into PHA and then substituted 3-hydroxyacids by hydrolyzing it.