• International Journal of Oral Biology
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.115-121
• /
• 2009

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 2 is a potent osteogenic factor. Although both Smad1/5 and mitogenactivated protein kinases (MAPKs) are activated by BMP2, the hierarchical relationship between them is unclear. In this study, we examined if BMP2-stimulated MAPK activation is regulated by Smad1/5 or vice versa. When C2C12 cells were treated with BMP2, the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38 MAPK and c-Jun-N-terminal kinase was evident within 5 min. The knockdown of both Smad1 and Smad5 by small interfering RNA did not affect the activation of these MAPKs. In addition, neither the overexpression of Smad1 nor Smad5 induced ERK activation. When ERK activation was induced by constitutively active MEK1 expression, the protein level and activation of Smad1 increased. Furthermore, the inhibition of constitutively active BMP receptor type IB-induced ERK activation significantly suppressed Smad1 activation. These results indicate that Smad1/5 activation is not necessary for BMP2-induced MAPK activation and also that ERK positively regulates Smad1 activation.

• Genomics & Informatics
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.2.1-2.14
• /
• 2023

Microglia, similar to peripheral macrophages, are the primary immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS). Microglia exist in the resting state in the healthy CNS, but can be activated and polarized into either M1 or M2 subtypes for immune defense and the maintenance of CNS homeostasis by multiple stimuli. Several long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) mediate human inflammatory diseases and neuropathologies by regulating their target genes. However, the function of common lncRNAs that contribute to microglial activation remains unclear. Thus, we used bioinformatic approaches to identify common lncRNAs involved in microglial activation in vitro. Our study identified several lncRNAs as common regulators of microglial activation. We identified 283 common mRNAs and 53 common lncRNAs during mouse M1 microglial activation processes, whereas 26 common mRNAs and five common lncRNAs were identified during mouse M2 microglial activation processes. A total of 648 common mRNAs and 274 common lncRNAs were identified during the activation of human M1 microglia. In addition, we identified 1,920 common co-expressed pairs in mouse M1 activation processes and 25 common co-expressed pairs in mouse M2 activation processes. Our study provides a comprehensive understanding of common lncRNA expression profiles in microglial activation processes in vitro. The list of common lncRNAs identified in this study provides novel evidence and clues regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying microglial activation.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.63-74
• /
• 2005

J. R. PARK. The Analysis of Electrimyography and Kinematic of Kumdo Player's Head Hitting. Korean Journal of Sport Biomechanics, Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 63-74, 2005. The purpose of this study were to describe and compare the selected electromyographical muscle activities of arm and kinematic data of kumdo player's head hitting. Using surface electrode electromyography, we evaluated muscle activity in 6 male players during head hitting motion. Surface electrodes were used to record the level of muscle activity in the carpi radialis, deltoid, triceps, biceps muscles during the player's head hitting. These signals were compared with %RVC(Reference voluntary contraction) which was normalized by IEMG(Integrated EMG). The kumdo head hitting motion was divided into two phases: back swing, down swing. we observed patterns of arm muscle activity throughout two phases of the kumdo head hiting The results can be summarized as follows: right elbow angle had decreased and left deltoid muscle's activation had higher than right deltoid muscle's activation, right carpi radialis muscle's activation had higher than left carpi radialis muscle's activation in back swing phase, knee angle had decreased and left triceps muscle's activation had higher than right triceps muscle's activation, right deltoid muscle's activation had higher than left deltoid muscle's activation, right carpi radialis muscle's activation had higher than left carpi radialis muscle's activation in down swing phase

• Journal of Energy Engineering
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.166-172
• /
• 2004

The activated carbon was produced from Sancheong bamboo by steam and carbon dioxide gas activation methods. The carbonization of raw material was conducted at 90$0^{\circ}C$ and gas activation reactions were conducted with respect to various conditions. -activation temperature 750-90$0^{\circ}C$, the flow rate of steam 0.5-2g-$H_2O$/g-char$.$hr, the flow rate of carbon dioxide 5-30$m\ell$-$CO_2$/g-char-min and activation time 1-5 hr. The prepared activated carbons were measured yield, the adsorption capacity of iodine and methylene blue, BET specific surface area and pore size distribution. The adsorption capacity of iodine (680.5-1526.1 mg/g) and methylene blue (18.3-221.5 mg/g) increased with creasing activation temperature and activation time. The adsorption capacity of iodine and methylene blue increased with the activation gas quantity in the range of 0.5-1.5g-$H_2O$/g-charㆍhr, 5-18.9$m\ell$-Co$_2$/g-charㆍmin. But those decreased over those range due to the pore shrinkage. The steam activation method was superior in efficiency to carbon dioxide activation method.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.49 no.10
• /
• pp.529-535
• /
• 2016

The NLRP3 inflammasome is activated by a variety of external or host-derived stimuli and its activation initiates an inflammatory response through caspase-1 activation, resulting in inflammatory cytokine IL-1β maturation and secretion. The NLRP3 inflammasome activation is a kind of innate immune response, most likely mediated by myeloid cells acting as a host defense mechanism. However, if this activation is not properly regulated, excessive inflammation induced by overactivated NLRP3 inflammasome can be detrimental to the host, causing tissue damage and organ dysfunction, eventually causing several diseases. Previous studies have suggested that mitochondrial damage may be a cause of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and autophagy, which is a conserved self-degradation process that negatively regulates NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Recently, mitochondria-selective autophagy, termed mitophagy, has emerged as a central player for maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis through the elimination of damaged mitochondria, leading to the prevention of hyperinflammation triggered by NLRP3 inflammasome activation. In this review, we will first focus on the molecular mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and NLRP3 inflammasome-related diseases. We will then discuss autophagy, especially mitophagy, as a negative regulator of NLPP3 inflammasome activation by examining recent advances in research.

• Journal of Magnetics
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.35-39
• /
• 2000

The correlation between the activation volumes of wall-motion and nucleation processes in Co/Pd multilayers has been investigated. Each activation volume was estimated from the field dependence of the wall-motion speed and the nucleation rate, respectively, based on time-resolved domain patterns grabbed by a MOKE microscope system. Both the activation volumes are changed in the same manner around $0.2\sim1.1\times10^{-17}cm^3$ with changes in the multilayered structure. Interestingly, the correlation between the activation volumes is sensitive to the multilayered structure; the wall-motion activation volume is smaller than the nucleation activation volume for a sample having a smaller number of repeats and a thinner Co-layer thickness, and vice versa. The correlation is closely related with the contrasting reversal modes; the process having the smaller activation volume dominates.

• KIPS Transactions on Software and Data Engineering
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2022

Deep neural networks are widely used to solve various problems. In a fully connected neural network, the nonlinear activation function is a function that nonlinearly transforms the input value and outputs it. The nonlinear activation function plays an important role in solving the nonlinear problem, and various nonlinear activation functions have been studied. In this study, we propose a combined parametric activation function that can improve the performance of a fully connected neural network. Combined parametric activation functions can be created by simply adding parametric activation functions. The parametric activation function is a function that can be optimized in the direction of minimizing the loss function by applying a parameter that converts the scale and location of the activation function according to the input data. By combining the parametric activation functions, more diverse nonlinear intervals can be created, and the parameters of the parametric activation functions can be optimized in the direction of minimizing the loss function. The performance of the combined parametric activation function was tested through the MNIST classification problem and the Fashion MNIST classification problem, and as a result, it was confirmed that it has better performance than the existing nonlinear activation function and parametric activation function.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.25 no.5
• /
• pp.316-321
• /
• 2013

Purpose: The aimed of this study was to investigate muscle activation related to postural stability according to different frequency of whole body vibration during quiet standing, to identify the most effective training conditions that cause the highest neuromuscular responses, and to evaluate the difference of EMG activation according to the anatomical position of the muscle - proximal or distal from the vibration platform. Methods: Eighteen healthy subjects voluntarily participated in this single-group, repeated-measures study in which EMG data from upper trapezius, rectus abdominalis, external oblique abdominalis, elector spinae, gluteus maximus, rectus femoris, semitendinosus, and gastrocnemius were collected over different frequencies (0-5-10-15-20-25Hz) for each subject during quiet standing. Results: We observed a statistically significant difference in the mean values of %RVC of muscular activation according to different frequencies of whole body vibration during quiet standing in all muscles (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our results indicate that lower frequencies of vibration result in low muscular activation, and higher frequencies elicit high muscular activation. However, the most effective training condition that caused the highest activation was 20 Hz. In addition, the proximally located lower extremity muscles (GCM, RF, ST, GM) showed higher activation than the distally located trunk and neck muscles (ES, EO, RA, UT) together with increasing frequency.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.50 no.1
• /
• pp.182-189
• /
• 2018

A neutron generation system was developed to induce fissile fission in a lead slowing down spectrometer (LSDS) system. The source neutron is one of the key factors for LSDS system work. The LSDS was developed to quantify the isotopic contents of fissile materials in spent nuclear fuel and recycled fuel. The source neutron is produced at a multilayered target by the (e,${\gamma}$)(${\gamma}$,n) reaction and slowed down at the lead medium. Activation analysis of the target materials is necessary to estimate the lifetime, durability, and safety of the target system. The CINDER90 code was used for the activation analysis, and it can involve three-dimensional geometry, position dependent neutron flux, and multigroup cross-section libraries. Several sensitivity calculations for a metal target with different geometries, materials, and coolants were done to achieve a high neutron generation rate and a low activation characteristic. Based on the results of the activation analysis, tantalum was chosen as a target material due to its better activation characteristics, and helium gas was suggested as a coolant. In addition, activation in a lead medium was performed. After a distance of 55 cm from the lead surface to the neutron incidence, the neutron intensity dramatically decreased; this result indicates very low activation.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.209-215
• /
• 1980

Proteases from papaya latex were partially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and separated into two fractions (Fraction I and II ) by carboxymethyl cellelose column chromatography. Each fraction, mixture of the two fractions, and crude extract of the papaya latex at pH 7.0 were inactivated at the range of $60{\sim}90^{\circ}C$ and thermal properties of the enzymes were investigated. In the thermal inactivation of fraction I, the enthalpy of activation was 89.5 kJ/mol; the entropy of activation, -44.0 J/mol K; the free energy of activation, 104.6 kJ/mol; z-value, $25^{\circ}C$. For fraction II, the enthalpy of activation was 96.5 kJ,/mol; the entropy of activation, -22.0 J/mol K; the free energy of activation, 104.0 kJ/mol; z-value, $23^{\circ}C$. For the mixture of fraction I and II, the enthalpy of activation was 90.9 kJ/mol; the entropy of activation, -38.8 J/mol·K; the free energy of activation, 104.2 kJ/mol; z-value, $24.6^{\circ}C$. For crude extract, the enthalpy of activation was 113.8 kJ/mol; the entropy of activation, 22.0 J/mol·K; the free energy of activation, 106.2 kJ/mol; z-value, $23.2^{\circ}C$. It was indicated that the fraction I was more heat-stable than the fraction II and this suggested that the thermal stability of the proteases in papaya latex is probably due to the fraction I.