• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.275-279
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• 2005

High-salted mineral water (Daehan Deep Water, Korea) that is pumped up from below the sedimentary rock layer of Dadaepo, Busan, Korea has a composition similar with that of deep sea water. Under the well-being boom, the mineral water is processed for various uses including washing or oral administration. However, high concentrations of various minerals in the mineral water are suspected to affect on the physiology of human body, especially on blood pressure (BP). Here, we examined the effect of Hot Mineral(R), dried powder of the mineral water, on the change of BP. Sprague­Dawley rats were grouped and orally administered $2.5\%$ Hot Mineral(R) (group M), $2.5\%$ NaCl (group S) or normal water (group C). Excreted urine was collected in metabolic cage for 24 hours. The systolic blood pressure (SBP) of the group S was remarkably increased (P<0.005) compared with that of the group M and the group C, which showed little changes of the SBP during 2 weeks. While average daily sodium intake were 0.32 mg in the group C, 6.64 mg in the group M and 4.07 mg in the group S, average daily sodium excretion were 11.37 mg, 53.70 mg and 7.75 mg, respectively. These results indicate that the sodium excretion in the group M was much higher than the other two groups. In this study, we suppose that the plenty amount of minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium in Hot Mineral? have an effect not to increase the SBP and to prompt sodium excretion out of the body. Therefore, these results suggest that oral administration of appropriate amount of Hot Mineral(R) for limited period does not induce increased SBP.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.15-22
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• 2005

Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted disease induced by Trichomonas vaginalis, a parasitic protozoan. The symptoms of trichomoniasis are rarely appeared that the infections are distributed worldwide from underdeveloped to developed countries. The diagnosis of trichomoniasis is mainly taken by wet smear following microscopic examination, of which the diagnostic accuracies are poor and varies with the clinicians' experiences. Therefore, more exact and convenient diagnostic methods for T. vaginalis are required. Here, we cloned and expressed recombinant T. vaginalis adhesion protein 33 (rTvAP33) using an E. coli expression system. rTvAP33 was then immunized to rabbit and BALB/c mice for the production of anti-rTvAP33 antibodies. Sandwich ELISA using these antibodies detected T. vaginalis cultured in TYM broth supplemented with ferrous ions. Vagina-parasitizing microorganisms showed low cross-reactivities in this system. These results suggest that Tv AP33 is a good diagnostic target for the detection of TvAP33-expressing T. vaginalis.

• Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry
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• v.67
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• pp.365-372
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• 2018

Wounds that heal with excessive scar formation result in poor functional and aesthetic outcomes. To address this, in our study, visible light cured glycol chitosan (GCH) hydrogels containing endothelial growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) were prepared (GCH-EGF, GCH-FGF and GCH-EGF/FGF) and evaluated their efficacies on the improvement of wound healing in vivo. In vitro release test showed that the growth factors were released in a sustained manner along with initial burst for 24 h. In vitro cell proliferation assay of L-929 mouse fibroblast cell line resulted in the superior ability of GCH-EGF/FGF on the rate. In vivo results demonstrated that the growth factor loaded GCHs further enhanced wound healing compared with GCH. In particular, GCH-EGF/EFG showed the most remarkable wound healing effect among the samples.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.147-155
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• 2014

It has well studied that immune cells are strongly related to tumor progression and tumor suppression. To identify the difference of immune cell between tumor bearing mice and normal mice, we examined systemically the immune cell of CT26 tumor bearing mice on 21 days after tumor cell administration. As previously reported, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells population of tumor bearing mice significantly decreased 38% and 30% on day 21 compared to that of normal mice, respectively. All subpopulation of CD4 and CD8+ T cell significantly decreased, except CD49b+ T cell subpopulation. But, myeloid cell population ($CD11b^{high}$ and all Gr-1+ subpopulation) of tumor bearing mice significantly increased on day 21. Especially, all subpopulation of CD11b+Gr-1+ cell of tumor bearing mice significantly increased on day 21. Also, Foxp3+$CD25^{high}$ CD4 T cell (regulatory T cells) population significantly increased on day 21. These results suggest that tumor can induce the decline of T lymphocyte and the expansion of myeloid cells and regulatory T cells, and provide the basic information for the study of tumor immunology.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.208-215
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to explain the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to investigate the correlation between AD and microRNA. AD is the most common type of dementia, accounting for about 80% of all types of dementia, causing dysfunction in various daily activities such as memory loss, cognitive impairment, and behavioral impairment. The typical pathology of AD is explained by the accumulation of beta-amyloid peptide plaques and neurofibrillary tangles containing hyperphosphorylated tau protein. On the other hand, microRNA is small non-coding RNA 22~23 nucleotides in length that binds to the 3' untranslated region of messenger RNA to inhibit gene expression. Many reports explain that microRNAs found in circulating biofluids are abundant in the central nervous system, are involved in the pathogenic mechanism of AD, and act as important factors for early diagnosis and therapeutic agents of AD. Therefore, this paper aims to clarify the correlation between AD and microRNA. In this review, the basic mechanism of miRNAs is described, and the regulation of miRNAs in the pathological processes of AD are highlighted. Furthermore, we suggest that miRNA-based system in development of therapeutic and diagnostic agents of AD can be a promising tool.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.431-436
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• 2007

Stem cell-based therapy is being considered as an alternative treatment for cardiomyopathy. Hence understanding the basic molecular mechanisms of cardiomyocyte differentiation is important. Besides BMP or Wnt family proteins, $TGF-{\beta}$ family members are thought to play a role in cardiac development and differentiation. Although $TGF-{\beta}$ has been reported to induce cardiac differentiation in embryonic stem cells, the differential role of $TGF-{\beta}$ isoforms has not been elucidated. In this study, employing the DMSO-induced cardiomyocyte differentiation system using P19CL6 mouse embryonic teratocarcinoma stem cells, we investigated the $TGF-{\beta}$-induced signaling pathway in cardiomyocyte differentiation. $TGF-{\beta}1$, but not the other two isoforms of $TGF-{\beta}$, was induced at the mRNA and protein level at an early stage of differentiation, and Smad2 phosphorylation increased in parallel with $TGF-{\beta}1$ induction. Inhibition of $TGF-{\beta}1$ activity with $TGF-{\beta}1$-specific neutralizing antibody reduced cell cycle arrest as well as expression of the CDK inhibitor $p21^{WAF1}$. The antibody also inhibited induction of the cardiac transcription factor Nkx2.5. Taken together, these results suggest that $TGF-{\beta}1$ is involved in cardiomyocyte differentiation by regulating cell cycle progression and cardiac gene expression in an autocrine or paracrine manner.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.48-52
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• 2023

Formaldehyde use is associated with serious health risks, which can affect medical personnel and technicians. Therefore, we investigated the efficacy of an alternative fixative, with respect to two types of formalin fixatives, by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, periodic acid Schiff (PAS) staining, immunohistochemical (IHC) staining, and RNA extraction. For H&E staining, the circular nucleus was stained dark blue by the basic dye hematoxylin and the cytoplasm was stained red by the acid dye eosin in all three fixative samples. No difference was found in the Duksan General Science (DGS), Sigma-Aldrich, and Core-Fix fixative samples (Corebiotech) used to fix kidney tissue, after PAS staining. IHC staining showed that CD4 was significantly increased in the lippolysaccharide (LPS)-treated group compared to the control group (vehicle), confirming the changes in specific molecules. The quantity and quality of RNA from tissues fixed in the three types of fixatives were evaluated. The average concentration of RNA was 106 ng/µL and average purity at A 260/280 ratio was 1.7~2.0, regardless of fixative used. For quality of protein, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) protein was confirmed by Western blotting. In conclusion, Core-Fix can be used as a fixative for pathological tissues, in histological and molecular diagnoses.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2014

RNA granules such as Stress Granules (SG) and P-Bodies (PB) are aggregates of translationally stalled messenger ribonucleoprotein (mRNP) complexes induced by a wide range of stresses. Over the past decade, extensive studies described key components of RNA granules, their molecular interactions and signaling pathways require for their assembly and disassembly. However, researches defining their exact roles under stress conditions have not been performed so far, although several studies suggested their roles in neurodegenerative diseases recently. In this review, we provide an introduction about their basic properties, key components, and the dynamic nature for their assembly.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.127-131
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• 2001

This study was undertaken to examine the effect of amino acids on anoxia-induced cell injury in rabbit renal cortical slices. In order to induce anoxic cell injury, slices were exposed to a 100% $N_2$ atmosphere and control slices were exposed to 100% $O^2$. Irreversible cell injury was estimated by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and alterations in renal cell function were examined by measuring p-aminohippurate (PAH) uptake. Anoxia caused the increase in LDH release in a time-dependent manner. Glycine and glutathione almost completely prevented anoxia-induced LDH release. Of amino acids tested, glycine and alanine exerted the protective effect against anoxia-induced cell injury. However, asparagine with amide side chain, leucine and valine with hydrocarbon side chain, and basic amino acids (lysine, histidine, and arginine) were not effective. Anoxia-induced inhibition of PAM uptake was prevented by glycine. ATP content was decreased by anoxia, which was not affected by glycine. Anoxia-induced depletion of glutathione was significantly prevented by glycine. These results suggest that neutral amino acids with simple structure exert the Protective effect against anoxia-induced cell injury the involvement of specific interaction of amino acids and cell structure.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.319-328
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to identify the factors influencing the stress of the elderly women by various tools and to provide basic data for adaptation to the aging women. For this purpose, stress was measured by stress measuring equipment (HRV) and stress measurement questionnaire (SRI) in 31 elderly women over 60 years old. In summary, the results of this study suggest that the worse the subjective health, and when there is a spouse, it predicts a stress. In order to reduce the stress of elderly women based on these results, physical health management and environmental factors that can enhance the intimacy between husband and wife are also necessary.