• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.1177-1181
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• 2010

The synthesis and characterization of gold nanoparticles coated by Gd-chelate (GdL@Au) is described, where L is a conjugate of DTPA (DTPA = diethylenetriamine-N,N,N',N",N"-pentaacetic acid) and 4-aminothiophenol. These particles are obtained by the replacement of citrate from the gold nanoparticle surfaces with gadolinium chelate (GdL). The average size of GdL@Au is 12 nm with a loading of GdL reaching up to $1.4{\times}10^3$ per particles, and they demonstrate very high r1 relaxivity (${\sim}10^4mM^{-1}s^{-1}$) and the r1 relaxivity per [Gd] is as high as $10mM^{-1}s{-1}$. Here, we also describe the use of bimodality of this contrast agent (CA) as a highly efficient CT contrast agent based on gold nanoparticles (GNPs) that overcome the limitations of iodine based contrast agent. The MTT assay performed on this CAs reveals the cytotoxicity as low as that for Omniscan$^{(R)}$ in the concentration range required to obtain intensity enhancement in the in vivo MRI study.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.69-70
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• 2016

Mutations of orthodentricle homeobox 2 (OTX2) in human and mice often cause retinal dystrophy and nyctalopia, suggesting a role of OTX2 in mature retina, in addition to its functions in the development of the eye and retina. In support of this, the number of bipolar cells in Otx2^+/− post-natal mouse retina was found to be significantly lower than normal. Degeneration of the cells becomes greater as the mice age, leading to the loss of vision. Especially, the type-2 OFF-cone bipolar cells, which do not express Otx2 mRNA but carry Otx2 protein, are most sensitive to Otx2 haplodeficiency. Interestingly, this bipolar cell subpopulation imports Otx2 protein from photoreceptors to protect itself from glutamate excitotoxicity in the dark. Moreover, in the bipolar cells, the exogenous Otx2 relocates to the mitochondria to support mitochondrial ATP synthesis. This novel mitochondrial activity of exogenous Otx2 highlights the therapeutic potential of Otx2 protein transduction in retinal dystrophy.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.193-200
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• 2012

We examined the effects of polyamines such as putrescine and cadaverine on the biosynthesis and secretion of insulin in the mouse pancreatic ${\beta}$-cell line, MIN-6. Basal insulin secretion (BIS) and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) from the MIN-6 cells were significantly increased by 20 min- or 24 h-treatment with micromolar concentrations of polyamines. To determine whether the enhancement was due to increase of insulin production by polyamines, we investigated the insulin mRNA and protein production. Both insulin mRNA and protein production were found to be not significantly affected by the polyamine treatment. Next, we examined the expression of several transcription factors (TFs) related to insulin synthesis and secretion in order to identify upstream events responsible for the promotion of insulin secretion of MIN6 cells by polyamines. Of the 6 TFs tested, MafA was induced by treatment of polyamines. MafA mRNA and protein expressions increased with treatment of polyamines. Overall results suggest that cadaverine and putrescine promote the insulin secretion process rather than the insulin biosynthesis from MIN6 cells. Also MafA may be involved in the enhanced insulin secretion process. Further studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms for promotion of insulin secretion by polyamines.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.211.1-211.1
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• 2016

Several reports have demonstrated the wide range of nonthermal plasma applications in biomedical field including cancers, diabetics, wound healing and cosmetics. Recently, it has been shown that plasma is able to modulate the p38 MAPK and JUN level in cells which has a crucial role in melanin synthesis and skin pigmentation. Therefore we investigated the effect of plasma on melanogenesis in-vitro using melanoma (B16F10) cells and in-vivo using mouse and zebra fish. To investigate the mechanism of plasma action, plasma device characteristics were measured, reactive species inside and outside the cells were detected, and western blot was performed to find the signaling pathway involved in melanin activation in-vitro and in-vivo. This is the first report presenting the role of nonthermal plasma for melanogenesis which provides a new perspective of plasma in the field of dermatology.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.25-29
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• 2015

The determination of the optimum conditions for the conversion of ergosterol to vitamin $D_2$ in shitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) was studied using response surface methodology (RSM). The effects of the three main variables ambient temperature ($20-40^{\circ}C$), exposure time (60-180 min), and irradiation intensity ($0.6-1.8W/m^2$) were investigated. According to the RSM ridge analysis, the optimum conditions were as follows: ambient temperature of $34.2^{\circ}C$, exposure time of 175.6 min, and irradiation intensity of $1.41W/m^2$. Under these optimum conditions, the maximum vitamin $D_2$ content of $117.93{\mu}g/g$ in shitake mushrooms was obtained, which agreed fairly well with the predicted value of $122.60{\mu}g/g$.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.113-118
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• 2009

Actin cytoskeletal architecture is believed to be a crucially important modulator of chondrocyte phenotype. 2DG(2-Dexoy-D-glucose) induces reorganization of actin cytoskeletal architecture in chondrocytes. In this study, we have investigated the effects of 2DG on dedifferentiation and inflammation via reorganization of cytoskeletal architecture in rabbit articular chondrocytes, with a focus on p38 kinase pathway. Treatment of 2DG alone reduced type II collagen and COX-2 expression in chondrocytes. But, 2DG reduced type II collagen was recovered by CD, disruptor of actin cytoskeletal architecture, whereas did not affect on COX-2 expression and production of $PGE_2$ compared with 2DG alone treated cells. Treatment of 2DG with JAS, inducer of cytoskeletal architecture polymerization, accelerated reduction of type II collagen expression and synthesis of proteoglycan but did not affect on COX-2 expression and production of $PGE_2$. Also, 2DG stimulated activation of p38 kinase. This result showed that 2DG regulates type II collagen but not cyclooxygenase-2 expression through reorganization of cytoskeletal architecture via p38 kinase pathway in rabbit articular chondrocytes.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.95-99
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• 1984

Some derivatives of 3-oxo-1,2-benzisothiazole-1,1-dioxide were synthesized, and their antifungal activities against Pyricularia oryzae was determined by the agar medium dilution method. $I_{50}$ values of the candidate derivatives were shown to be as follows; 3-chloro(37.8ppm), 2-chloro(318.7ppm), MCS(20.1ppm), 2-allyl(946.2ppm), 3-(p-nitrophenyloxy) (35.4ppm), 3-(o-nitrophenyloxy) (11.8ppm), 3-(p-aminophenyloxy) (1643.2ppm), 2-chloromethyl(192.7ppm) and 2-hydroxymethyl derivative(248.4ppm).

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.9-13
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• 2001

Essential hypertension is considered to be a multifactorial disease that is influenced not only by environmental factors but also by genetic factors. Genes involved in lipoprotein synthesis, modification and metabolism are candidates for essential hypertension. The purpose of this study was to estimate gene frequencies of paraoxonase/arylesterase (PON1) gene in Korean population and investigate the relationship between genotypes of this gene and essential hypertension or cardiovascular risk factors. In order to estimate the genotype frequencies, Alw I RFLP of PON1 gene was used as genetic marker. There were no significant differences in allele and genotype frequencies between normotensives and essential hypertensives, respectively. However, Alw I RELP of PON1 gene were significantly associated with plasma HDL-cholesterol level in Korean population (one-way ANOVA test, p=0.008). Therefore, our result suggest that this RFLP of PON1 gene may be protective marker on cardiovascular disease in Korean population.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.33-37
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• 1998

The effects of initial pH on the synthesis of new microporus zeolitic materials, ETS-4 and ETS-10 were investigated with the initial pH from 10.4 to 11.5. The results showed that initial pH significantly affect the type of ETS-series materials to be crystallized ; that is, pure ETS-10 at 10.4 of pH, mixture of ETS-10 and ETS-4 at intermediate pH, and pure ETS-4 at pH. Micrographs show that the morphology of final solid product changes from the shape contacting the bottom sides of two truncated pyramids to the plane-like shape as initial pH increases.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.478-484
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• 1996

Recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) was produced by E. coli BL21 harboring a plasmid pYHB101. The maximum production was 68.7 mg/l when the E. coli strain was cultured at 25$\circ$C for 48 hours in the modified MBL medium containing 10 g/l glucose with 1 mM IPTG induction at 2 hours after inoculation. The rhEGF was purified upto 267 folds by Amberlite XAD- 7 chromatography, ultrafiltration, and DEAE Sepharose fast flow ion exchange chromatography with an overall yield of 66.6%. The purified rhEGF was further separated into two fractions by HPLC. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the second fraction was Asn-Ser-Asp-Ser-Glu-Cys-Pro-Leu-Ser-His. The effect of rhEGF on the DNA synthesis was examined using in vitro biological assay based on the incorporation of 5'-bromo-2'- deoxy-uridine (BrdU). The purified rhEGF shows no difference with natural human epidermal growth factor (nhEGF) in N-terminal amino acids residues and biological activity. From the results, we concluded that rhEGF produced from E. coli harboring the plasmid pYHB101 was apparently the same as nhEGF.