• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.3.1-3.10
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• 2023

Characterization as well as prediction of the secondary and tertiary structure of hypothetical proteins from their amino acid sequences uploaded in databases by in silico approach are the critical issues in computational biology. Severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV), which is responsible for pneumonia alike diseases, possesses a wide range of proteins of which many are still uncharacterized. The current study was conducted to reveal the physicochemical characteristics and structures of an uncharacterized protein Q6S8D9_SARS of SARS-CoV. Following the common flowchart of characterizing a hypothetical protein, several sophisticated computerized tools e.g., ExPASy Protparam, CD Search, SOPMA, PSIPRED, HHpred, etc. were employed to discover the functions and structures of Q6S8D9_SARS. After delineating the secondary and tertiary structures of the protein, some quality evaluating tools e.g., PROCHECK, ProSA-web etc. were performed to assess the structures and later the active site was identified also by CASTp v.3.0. The protein contains more negatively charged residues than positively charged residues and a high aliphatic index value which make the protein more stable. The 2D and 3D structures modeled by several bioinformatics tools ensured that the proteins had domain in it which indicated it was functional protein having the ability to trouble host antiviral inflammatory cytokine and interferon production pathways. Moreover, active site was found in the protein where ligand could bind. The study was aimed to unveil the features and structures of an uncharacterized protein of SARS-CoV which can be a therapeutic target for development of vaccines against the virus. Further research are needed to accomplish the task.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.35-39
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• 2017

D-chiro-inositol (DCI) is a secondary messenger in insulin signal transduction. It is produced in vivo from myo-inositol via action of epimerase. In this study, we evaluated antitumor activity of DCI against human breast cancer both in vitro and in vivo. In order to determine the inhibitory effects of DCI on growth of human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231), two different assessment methods were implemented: MTT assay and mouse xenograft assay. MTT assay demonstrated downturn in cell proliferation by DCI treatment (1, 5, 10, 20 and 40 mM) groups by 18.3% (p < 0.05), 17.2% (p < 0.05), 17.5% (p < 0.05), 18.4% (p < 0.05), and 24.9% (p < 0.01), respectively. Also, inhibition of tumor growth was investigated in mouse xenograft model. DCI was administered orally at the dose of 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg body weight to treat nude mouse for 45 consecutive days. On the 45th day, tumor growth of DCI (500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg) groups was suppressed by 22.1% and 67.6% as mean tumor volumes were $9313.8{\pm}474.1mm^3$ and $3879.1{\pm}1044.1mm^3$, respectively. Furthermore, breast cancer stem cell (CSC) phenotype ($CD44^+/C24^-$) was measured using flow cytometry. On the 46th day, CSC ratios of DCI (500 mg/kg) and co-treatment with doxorubicin (4 mg/kg) and DCI (500 mg/kg) group decreased by 24.7% and 53.9% (p < 0.01), respectively. Finally, from tumor recurrence assay, delay of 5 days in the co-treatment group compared to doxorubicin (4 mg/kg) alone group was observed. Based on these findings, we propose that DCI holds potential as an anti-cancer drug for treatment of breast cancer.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.163-168
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• 2004

This research was carried out to investigate the moisture evaporation and property change depenging on the composting temperature for the escalator reversing composting system. The system was supported by the Y livestock cooperative composting factory. According to the test, the composting remperature eas varied in the range of $65\~80^{\circ}C$. The water content was de-creased to $75\%$ and became about $60\%$ at the end of the phase. Total nitrogen became $0.58\%$, total phosphoric acid $1.47\%$ and potashium $0.49\%$ at the end of the phase.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.33-33
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• 2003

목적 : 현재 국내에서 사용되고 있는 방사선치료계획 장비는 거의 모든 방사선종양학과에서 외국 회사의 제품을 사용하고 있는 실정이다. 본 연구는 국내 기술로 개발된 3 차원 조형 방사선치료계획 장비인 Core Plan의 선량계산 알고리즘의 정확성 및 방사선 치료계획 장비로서의 유용성에 관해 평가하고 본 장비의 특징에 대해 간략히 소개하고자 한다. 재료 및 방법 : 본 연구는 2002 년 11 월에 가톨릭대학교 성모병원 방사선종양학과와 서울씨앤제이의 연구계약에 의해 시행되었다. 본 장비에 대한 평가는 방사선분포 및 계산상의 정확성과 임상적용시의 유용성의 관점에서 시행되었다. 본 장비에서 이용된 광자선 선량계산은 Clarkson-Cunningham 모델이며 전자선 선량계산은 2.5D Hogstrom 알고리즘이다. 방사선분포 및 계산상의 정확성 평가를 위하여 방사선치료 장비는 본 병원이 보유한 Clinac 2100CD (Varian, USA)를 이용하였고 폴리스티렌 팬텀과 필름 및 이온 전리함을 이용하여 방사선분포 및 계산상의 정확성을 평가하였다. 방사선분포의 평가 방법은 필름을 이용한 방사선분포의 중심부단면 선량분포와 CorePlan 에서 재현된 방사선분포의 동일면 선량분포를 비교하였다. 임상적용은 2003 년 3 월부터 7 월까지 방사선치료를 받은 50 명의 환자를 대상으로 분석하였다. 본 시험에 적용된 환자는 본 병원이 보유한 3 차원 방사선치료계획 장비인 Prowess 3D (SSGI Inc., USA)를 이용하여 실제 치료된 환자들이며 이 환자를 대상으로 CorePlan에서 동일하게 재현하여 비교하였다. 결과 및 결론 : 방사선분포 및 계산상의 정확성 평가에서는 실제 측정된 결과와 CorePlan에서 재현된 결과가 모두 $\pm$3% 이내로 평가되었다. 50 명의 환자를 대상으로 시행한 임상시험 결과 Prowess 3D에서 나타낸 결과와 비교하여 두경부에서는 1.678%, 흉부 1.578%, 복부 1.271%의 선량값의 오차를 보였다. 본 연구를 진행하는 과정에서 많은 부분의 프로그램 수정이 있었으며 실제임상에 필요한 부분에 대한 추가 및 보완이 이루어졌다. 앞으로 진행될 과정은 실제임상의 사용에 필요한 부분의 계속적인 업그레이드와 전자선에 대한 방사선분포 및 계산정확성 평가, 임상적용에 있어서 Prowess3D 뿐만 아니라 다양한 방사선 치료계획 장비와의 비교를 할 예정이다.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.3777-3787
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• 2012

Three kinds of 3D isomorphous and isostructural coordination polymers, namely, $\{[Ln_2(PDA)_3(H_2O)_3]{\cdot}0.25H_2O\}_{\infty}$ (Ln = La(1), Sm(2), and Gd(3)) ($PDA^{2-}$ = pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate anion) have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectroscopy, thermal analyses and single crystal X-ray diffraction. In these MOFs, Ln(III) centers adopt eight-coordinated and nine-coordinated with the $N_1O_7$ and $N_2O_7$ donor sets to construct distorted trianglar dodecahedron geometry and tricapped trigonal prism configurations, respectively. Based on the building block of tetranuclear homometallic $Ln_4C_4O_8$ unit (16-membered ring), 1-3 are connected into highly ordered 2D sheets via O-C-O linkers and further constructed into 3D architectures through hydrogen bonds. Crystallographic parameters suggest that the lanthanide contraction effect exist in these coordination polymers. Luminescent properties of the lanthanide-based MOFs (metal-organic frameworks) have been measured at room temperature, which reveal that they presenting ionselective characters toward certain metals, such as $Mg^{2+}$, $Cd^{2+}$ and $Pb^{2+}$ ions.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.169-177
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• 2016

There is a growing interest in the application of primary hepatocytes for treatment of liver diseases in humans and for drug development. Several studies have focused on long-term survival and di-differentiation blocking of primary hepatocytes in an in vitro culture system. Therefore, the present study also aimed to optimize an in vitro culture system using primary rat hepatocytes. Primary rat hepatocytes from 6-week-old male Crl:CD rats were isolated using a modified two-step collagenase perfusion. Healthy $3.5{\times}10^6$ primary rat hepatocytes were seeded into a 2 dimensional (2D) culture in a 25T culture flask coated with collagen type I or into a 3D culture in a 125-ml spinner flask for 7 days. Production of plasma protein (ALB and TF), apoptosis (BAX and BCL2), and CYP (CYP3A1) related genes were compared between the 2D and 3D culture systems. The 3D culture system had an advantage over the 2D system because of the relatively high expression of ALB and low expression of BAX in the 3D system. However, the level of CYP3A1 did not improve in the 3D culture with and without the presence of a dexamethasone inducer. Therefore, 3D culture has an advantage for albumin production and primary rat hepatocyte survivability, but a low expression of CYP3A1 indicated that primary rat hepatocytes require a high-density culture for stress reduction by continuous flow.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.23-36
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• 1984

From the PDS scanning, isophote maps and surface luminosity distributions for the late type spiral galaxy NGC 6946 were obtained. Surface luminosity distribution showed that this galaxy can be classified as the Freeman's type II, and the deep spheroidal component was caused as a result of the ring structure in the central part of NGC 6946. Physical parameters-total magnitude ($M_T^B$), effective radius ($R_e^*$), central surface magnitude $U(0)_{CD}$, length scale (${\alpha}^{-1}$), disk-to-bulge ratio (D/B) and mass-to-luminosity ratio (M/L)-were also calculated, and the results show that NGC 6946 belongs to Sc I type galaxy according to the DDO classification, and is to be a fair sample of classification statge T=6.

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.122.1-122.1
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• 2005

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.555-566
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• 2018

Human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) are used in tissue repair and regeneration; however, the mechanisms involved are not well understood. We investigated the hair growth-promoting effects of hUCB-MSCs treatment to determine whether hUCB-MSCs enhance the promotion of hair growth. Furthermore, we attempted to identify the factors responsible for hair growth. The effects of hUCB-MSCs on hair growth were investigated in vivo, and hUCB-MSCs advanced anagen onset and hair follicle neogeneration. We found that hUCB-MSCs co-culture increased the viability and up-regulated hair induction-related proteins of human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs) in vitro. A growth factor antibody array revealed that secretory factors from hUCB-MSCs are related to hair growth. Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were increased in co-culture medium. Finally, we found that IGFBP-1, through the co-localization of an IGF-1 and IGFBP-1, had positive effects on cell viability; VEGF secretion; expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), CD133, and ${\beta}-catenin$; and formation of hDPCs 3D spheroids. Taken together, these data suggest that hUCB-MSCs promote hair growth via a paracrine mechanism.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.71-81
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• 2013

Trace metal concentration in sediment cores from the outer sea of Lake Shihwa were determined to study the vertical profiles of metal concentrations and to evaluate the levels of metal contamination. Sediment pollution assessment was carried out using enrichment factor (EF) and geo-accumulation index (Igeo). The mean concentration of metals were 58.8 mg/kg for Cr, 10.3 mg/kg for Co, 22.8 mg/kg for Ni, 18.1 mg/kg for Cu, 74.0 mg/kg for Zn, 6.75 mg/kg for As, 0.14 mg/kg for Cd, 27.4 mg/kg for Pb and 0.026 mg/kg for Hg, respectively. The mean EF values for Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Hg were greater than 1.5 in sediment cores, indicating that these metals in sediments are slightly enriched by anthropogenic activities. The geo-accumulation index (Igeo) suggested unpolluted status for metals of sediments collected from outer see of Lake Shihwa. Igeo values for Cu and Hg nearby LNG station (site C, D, E) ranged from 1 to 2, indicating moderately to unpolluted pollution status for those metals. Even if the higher concentrations of trace metals nearby LNG station were observed, there is significantly positive relationship between Al and trace metals. Thus, the sediment grain size plays an important roles in influencing the distribution of trace metals in sediment cores from the outer sea of Lake Shihwa. Based on the comparison with sediment quality guidelines such as threshold effect level and probable effect level in Korea, the concentration of metals in sediments from outer sea of Lake Shihwa are likely to result in no harmful effects on sediment-dwelling organisms.