• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.332-340
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• 2016

Seed size traits are controlled by multiple genes in crops and determine grain yield, quality and appearance. However, the molecular mechanisms controlling the size of plant seeds remain unclear. We performed functional analysis of BrPATL4 encoding Sec14-like protein to determine the genetic architecture of seed size, shape and their association analyses. We used 60 $T_3$ transgenic rice lines to evaluate seed length, seed width and seed height as seed size traits, and the ratios of these values as seed shape traits. Pleiotropic effects on general architecture included small seed size, erect panicles, decreased grain weight, reduced plant height and increased sterility, which are common to other mutants deficient in gibberellic acid (GA) biosynthesis. To test whether BrPATL4 overexpression is deleterious for GA signal transduction, we compared the relative expression of GA related gene and the growth rate of second leaf sheath supplied with exogenous $GA_3$. Overexpression of BrPATL4 did not affect GA biosynthesis or signaling pathway, with the same response shown under GA treatment compared to the wild type. However, the causal genes for the small seed phenotype (D1, SRS1, and SRS5) and the erection of panicles showed significantly decreased levels in mRNA accumulation compared to the wild type. These results suggest that the overexpression of BrPATL4 can control seed size through the suppression of those genes related to seed size regulation. Although the molecular function of BrPATL4 is not clear for small seed and erect panicles of BrPALT4 overexpression line, this study provides some clues about the genetic engineering of rice seed architecture.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.188-194
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• 2005

The Angelicae dahuricae radix (ADR) has been used a traditional medicine to treat acne, erythema, headache, toothache, sinusitis, colds, and flu in Korea, Japan and China. Here, we report the effect of ADR on compound 48/80-induced ear-swelling and the phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) plus calcium ionophore A23187-induced inflammatory cytokine secretion in the human mast cell line, HMC-1. ADR dose-dependently inhibited the ear-swelling response induced by intradermal injection of compound 48/80, In vitro model, PMA plus A23187 significantly increased interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$, IL-8, granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$ secretion compared with media control. We also show that the increased cytokines $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-8, GM-CSF, and $TNF-{\alpha}$ level was significantly inhibited by treatment of ADR. In addition, ADR partially blocked PMA plus A23187-induced extracelluar signal-regulated kinases phosphorylation. These results suggest that ADR might explain its beneficial effect in the treatment of mast cell-mediated inflammatory diseases.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

This study was conducted to investigate alterations of seaweed composition upon Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) fermentation as well as potential anti-inflammatory effects and mechanism (s) of water extracts and fermented water extracts of Laminaria japonica (LJ) and Hizikia fusiforme (HF) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. Total polyphenol, total sugar, and reducing sugar contents were measured in LJ and HF water extracts before and after fermentation by LGG. Alterations of inflammatory cytokine levels in cell culture media were measured by ELISA, and levels of phosphorylation of c-jun NH2-terminalkinase (JNK) and extra cellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) were examined by Western blot analysis. LGG fermentation of LJ and HF altered total polyphenol and sugar contents in water extracts of LJ and HF. LPS-induced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ was significantly reduced by HF-f compared to control in RAW264.7 cells. Consistent with reduction of anti-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin (IL)-6, and tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$ levels by HF-f, HF-f also significantly reduced phosphorylation of ERK and JNK in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In addition, LJ-f and HF also significantly reduced phosphorylation of JNK and ERK induced by LPS in RAW264.7 cells. Overall, our result suggests that HF-f among the four tested seaweed extracts is the most potent anti-inflammatory agent, and its mechanism of action is partially mediated by reduction of JNK and ERK phosphorylation as well as IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ production in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.494-498
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• 2007

Pleiotrophin or osteoblast-specific factor 1(HOSF-1) is a growth-associated protein present in bone matrix. This study was designed to study pleiotrophin expression in osteoblastic cells. Pleiotrophin was expressed by osteoblast-like cell line. Pleiotrophin expression increased following the proliferative phase and was minimal at the terminal phases of the induced differentiation of cultured MC3T3-E1 cells. Pleiotrophin expression represents another autocrine factor that may contribute to the physiologic control of induced bone formation. In this study, induced osteogenesis will be examined in the context of the osteoblast expression of and regulation by PTN. I hypothesized that PDGF-BB stimulation of PTN expression represents an important paracrine signal during the induced osteogenesis associated with periodontal and implant surgeries. The possible mediation by PTN of anabolic effects attributed to PDGF-BB stimulation was examined in cell culture models of osteoblast differentiation. These studies will contribute fundamental insights to osteoblast biology and insights regarding the potential use of factors such as PTN in the clinical environment.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1368-1375
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• 2004

Measurements of OH chemiluminescence in an atmospheric pressure, laboratory-scale dump combustor at equivalence ratios ranging from 0.63 to 0.89 were reported. The signal from the first electronically excited state of OH to ground state was detected through a band-pass filter with an ICCD. The objectives of this study are two: One is to see the effects of equivalence ratio on global heat release rate and local Rayleigh index distribution. To get the local Rayleigh index distribution, the line-of-sight images were inverted by tomographic method, such as Abel do-convolution. Another aim is to investigate the validity of using OH chemiluminescence acquired with an ICCD as a qualitative measure of local heat release. For constant inlet velocity and temperature, the overall intensities of OH emission acquired at different equivalence ratio showed periodic and higher value at high equivalence ratio. OH intensity averaged over one period of pressure increased exponentially with equivalence ratio. Local Rayleigh index distribution clearly showed the region of amplifying or damping the combustion instability as equivalence ratio increased. It could provide an information/insights on active control such as secondary fuel injection. Finally, local heat release rate derived from reconstructed OH images were presented fur typical locations.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.5-12
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• 2009

Background : Anticancer effects of herbal medicine have been reported in various types of cancer, but the systematic approaches to explain molecular mechanism(s) are not established yet. Objective : To find the anticancer-effect and mechanism(s) of Water Extract of Coptis japonica (WECJ) colon cancer cell (SNU-81). Methods : We first selected 11 herbals, and anti-cancer effects of water-extracts from those herbals have been tested in human colon cancer cell line, SNU-81. Among the tested herbals, the WECJ significantly reduced proliferation of SNU-81. To establish a basis of understanding for anti-cancer mechanism, whole proteins have been obtained from SNU-81 harvested at 48 and 96 hrs after the treatment of WECJ, protein expression has been profiled by 2DE-based proteomic approach. Results : Various changes of the protein expression have been monitored, and most frequent dysregulation was found in the molecular chaperons including heat shock protein 90-alpha (Hsp90-alpha), 14-3-3 protein epsilon, T-complex protein 1 subunit alpha, protein disulfide-isomerase A3, and calreticulin. Interestingly, proliferation-associated protein 2G4 has been up-regulated, and it suggests the possible effect of Coptis japonica on ErbB3-regulated signal transduction pathway and growth control of human colon cancer cells. Conclusion : Based upon the present findings, the further study will focus on monitoring various cancer survival factors after artificial regulation of the proteins identified, and it would be the basis for the understanding of the Coptis japonica anti-cancer effect(s) at the molecular level.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.64 no.7
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• pp.355-363
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• 2021

Background: Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is a common renal disorder in children attributed to podocyte injury. However, children with the same diagnosis have markedly variable treatment responses, clinical courses, and outcomes, suggesting molecular heterogeneity. Purpose: This study aimed to explore the molecular responses of podocytes to nephrotic plasma to identify specific genes and signaling pathways differentiating various clinical NS groups as well as biological processes that drive injury in normal podocytes. Methods: Transcriptome profiles from immortalized human podocyte cell line exposed to the plasma of 8 subjects (steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome [SSNS], n=4; steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome [SRNS], n=2; and healthy adult individuals [control], n=2) were generated using microarray analysis. Results: Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of global gene expression data was broadly correlated with the clinical classification of NS. Differential gene expression (DGE) analysis of diseased groups (SSNS or SRNS) versus healthy controls identified 105 genes (58 up-regulated, 47 down-regulated) in SSNS and 139 genes (78 up-regulated, 61 down-regulated) in SRNS with 55 common to SSNS and SRNS, while the rest were unique (50 in SSNS, 84 genes in SRNS). Pathway analysis of the significant (P≤0.05, -1≤ log2 FC ≥1) differentially expressed genes identified the transforming growth factor-β and Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription pathways to be involved in both SSNS and SRNS. DGE analysis of SSNS versus SRNS identified 2,350 genes with values of P≤0.05, and a heatmap of corresponding expression values of these genes in each subject showed clear differences in SSNS and SRNS. Conclusion: Our study observations indicate that, although podocyte injury follows similar pathways in different clinical subgroups, the pathways are modulated differently as evidenced by the heatmap. Such transcriptome profiling with a larger cohort can stratify patients into intrinsic subtypes and provide insight into the molecular mechanisms of podocyte injury.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.99-107
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• 2006

Magnetic nondestructive testing is very useful far detecting a crack on the surface or near of the surface of the ferromagnetic materials. The distribution of the magnetic flux leakage (DMFL) on a specimen has to be obtained quantitatively to evaluate the crack. The magnetic camera is proposed to obtain the DMFL at the large lift-off. The magnetic camera consists of a magnetic source, magnetic lens, analog to digital converters (ADCs), interface, and computer. The magnetic leakage fields or the distorted magnetic fields from the object, which are concentrated on the magnetic lens, are converted to analog electrical signals tv arrayed small magnetic sensors. These analog signals are converted to digital signals by the ADCs, and are stored, imaged, and processed by the interface and computer. However the magnetic camera has limitations with respect to converting and switching speed, full range and resolution, direct memory access (DMA), temporary storage speed and volume because common ADCs were used. Improved techniques, such as those that introduce the operational amplifier (OP-Amp), amplify the signal, reduce the connection line, and use the low pass filter (LPF) to increase the signal to noise ratio are necessary. This paper proposes the exclusive embedded ADC including OP-Amp, LPF, microprocessor and DMA circuit for the magnetic camera to satisfy the conditions mentioned above.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.360-369
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• 2008

The solar cells should be operated at the maximum power point because its output characteristics were greatly fluctuated on the variation of insolation, temperature and load. It is necessary to install an inverter among electric power converts by means of the output power of solar cell is DC. The inverter is operated supply a sinusoidal current and voltage to the load and the interactive utility line. In this paper, the proposes a photovoltaic system is designed with a step up chopper and single phase PWM voltage source inverter. Synchronous signal and control signal was processed by one-chip microprocessor for stable modulation. The step up chopper is operated in continuous mode by adjusting the duty ratio so that the photovoltaic system tracks the maximum power point of solar cell without any influence on the variation of insolation and temperature for solar cell has typical dropping character. The single phase PWM voltage source inverter is consists of complex type of electric power converter to compensate for the defect, that is, solar cell cannot be develop continuously by connecting with the source of electric power for ordinary using. It can be cause the efect of saving electric power, from 10 to 20%. The single phase PWM voltage source inverter operates in situation, that its output voltage is in same phase with the utility voltage. The inverter are supplies an ac power with high factor and low level of harmonics to the load and the utility power system.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2012

There are two methods to fabricate the readout electronic to a large-area CMOS image sensor (LACIS). One is to design and manufacture the sensor part and signal processing electronics in a single chip and the other is to integrate both parts with bump bonding or wire bonding after manufacturing both parts separately. The latter method has an advantage of the high yield because the optimized and specialized fabrication process can be chosen in designing and manufacturing each part. In this paper, LACIS chip, that is optimized design for the latter method of fabrication, is presented. The LACIS chip consists of a 3-TR pixel photodiode array, row driver (or called as a gate driver) circuit, and bonding pads to the external readout ICs. Among 4 types of the photodiode structure available in a standard CMOS process, $N_{photo}/P_{epi}$ type photodiode showed the highest quantum efficiency in the simulation study, though it requires one additional mask to control the doping concentration of $N_{photo}$ layer. The optimized channel widths and lengths of 3 pixel transistors are also determined by simulation. The select transistor is not significantly affected by channel length and width. But source follower transistor is strongly influenced by length and width. In row driver, to reduce signal time delay by high capacitance at output node, three stage inverter drivers are used. And channel width of the inverter driver increases gradually in each step. The sensor has very long metal wire that is about 170 mm. The repeater consisted of inverters is applied proper amount of pixel rows. It can help to reduce the long metal-line delay.