• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.147-154
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• 2016

Toxoplasma gondii infection induces alteration of the host cell cycle and cell proliferation. These changes are not only seen in directly invaded host cells but also in neighboring cells. We tried to identify whether this alteration can be mediated by exosomes secreted by T. gondii-infected host cells. L6 cells, a rat myoblast cell line, and RH strain of T. gondii were selected for this study. L6 cells were infected with or without T. gondii to isolate exosomes. The cellular growth patterns were identified by cell counting with trypan blue under confocal microscopy, and cell cycle changes were investigated by flow cytometry. L6 cells infected with T. gondii showed decreased proliferation compared to uninfected L6 cells and revealed a tendency to stay at S or G2/M cell phase. The treatment of exosomes isolated from T. gondii-infected cells showed attenuation of cell proliferation and slight enhancement of S phase in L6 cells. The cell cycle alteration was not as obvious as reduction of the cell proliferation by the exosome treatment. These changes were transient and disappeared at 48 hr after the exosome treatment. Microarray analysis and web-based tools indicated that various exosomal miRNAs were crucial for the regulation of target genes related to cell proliferation. Collectively, our study demonstrated that the exosomes originating from T. gondii could change the host cell proliferation and alter the host cell cycle.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6417-6421
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• 2015

Viscum album var (VAV) also known as mistletoe, has long been categorized as a traditional herbal medicine in Asia. In addition to its immunomodulating activities, mistletoe has also been used in the treatment of chronic hepatic disorders in China and Korea. There are numerous reports showing that VAV possesses anti-cancer effects, however influence on human hepatocarcinoma has never been elucidated. In the present study, hot water extracts of VAV was evaluated for its potential anti-cancer effect in vitro. SK-Hep1 cells were treated with VAV (50-400ug/ml) for both 24 and 48 hours then cell viability was measured by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8). Flow cytometry analysis was used to measure the proportion of SK-Hep1 in the different stages of cell cycle. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis were conducted to measure expression of cell cycle arrest related genes and proteins respectively. VAV dose dependently inhibited the proliferation of SK-Hep1 cells without any cytotoxicity with normal Chang liver cell (CCL-13). Flow cytometry analysis showed that VAV extract inhibited the cell cycle of SK-Hep1 cells via G1 phase arrest. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis both revealed that cyclin dependent kinase 2 (Cdk2) and cyclin D1 gene expression were significantly down regulated while p21 was upregulated dose dependently by VAV treatment. Combined down regulation of Cdk2, Cyclin D1 and up regulation of p21 can result in cell death. These results indicate that VAV showed evidence of anti-cancer activity through G1 phase cell cycle arrest in SK-Hep1 cells.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.424-430
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• 2007

The biological effects of low-dose radiation have been investigated and debated for more than a century, but its cellular effects and regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study shows the human cellular responses to low-dose radiation in CCD-18 Lu cells, which are derived from normal human lung fibroblasts. We examined a colony-forming assay for cell survival by ionizing radiation. Live cell counting and cell cycle analysis were measured for cell proliferation and cell cycle progression following low-dose irradiation. We examined Raf and Akt phosphorylation to determine the proliferation mechanism resulting from low-dose radiation. We also observed that p53 and p21 were related to cell cycle response. We found that 0.05 Gy of ionizing radiation enhanced cell proliferation and did not change the progression of the cell cycle. In addition, 0.05 Gy of ionizing radiation transiently activated Raf and Akt, but did not change phospho-p53, p53 and p21 in CCD-18 Lu cells. However, 2 Gy of ionizing radiation induced cell cycle arrest, phosphorylation of p53, and expression of p53 and p21. The phosphorylation of Raf and Akt proteins induced by 0.05 Gy of ionizing radiation was abolished by pre-treatment with an EGFR inhibitor, AG1478, or a PI3k inhibitor, LY294002. Cell proliferation stimulated by 0.05 Gy of ionizing radiation was blocked by the suppression of Raf and Akt phosphorylation with these inhibitors. These results suggest that 0.05 Gy of ionizing radiation stimulates cell proliferation through the transient activation of Raf and Akt in CCD-18 Lu cells.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.18 no.2_spc
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• pp.227-235
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• 2020

In this study, we discussed the limitations of gross alpha measurements for the characterization of radioactive wastes produced in nuclear facilities through experimental tests and Monte Carlo N-particle transport simulations. The determination of gross alpha is essential for the disposal of radioactive waste produced in nuclear facilities in Korea. The measurements of gross alpha are easy to perform and yield rapid analytical results, but it cannot be used for quantitative analysis. The error of counting efficiency for gross alpha with various masses of the deposit on planchets using KCl and ²⁴¹Am was determined. The relative deviation of the counting efficiency in samples having the same mass was 20%. Uranium was extracted from the soil through acid leaching and extraction chromatography, and the concentration of U determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was compared with the results for gross alpha. The gross alpha was underestimated by 50% compared to the U concentration by ICP-MS. The counting efficiency depended on the energy from the alpha emitters, which differed by up to three times in determination of the counting efficiency depending on the kinds of alpha radionuclides of interest. Therefore, the gross alpha is not compatible with the sum of radioactivity for each alpha emitter and is suitable as a screening method.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.421-426
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• 2015

The increased potential for vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) growth is a key abnormality in the development of atherosclerosis and post-angioplasty restenosis. Abnormally high activity of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is believed to play a central role in the etiology of these pathophysiological situations. Here, we investigated the anti-proliferative effects and possible mechanism(s) of murrayafoline A, a carbazole alkaloid isolated from Glycosmis stenocarpa Guillamin (Rutaceae), on PDGF-BB-stimulated VSMCs. Murrayafoline A inhibited the PDGF-BB-stimulated proliferation of VSMCs in a concentration-dependent manner, as measured using a non-radioactive colorimetric WST-1 assay and direct cell counting. Furthermore, murrayafoline A suppressed the PDGF-BB-stimulated progression through $G_0/G_1$ to S phase of the cell cycle, as measured by [$^3H$]-thymidine incorporation assay and cell cycle progression analysis. This anti-proliferative action of murrayafoline A, arresting cell cycle progression at $G_0/G_1$ phase in PDGF-BB-stimulated VSMCs, was mediated via down-regulation of the expression of cyclin D1, cyclin E, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)2, CDK4, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and the phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein (pRb). These results indicate that murrayafoline A may be useful in preventing the progression of vascular complications such as restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and atherosclerosis.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2011.10a
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• pp.2615-2625
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• 2011

Recently in worldwide and Korea domestically, the LRT vehicles are introduced as reputable urban transit system, in a view of energy saving, punctuality and eco-friendly as well as transport efficiency. At first time in Korea, the Busan metro Line 4 was applied with AGT system which is a kind of LRT using the Rubber tired AGT vehicle and developed from 1999 to 2004 in charge of Korean government. Busan selected the AGT system for Metro Line 4 as the solution of traffic jam and networking the intercity. At present, Busan Metro Line 4 has been running since opened at March 30, 2011. The vehicle of Busan metro line 4 is aiming the maximization of LRT vehicle advantage that is the lightness of vehicle size and vehicle weight. So, it did size downed and weight downed by lightened the weight of car frame and bogies and by the compactness of electrical on-board equipments. The study carried out the structure analysis to verify and safety and performance of car body and bogie frame of Busan Metro Line 4 vehicles. In this study, it was analyzed the stress of main load and verified the fatigue strength. And measured the dynamic stress sending to body structure and bogie frame while running on main line and analyzed the fatigue stress. As a result, it verified the safety and life cycle of car body and bogie frame.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.581-584
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• 2005

A district heating(DH) system supplies environmentally-friend heat and is appropriate for reduction of energy consumption and/or air pollutions. The objectives of this paper are to systematize data processing of transition temperature, investigate its effects on fatigue life of DH pipes and optimization for size of DH pipes. A relational database management system as well as reliable fatigue life evaluation procedures is established for Korean DH pipes. Also, since the prototypal evaluation results satisfied both cycle-based and stress-based fatigue criteria. Through the optimum design process, the cross section diminished 18.64% and the CUF diminished 23.35%. So, it can be used as useful information in the future for optimal design, operation and energy saving via setting of efficient condition and stabilization of water temperature.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers P
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• v.66 no.3
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• pp.123-128
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• 2017

Electric utilities has been considered the necessity to introduce AM(asset management) of electric power facilities in order to reduce maintenance cost of existing facilities and to maximize profit. In order to make decisions in terms of repairs and replacements for power transformers, not only measuring by counting parts and labor costs, but comprehensive comparison including reliability and cost is needed. Therefore, this study is modeling input cost for power transformer during its entire life and also the life cycle cost (LCC) technique is applied. In particular, this paper presents an application of heuristic harmony search(HS) optimization algorithm to the convergence and the validity of economic life assessment of power transformer from LCC technique. This recently developed HS algorithm is conceptualized using the musical process of searching for a perfect state of harmony. It uses a stochastic random search instead of a gradient search so that derivative information is unnecessary. The effectiveness of the proposed identification method has been demonstrated through an economic life assessment simulation of power transformer using HS optimization algorithm.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.29 no.8 s.239
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• pp.1085-1092
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• 2005

The OHT(Over Head Transportation) Vehicle transports heavy products quickly and repeatedly at the industrial workplace. The belt in the OHT vehicle is used to support the weight of the OHT Cage. The fatigue of the belt is caused by the dynamic load during the operation time. Since the fatigue fracture of the belt affects the safety at the workplace, the correct prediction of the dynamic load is necessary to calculate the fatigue life of the belt on the design step. In this paper a computer aided analysis method is proposed for the belt in the early design stage using dynamic analysis, stress analysis, belt tensile test, belt fatigue test and fatigue lift prediction method. From the dynamic load time histories and the stress of the belt FE model, a dynamic stress time history is produced. Using linear damage law and cycle counting method, fatigue life cycle is calculated. The method developed in this paper is used to reduce the time and cost for designing the OHT belt in different environment and condition.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.134-143
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• 2003

Objectives : We performed this study to understand the molecular basis of the antitumor effect of Saussurea lappa, Pharbitis nil, Plantago asiatica and Taraxacum mongolicum, which have been used for cancer treatment in Korean traditional medicine. Design: We analyzed, the effect of these medicinal herbs on proliferation and apoptosis of tumor cells and its association with gene expression, We performed semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) analysis of cell cycle- and apoptosis-related genes using a gastric cancer cell line AGS. Results : Cell counting assay and $[^3H]thymidine$ uptake analysis showed that Saussurea lappa and Pharbitis nil strongly inhibit cell proliferation of AGS in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, gene espression assay revealed that mRNA espression levels of c-Jun, c-Fos, c-Myc, and Cyclin D1 were markedly decreased by Saussurea lappa and Pharbitis nil. Furthermore, Saussurea lappa was identified to activate expression of the p53 tumor suppressor and its downstream effector $p21^{Wafl}$, which leads to $G_1$ cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. These observations suggest that the anticancer effect of Saussurea lappa and Pharbitis nil might be associated with their regulatory capability of tumor-related gene expression.