• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.37-47
• /
• 2024

FUN14 domain-containing protein 1 (FUNDC1), an outer mitochondrial membrane protein, contributes to removal of damaged mitochondria through mitophagy. In this study, to elucidate the role of the FUNDC1 in the amyloid beta peptide (A_β)-induced neuropathy, changes in the degree of mitochondrial dysfunction and cell injury caused by A_β treatment were examined in the HT-22 neuronal cells in which the FUNDC1 expression was transiently silenced or overexpressed. We found that A_β treatment causes a time-dependent decrease of the FUNDC1 expression. In the A_β-treated cells, there were a drop in MTT reduction ability, depletion of cellular ATP, disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, stimulation of cellular ROS production, and increased mitochondrial Ca²⁺ load. Activation of caspase-3 and induction of apoptotic cell death were also observed. Transient silencing of the FUNDC1 expression by transfection with the FUNDC1 small interfering RNA per se caused mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptotic cell death like the effect of A_β treatment. Conversely, in cells in which the FUNDC1 was transiently overexpressed by FUNDC1-Myc transfection, overexpression itself had no effect on the mitochondrial functional integrity and cell survival but showed a significant prevention effect against mitochondrial and cell injury caused by A_β treatment. Overall, these results suggest that the FUNDC1 is importantly involved in the A_β-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and cell injury in the HT-22 neuronal cells.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• /
• v.35
• /
• pp.30.1-30.13
• /
• 2023

Background: Dysmenorrhea and menstrual cycle changes occur in women working shifts. Circadian rhythm disruption and sleep disturbances associated with shift work leads to health problems. We identified chronotypes and the occurrence of insomnia among newly employed university hospital nurses and investigated the association of these factors with menstrual problems. Methods: We conducted pre-placement health examinations for shift workers using self-reported questionnaires between 2018 and 2020. A total of 463 nurses were included in the study. Sociodemographic data, shift work experience, and information on insomnia were collected from health examination data. In addition, details regarding chronotype, dysmenorrhea, irregular and abnormal menstrual cycles, amenorrhea, and contraceptive use were obtained from the questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to study the association between chronotype, insomnia, and menstrual problems after controlling for age, body mass index, contraceptive use, amenorrhea, and prior shift work. Results: The prevalence rates of dysmenorrhea, irregular menstrual cycles, and longer menstrual cycles were 23.8%, 14.9%, and 4.1%, respectively. The risk of dysmenorrhea increased in the evening-type (odds ratio [OR]: 3.209; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.685-6.113) and those with insomnia (OR: 1.871; 95% CI: 1.074-3.261). Additionally, the risk of an irregular menstrual cycle (OR: 2.698; 95% CI: 1.167-6.237) increased in the evening-type, and the risk of a longer menstrual cycle (OR: 4.008; 95% CI: 1.354-11.864) increased in individuals with insomnia. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that dysmenorrhea is promoted in the evening-type and insomnia individuals. There may be an increased risk of irregular menstrual cycles among evening-type nurses and an increased risk of longer menstrual cycles among those with insomnia. Therefore, factors such as evening-type and insomnia should be considered for the prevention of menstrual problems in women performing shift work.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.154-161
• /
• 2024

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal motor neuron disorder that causes progressive paralysis. L-Citrulline is a nonessential neutral amino acid produced by L-arginine via nitric oxide synthase (NOS). According to previous studies, the pathogenesis of ALS entails glutamate toxicity, oxidative stress, protein misfolding, and neurofilament disruption. In addition, L-citrulline prevents neuronal cell death in brain ischemia; therefore, we investigated the change in the transport of L-citrulline under various pathological conditions in a cell line model of ALS. We examined the uptake of [¹⁴C]L-citrulline in wild-type (hSOD1wt/WT) and mutant NSC-34/ SOD1^G93A (MT) cell lines. The cell viability was determined via MTT assay. A transport study was performed to determine the uptake of [¹⁴C]L-citrulline. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis was performed to determine the expression levels of rat large neutral amino acid transported 1 (rLAT1) in ALS cell lines. Nitric oxide (NO) assay was performed using Griess reagent. L-Citrulline had a restorative effect on glutamate induced cell death, and increased [¹⁴C]L-citrulline uptake and mRNA levels of the large neutral amino acid transporter (LAT1) in the glutamate-treated ALS disease model (MT). NO levels increased significantly when MT cells were pretreated with glutamate for 24 h and restored by co-treatment with L-citrulline. Co-treatment of MT cells with L-arginine, an NO donor, increased NO levels. NSC-34 cells exposed to high glucose conditions showed a significant increase in [¹⁴C]L-citrulline uptake and LAT1 mRNA expression levels, which were restored to normal levels upon co-treatment with unlabeled L-citrulline. In contrast, exposure of the MT cell line to tumor necrosis factor alpha, lipopolysaccharides, and hypertonic condition decreased the uptake significantly which was restored to the normal level by co-treating with unlabeled L-citrulline. L-Citrulline can restore NO levels and cellular uptake in ALS-affected cells with glutamate cytotoxicity, pro-inflammatory cytokines, or other pathological states, suggesting that L-citrulline supplementation in ALS may play a key role in providing neuroprotection.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.104-114
• /
• 2024

Licochalcone C (LCC; PubChem CID:9840805), a chalcone compound originating from the root of Glycyrrhiza inflata, has shown anticancer activity against skin cancer, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and oral squamous cell carcinoma. However, the therapeutic potential of LCC in treating colorectal cancer (CRC) and its underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Chemotherapy for CRC is challenging because of the development of drug resistance. In this study, we examined the antiproliferative activity of LCC in human colorectal carcinoma HCT116 cells, oxaliplatin (Ox) sensitive and Ox-resistant HCT116 cells (HCT116-OxR). LCC significantly and selectively inhibited the growth of HCT116 and HCT116-OxR cells. An in vitro kinase assay showed that LCC inhibited the kinase activities of EGFR and AKT. Molecular docking simulations using AutoDock Vina indicated that LCC could be in ATP-binding pockets. Decreased phosphorylation of EGFR and AKT was observed in the LCC-treated cells. In addition, LCC induced cell cycle arrest by modulating the expression of cell cycle regulators p21, p27, cyclin B1, and cdc2. LCC treatment induced ROS generation in CRC cells, and the ROS induction was accompanied by the phosphorylation of JNK and p38 kinases. Moreover, LCC dysregulated mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and the disruption of MMP resulted in the release of cytochrome c into the cytoplasm and activation of caspases to execute apoptosis. Overall, LCC showed anticancer activity against both Ox-sensitive and Ox-resistant CRC cells by targeting EGFR and AKT, inducing ROS generation and disrupting MMP. Thus, LCC may be potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of Ox-resistant CRC cells.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.21 no.10
• /
• pp.1187-1195
• /
• 2020

Objective: This study aimed to determine the sonographic features suggestive of extrathyroidal extension (ETE) of thyroid cancers. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the sonographic images of 1656 consecutive patients who had undergone thyroidectomy in 2017. The diagnostic performance of sonographic features suggestive of ETE was evaluated using operation and histopathologic reports. Sonographic features for gross ETE to the strap muscle and minor ETE were assessed for thyroid cancer abutting the anterolateral thyroid capsule. Sonographic features for tracheal invasion were assessed according to whether the angle between the tumor and the trachea was an acute, right, or obtuse angle. Sonographic features for recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) invasion were assessed based on the association between the tumor and tracheoesophageal groove (TEG) as preserved normal tissue, abutting or protruding into the TEG. Results: ETE was observed in 783 patients (47.3%), including 123 patients with gross ETE (7.4% [strap muscle, n = 97; RLN, n = 24; and trachea, n = 14]) and 660 patients with minor ETE (39.9%). Regarding the diagnosis of gross and minor ETE to the strap muscle, sonographic features of replacement of the strap muscle and capsular disruption showed the highest positive predictive value (75.9% and 58.5%, respectively). Thyroid cancer forming an obtuse angle with the trachea had the highest sensitivity for the diagnosis of tracheal invasion (85.7%), and thyroid cancer protrusion into the TEG showed the highest sensitivity for the diagnosis of RLN (83.3%). Conclusion: Sonography is considered beneficial in the diagnosis of ETE to the strap muscle, trachea, and RLN. Assessment of ETE is important for the accurate staging of thyroid cancer, which in turn determines the extent of surgery or whether active surveillance is appropriate or not.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.329-340
• /
• 2024

Mangiferin is a kind of natural xanthone glycosides and is known to have various pharmacological activities. However, since the beneficial efficacy of this compound has not been reported in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, this study aimed to evaluate whether mangiferin could protect human RPE ARPE-19 cells from oxidative injury mimicked by hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). The results showed that mangiferin attenuated H₂O₂-induced cell viability reduction and DNA damage, while inhibiting reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and preserving diminished glutathione (GSH). Mangiferin also antagonized H₂O₂-induced inhibition of the expression and activity of antioxidant enzymes such as manganese superoxide dismutase and GSH peroxidase, which was associated with inhibition of mitochondrial ROS production. In addition, mangiferin protected ARPE-19 cells from H₂O₂-induced apoptosis by increasing the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, decreasing caspase-3 activation, and blocking poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. Moreover, mangiferin suppressed the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol, which was achieved by interfering with mitochondrial membrane disruption. Furthermore, mangiferin increased the expression and activity of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and nuclear factor-erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2). However, the inhibition of ROS production, cytoprotective and anti-apoptotic effects of mangiferin were significantly attenuated by the HO-1 inhibitor, indicating that mangiferin promoted Nrf2-mediated HO-1 activity to prevent ARPE-19 cells from oxidative injury. The results of this study suggest that mangiferin, as an Nrf2 activator, has potent ROS scavenging activity and may have the potential to protect oxidative stress-mediated ocular diseases.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.411-417
• /
• 2024

In the event of a disaster, it is essential to establish a disaster recovery plan and disaster recovery system to minimize disruption to major IT infrastructure and provide continuous business services. In the process of building a disaster recovery system, data replication is a key element of data recovery to provide uninterrupted and continuous business services in the event of a disaster. The data replication method can be determined depending on the system configuration environment and disaster recovery goal level. In this paper, we present a method for determining a data replication method suitable for the configuration environment and disaster recovery target level when building a disaster recovery system. In addition, the replication method decision procedure is applied to build a disaster recovery system and analyze the construction results. After establishing the disaster recovery system, a test was conducted to determine whether the service was transferred to the disaster recovery center in a disaster situation and normal service was provided, and the results were analyzed. As a result, it was possible to systematically select the optimal data replication method during the disaster recovery system construction phase. The established disaster recovery system has an RTO of 3.7 hours for service conversion to the disaster recovery center to provide continuous business services, and the disaster recovery level, which was Tier 2, has been improved to the target level within 4 hours of RTO and RPO=0.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.273-280
• /
• 2024

In this study, the antibacterial activity and mechanisms of bitter orange extract, a natural antibacterial agent, were investigated, with a focus on its potential application in washing water for controlling Salmonella Typhimurium contamination of salad, a ready-to-eat food. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of bitter orange extract against S. Typhimurium was determined using the broth dilution method. Subsequently, S. Typhimurium was exposed to various concentrations of bitter orange extract (1/16 MIC-2 MIC) and growth curves were measured. Following treatment with bitter orange extract, we investigated its antibacterial mechanism by measuring intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, alterations in membrane potential and integrity, and nucleic acid leakage in S. Typhimurium. Additionally, salads artificially contaminated with S. Typhimurium were treated with different concentrations of bitter orange extract using the dipping method for various durations to assess the reduction effect. The MIC of bitter orange extract against S. Typhimurium was 195.313 mg/L, and bacterial growth was completely inhibited at a concentration of 1 MIC. Furthermore, an increase in bitter orange extract concentration correlated with elevated intracellular ROS levels, membrane potential disruption, membrane damage, and nucleic acid release. Importantly, salads treated with bitter orange extract exhibited a significant reduction in S. Typhimurium counts compared to the control, and prolonged treatment times resulted in further reductions in bacterial counts. Bitter orange extract was more effective than sodium hypochlorite and can be used as a safer salad wash. These findings indicate the potential treatment of salads to prevent foodborne illnesses.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
• /
• v.48 no.4
• /
• pp.267-273
• /
• 2024

Bridge lanterns are installed on bridges or piers to signal the presence of these structures on navigational routes and navigable waters, and they fall under the category of light wave signals in Aids to Navigation. In Korea, medium to large bridges installed over major rivers and seas are equipped with bridge lanterns, which are necessary for routes frequented by ships and require periodic inspections on a monthly or multi-month basis. However, most bridge lanterns are mounted externally on bridge railings as fixed or manual rotary supports, posing a high risk of fatal falls during inspections. Furthermore, high -traffic bridges demand quick maintenance works due to complaints about traffic disruption, thus increasing work hazards. Consequently, this study introduced a tailored automatic bridge lantern support concept based on different types of bridge lantern installations, aiming for safe and rapid inspections. Additionally, the study sought to achieve full automation of the bridge lighting system by integrating it with a management program for monitoring and controlling bridge lanterns, utilizing both wired and wireless communication technologies. These findings provide foundational design data for new and refurbished bridges that will be installed in the future.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
• /
• v.10 no.5
• /
• pp.453-458
• /
• 2024

If you are unable to get comfortable sleep to maintain and recover your health, it will cause a lot of disruption to your daily life. Among the intraoral devices used to resolve snoring, obstructive sleep apnea, bruxism, teeth clenching, and mouth breathing, which interfere with a comfortable sleep, devices that stabilize the lower jaw by moving it forward are a treatment that replaces surgical therapy and positive airway pressure. It is showing effect. During use of the device, a force is generated that causes the lower jaw to return to its original position, so a device that fixes it with screws, rubber bands, etc. is used. To see the effect of the device, you must bite your upper and lower teeth. In order to eliminate the inconvenience of having to stay closed while sleeping, the device is manufactured only in the upper jaw and creates a vertical guideway in the lingual embarasure of the lower jaw in the shape of a key & key way structure, allowing twisting movements and allowing forward and lateral movements. It is about the development of a device that has a blocking function that allows the mouth to be opened while wearing the device and has a function that solves sleep apnea by inducing airway expansion during sleep.