• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.181-191
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• 2001

Toxocariasis is produced by the migration of Toxocara canis larvae into the extra- intestinal tissue of unnatural hosts or natural hosts under unsuitable conditions. Soil contaminated with T. canis embryonated eggs in the main source of infection of man. In the present study, ELISA with T. canis adult crude antigen was used for determination the seroprevalence of T. canis infection in two areas of Korea. It was found that antibody positive rate was 15.7% in Keoje- Island. In the analysis according to sex, female group presented significantly higher positive rate than male group (23.8% in female and 7.4% in male, p<0.05). In Inchon city, the positive rate was 13.1%, and there was no significant difference between female and male group. Immunoblot analysis was performed to some positive patient sera. As the results, 9 cases of 15 cases were positive in Keoje-Island, and 22 cases of 27cases were positive in Inchon city by immunoblotting.

• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.10
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• pp.533-538
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• 2020

Notch signaling has been identified as a critical pathway in gastric cancer (GC) progression and metastasis, and inhibition of Delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4), a Notch ligand, is suggested as a potent therapeutic approach for GC. Expression of both DLL4 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) was similar in the malignant tissues of GC patients. We focused on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a known angiogenesis regulator and activator of DLL4. Here, we used ABL001, a DLL4/VEGF bispecific therapeutic antibody, and investigated its therapeutic effect in GC. Treatment with human DLL4 therapeutic antibody (anti-hDLL4) or ABL001 slightly reduced GC cell growth in monolayer culture; however, they significantly inhibited cell growth in 3D-culture, suggesting a reduction in the cancer stem cell population. Treatment with anti-hDLL4 or ABL001 also decreased GC cell migration and invasion. Moreover, the combined treatment of irinotecan with anti-hDLL4 or ABL001 showed synergistic antitumor activity. Both combination treatments further reduced cell growth in 3D-culture as well as cell invasion. Interestingly, the combination treatment of ABL001 with irinotecan synergistically reduced the GC burden in both xenograft and orthotopic mouse models. Collectively, DLL4 inhibition significantly decreased cell motility and stem-like phenotype and the combination treatment of DLL4/VEGF bispecific therapeutic antibody with irinotecan synergistically reduced the GC burden in mouse models. Our data suggest that ABL001 potentially represents a potent agent in GC therapy. Further biochemical and pre-clinical studies are needed for its application in the clinic.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.119-124
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• 2009

Stents are frequently used throughout the human body. They keep pathways open in vascular or nonvascular duct for a long time. Therefore its stability is very important factor. In recent years, aconsiderable amount of research has been carried out in order to estimate mechanical properties of the stent such as expansion pressure behavior, radial recoil and longitudinal recoil using FEM (Finite element analyses). However, published works on simulation of stent fatigue behavior using FEM are relatively rare. In this paper, a nonlinear finite-element methodwas employed to analyses the compression of a stent using external pressure and fatigue behavior. Finite element analyses for the stent system were performed using NASTRAN FX. In conclusion this paper shows how the stent is behaved in the body, and its fatigue behavior.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.163-192
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• 2002

Residential overcrowding, also called density, measured as more than one person per room, is a important variable as a principal indicator of inadequate housing. We investigated how immigrants in the US are assimilated to the host society through a lens of housing density. We estimated the probability of living in overcrowded housing of Korean, Chinese and Japanese immigrants armored with the 1980 and 1990 Public Use Microdata Sample(PUMS, A, 5%) in the US. Along with economic effects, we also consider life-cycle effects on the indicator. We applied "double cohort" method that enables duration of immigration effects to be separated from aging effects, which captures family size fluctuations due to life-cycle effects. The study found that cohort trends sharply changed during 10years. The 1970's immigrants are more likely to live in overcrowded housing than the pre-1970 immigrants. The pre-1970 immigrants are more likely to live in overcrowded housing than native-born persons. This may be explained by different assimilation processes driven by the disparities of individual human capitals or cultural differences among the ethnic groups. Especially, Korean experienced a sharp decline in overcrowding between 1980 and 1990. We also found that the major determinants that affect the level of housing density are years since migration, income, and gender. The present study concluded with some future studies related to the Korean immigrants abroad.ts abroad.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5873-5878
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• 2014

Hypoxia and autophagy are known to facilitate tumor progression. We here aimed to investigate the role of hypoxia-associated autophagy in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) survival and metastasis. Immunostaining of hypoxic-responsive proteins (HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and BNIP3) and a key regulator of autophagy (PI3KC3) were examined in CCA tissues and their expression levels were compared with clinicopathological parameters. A hypoxia mimicking condition ($CoCl_2$ treatment) was also tested regarding CCA cell functions. Our results showed that HIF-$1{\alpha}$ (66%), BNIP3 (44%) and PI3KC3 (46%) showed strong staining in human CCA tissues. Positive expression of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ (p=0.033), BNIP3 (p=0.040) and PI3KC3 (p=0.037) was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis. HIF-$1{\alpha}$ was well associated with BNIP3 (r=0.3, p<0.01) and PI3KC3 (r=0.2, p<0.01). The survival rates of patients who were positive with HIF-$1{\alpha}$ (p=0.047) or co-expressed HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and BNIP3 (p=0.032) or HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and PI3KC3 (p=0.043) were significantly greater than in the negative groups. CCA cells treated with $CoCl_2$ showed an increase in HIF-$1{\alpha}$, BNIP3, PI3KC3 and LC3-II, with increased cell migration and pFAK levels. These data suggest that hypoxia associated autophagy enhances CCA metastasis, resulting in a poor prognosis of CCA.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.146-156
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• 2018

Spermidine is a naturally occurring polyamine compound that has recently emerged with anti-aging properties and suppresses inflammation and oxidation. However, its mechanisms of action on anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects have not been fully elucidated. In this study, the potential of spermidine for reducing pro-inflammatory and oxidative effects in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages and zebrafish was explored. Our data indicate that spermidine significantly inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$), and cytokines including tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ and $interleukin-1{\beta}$ in RAW 264.7 macrophages without any significant cytotoxicity. The protective effects of spermidine accompanied by a marked suppression in their regulatory gene expression at the transcription levels. Spermidine also attenuated the nuclear translocation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65 subunit and reduced LPS-induced intracellular accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Moreover, spermidine prevented the LPS-induced NO production and ROS accumulation in zebrafish larvae and was found to be associated with a diminished recruitment of neutrophils and macrophages. Although more work is needed to fully understand the critical role of spermidine on the inhibition of inflammation-associated migration of immune cells, our findings clearly demonstrate that spermidine may be a potential therapeutic intervention for the treatment of inflammatory and oxidative disorders.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.333-338
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• 2012

IQ motif-containing GTPase-activating proteins (IQGAPs), which are well-known $Ca^{2+}$-independent calmodulin (CaM) binding proteins, are involved in various cellular functions such as cell proliferation, carcinogenesis and cell migration. The IQGAP3 similar to IQGAP1 has four repeated IQ motifs, which are crucial for CaM binding. It has been recently shown that all four IQ motifs of the IQGAP1 could bind to CaM, while not clear the binding of four IQ motifs of the IQGAP3. In this study, we examined the binding between CaM and each IQ motif of IQGAP3. As a result, we found that IQ2 and IQ3, but not IQ1 and IQ4, have a $Ca^{2+}$-independent CaM binding activity. We also found that IQ(3.5-4.4) on the IQGAP3 has $Ca^{2+}$-dependent CaM binding activity as similar with that of IQGAP1. This finding indicates that IQ motifs of the IQGAP3 plays a dynamic role via different interaction of IQ motifs with $Ca^{2+}$/CaM or apoCaM.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.359-367
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• 2012

BACKGROUND: As natural wetlands are decreased by increment of human demand, the importance of rice fields as an alternative habitat for waterbirds is well documented. However, the relationship between waterbirds use and management practice of rice fields has not been fully understood. The present study attempted to understand the changes in temporal abundance of waterbirds and their preference for habitat types in rice fields all year round. METHODS AND RESULTS: Waterbirds census were conducted in rice fields around Asan bay in Korea during April 2009-March 2010 and April 2011-March 2012. In the bird counts, the locations of the observed birds on a 1/2,500 map were recorded along with the local habitat type (paddy, ditch, levee, road). Thirty five species of waterbirds recorded in the rice fields during the survey period and three major groups (shorebirds, herons, and waterfowls) were characterized according to season and micro-habitat use. Shorebirds visited a flooded paddy for feeding during their spring migration season (April-May), and herons used the rice field as feeding sites during their breeding periods (April-October). Most waterfowls were observed in a dry paddy to feed a fallen rice seed and stubs during the winter season (September-March). Waterbird groups selectively used micro-habitats in rice field. Shorebirds and waterfowls mainly preferred at rice paddies, while herons were attracted to most habitat types. CONCLUSION(S): Rice fields supported various waterbirds all year round and waterbird communities using the rice fields were dramatically changed according to seasonal change of rice field condition.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.923-931
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• 2011

In the present study, we investigated the effect of indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a natural compound present in vegetables, on the cell migration and invasion of OVCAR-3 ovarian cancer cells. Our results indicated that I3C inhibited the proliferation of OVCAR-3 cells, a process which was associated with inhibition of cell motility as determined by wound healing experiments and cell invasion studies. I3C treatment increased the tightness of the tight junctions (TJs), which was demonstrated by an increase in transepithelial electrical resistance and a decrease in paracellular permeability. The RT-PCR and immunoblotting results indicated that I3C repressed the levels of claudin-3 as well as claudin-4, proteins that comprise a major part of TJs and play a key role in the control and selectivity of paracellular transport. Furthermore, the activities of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 were also decreased by treatment with I3C, which was connected with the down-regulation of their mRNAs and protein expression. The results suggest that I3C may be expected to inhibit cancer cell metastasis and invasion by restoring TJs and decreasing MMP activity in ovarian cancer cell line OVCAR-3.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.1007-1021
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• 2018

Cancer represents one of the most significant threats to human health on a global scale. Hence, the development of effective cancer prevention strategies, as well as the discovery of novel therapeutic agents against cancer, is urgently required. In light of this challenge, this research aimed to evaluate the effects of several potent bioactive peptides and proteins contained in crocodile white blood cell extract (cWBC) against LU-1, LNCaP, PC-3, MCF-7, and CaCo-2 cancer cell lines. The results demonstrate that 25, 50, 100, and $200{\mu}g/ml$ cWBC exhibits a strong cytotoxic effect against all investigated cell lines ($IC_{50}$ $70.34-101.0{\mu}g/ml$), while showing no signs of cytotoxicity towards noncancerous Vero and HaCaT cells. Specifically, cWBC treatment caused a significant reduction in the cancerous cells' colony forming ability. A remarkable suppression of cancerous cell migration was observed after treatment with cWBC, indicating potent antimetastatic properties. The mechanism involved in the cancer cell cytotoxicity of cWBC may be related to apoptosis induction, as evidenced by typical apoptotic morphology features. Moreover, certain cWBC concentrations induced significant overproduction of ROS and significantly inhibited the $S-G_2/M$ transition in the cancer cell. The molecular mechanisms of cWBC in apoptosis induction were to decrease Bcl-2 and XIAP expression levels and increase the expression levels of caspase-3, caspase-8, and p53. These led to a decrease in the expression level of the cell cycle-associated gene cyclin-B1 and the arrest of cell population growth. Consequently, these findings demonstrate the prospect of the use of cWBC for cancer therapy.