• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.990-996
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• 2008

In a previous study, we found an antifungal effect on human pathogenic fungi by the cell-penetrating peptide Tat (47-58) derived from HIV-1. Tat (47-58) immediately entered into the fungal nucleus and affected some physiological changes on the intracellular condition. In this study, Tat (47-58) showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria including bacterial clinical isolates. To improve resistance against proteases for use in vivo, we synthesized an analog of Tat (47-58) by substituting the L-amino acid for the D-amino acid. The D-enantiomer of Tat (47-58) also exhibited a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity at almost the same level of L-Tat (47-58) concentration. Unlike L-Tat (47-58), D-Tat (47-58) showed a significant proteolytic resistance against all proteases tested and antimicrobial activities in the presence of trypsin. Moreover, D-Tat (47-58) inhibited MRSA infection in human HeLa cells whereas L-Tat (47-58) partially allowed MRSA infection, and the results were due to the proteolytic resistance of D-Tat (47-58).

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.183-194
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• 2008

A variety of stem cells has been emerging as therapeutic cells that can replace organ transplantation in human liver diseases. The present study focused on whether human eyelid adipose-derived stem cells (HAD) might differentiate into functional hepatocyte-like cells in vitro. HAD were isolated from human eyelid adipose tissue. Effect of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 and FGF-4 on the hepatic differentiation of HAD have been examined in vitro. Immunocytochemical analysis and PAS staining showed that HAD cultured in both DMSO and FGF-4 exhibited the most intense staining than HAD of the other experimental groups. These HAD expressed numerous hepatocyte-related genes. Immunoblotting analyses showed that HAD cultured in the presence of DMSO and FGF-4 secreted higher amount of human albumin than HAD cultured in other conditions. Urea analysis also demonstrated that these HAD produced higher amount of urea than any other groups of HAD. In conclusion, combined treatment of DMSO and FGF-4 could effectively induce the functional differentiation of HAD into hepatocyte-like cells.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.377-381
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• 1999

Objectives: Recent studies, including our own, demonstrated that the novel expression of LH gene in rat gonads and uterus, indicating that the local production and action of the LH-like molecule. In the present study, we investigated whether human uterus also expresses the LH gene. Design: Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) amplified the cDNA fragments coding $LH_{\beta}$ polypeptide from human endometrium but not from myometrium. Presence of the transcripts for the ${\alpha}$-subunit in human endometrium was also confirmed by RT-PCR. Results: Transcripts for $LH_{\beta}$ subunit were detected in endometrial samples from women with endometriosis. The gene for LH/hCG receptor was expressed in both endometrium and myometrium, showing good agreement with previous studies. Increased level of $LH_{\beta}$ transcript was determined in the endometrium from follicular phase compared to that from luteal phase. Conclusion: Taken together, our findings demonstrated that 1) the genes for LH subunits and LH/hCG receptor are expressed in human uterus, 2) the uterine LH expression was changed during menstrual cycle, suggesting that the uterine LH may playa local role in the control of uterine physiology and function(s).

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.161-165
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• 1981

The binding of two cephalosporins, cephalothin and cefazoline to human serum albumin(HSA) was studied by difference spectrophotometry using a spectrophotometric probe, 2-(4'-hydroxybenzeneazo) benzoic acid. The probe is strong visible absorbing material which interacts with serum albumin to give characteristic spectrophotometric peaks and provides the basis for a convenient assay to measure free and bound amounts in the presence of serum albumin and competitive drugs. The results obtained showed that the probe and cephalosporin compete for the same binding site on human serum albumin; thus the probe can be used to gauge the displacement of cephalosporins from human serum albumin. The data were interpreted on the basis of theory of multiple equilibria. The number of binding sites of human serum albumin for 2-(4'-hydroxybenzeneazo) benzoic acid(HBAB), cephalothin and cefazoline appears to be 4. By using this technique the binding constants were found as follows: HSA-HBAB, $7.89{\times}10^{4}M^{-1}$; HSA-cephalothin, $1.09{\times}10^{3}M^{-1}$ ; HSA-cefazoline, $1.21{\times}10^{3}M^{-1}$.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.479-490
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• 2007

This study examines undergraduate students' intimacy toward the grandmother and their attitudes toward the elderly and aging. The study also identifies the variances that influence undergraduate students' intimacy toward the grandmother. The subjects were 397 undergraduates. Statistical analysis was conducted to examine frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Cronbach's ${\alpha}$, t-test, Duncan test, ANOVA, and stepwise multiple regression. The results of this study were as follows; 1) The undergraduates' attitudes were mid-range, but their intimacy level toward their grandmother was high. 2) The undergraduates' intimacy level toward the grandmother differed significantly according to gender, experience of cohabitation, the presence of her, and religion, and it showed a significant correlation with attitudes toward the elderly and aging traits, period of cohabitation, and frequent contact with the grandmother. The undergraduates' intimacy level toward grandmother-in-low, however, was significantly different according to the religion. There was also had a significant correlation with the undergraduate students' attitudes toward the elderly and aging traits. 3) The variables that affect the undergraduates' intimacy level toward the grandmother were attitude, frequency of contact with the grandmother, gender, period of cohabitation, experience of cohabitation, and the presence of the grandmother, which explained about 35% of total variance. Attitudes toward the elderly and aging traits were very important variables for undergraduates' intimacy with their grandmother. The undergraduates' intimacy toward grandmother-in-low was affected by the variables of attitude, religion, experience of volunteer, frequency of contact with the grandmother, gender, and the presence of grandmother, which explained about 24% of the total variance. Attitude toward the elderly and aging traits were the most important variables for undergraduates' intimacy with their grandmother-in-low.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1489-1495
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• 2014

Wnt is a powerful signaling pathway that plays a crucial role in cell fate determination, survival, proliferation and motility during development, in adult tissues and cancer. The aims of the present study were three fold: i) to assess Wnt11 immunoexpression and its possible relationship with Wnt5a in high- and low-grade human serous ovarian cancer (HGSC and LGSC) specimens; ii) to assess Wnt11 expression levels in Wnt5a overexpressing SKOV-3 cells; iii) to reveal the role of Wnt11 in viability, adhesion, migration and invasion of SKOV-3 cells using recombinant human Wnt11 (rhWnt11). Immunohistochemistry revealed a significant difference in Wnt11 expression between HGSC and LGSC groups (p=0.001). Moreover, a positive correlation was observed between Wnt5a and Wnt11 expression in the HGSC (r=0.713, p=0.001), but not the LGSC group. The expression of Wnt11 was decreased by 35% in Wnt5a overexpressing cells (SKOV-3/Wnt5a) compared to mock controls. Similarly Wnt11 expression levels were decreased by 47% in the presence of exogenous Wnt5a compared to untreated cells. In the presence of rhWnt11, 31% increased cell viability (p<0.001) and 21% increased cell adhesion to matrigel (p<0.01) were observed compared to control. Cell migration was increased by 1.6-fold with rhWnt11 as revealed by transwell migration assay (p<0.001). However, 45% decreased cell invasion was observed in the presence of rhWnt11 compared to control (p<0.01). Our results may suggest that differential Wnt11 immunoexpression in HGSC compared to LGSC could play important roles in serous ovarian cancer progression and may be modulated by Wnt5a expression levels.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.22-27
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• 1990

The gastro-endocrine cells were examined in the fundic region of stomach of the frog, Rana rugosa, by transmission electron microscope. In the present paper, at least three kinds of cell type distributed in this region were idendfted according to their morphological charactedstics based on the size, shape and electron density of the secretory granules. Type I cells were characterized by the presence of round or oval granules (300-5OOnm in diameter) with high electron density. The granules showed a wide lucent between the contents and the limiting membrane. This cell was reminiscent of the ECL cell in the human alimentary mucosa. Type II cells were characterized by the presence of spherical or oval granules (11O-230nm in diameter) with low or high electron density. The granules showed a clear halo between the homogenous contents and the limiting membrane. This cell was reminiscent of the G cell in the human alimentary mucosa. Type Ill cells were characterized by the presence of elongated oval or pheomorphic granules (50-2OOnm in diameter) with low or moderate electron density and abundant microfilament bundles in the cytoplasm. The granules contained a very thin halo.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.85-91
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• 1998

To investigate the effects of antioxidative vitamins in combination with various fatty acids on breast cancer cell proliferation, MDA-MB231 human breast cancer cells were cultured for 3 days in the serum-free Iscove's modified Dulbecco's medium (IMDM) supplemented with 1.25mg/ml delipidized bovine serum albumin and 10㎍/ml insulin. Alpha-tocopherol, ascorbic acid or both vitamins were added to the medium at the concentrations of 10 and 50μM in the presence of 3μg/ml of oletic(Oa), linoleic(LA) α-linoleinic(LNA) and docosahexaenoic acid(DHA). Cell growth was reduced significantly by α-tocopherol in a dose-dependent manner, but not affected by ascorbic aicd. The four different fatty acids did not have significant effects on cell growth, although DHA exerted inhibitory effect on the growth after 1 day. However, the each fatty acid was well incorporated into celluar lipid as such or elongated forms. Addition of α-tocopherol remarkably increased its celluar contents and reduced cellular levels of thiobarbituric acid substances (TBARS) that were elevated notably in the presence of DHA in the culture media. But ascorbic acid addition did not change much of either cellular α-tocopherol or TBARS contents. northern blot hybridization showed that tumor supressor gene ρ53 was most highly expressed by the combination of ρ-tocopherol and DHA in 8 hours of cell culture. In conclusion , the growth inhibitory effect of vitamin E suggests that breast cancer cell proliferation is reduced by the mechanism other than cytotoxicity of lipid peroxide and it is related to expressionof tumor supprosser gene p53, that can be increased by both vitamin E and n-3 fatty acid, DHA.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.162-168
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• 1992

Release characteristics of five different types of hydrophilic albumin microspheres (HAM) containing different ratios of methotrexate-albumin (MTX-HSA) conjugates to free MTX: 1 : 0 (HAMC), 3 :1 (HAMC 3F), 1 :1 (HAMCF), 1:3 (HAMCF3) and 0 : 1 (HAMF) were investigated in the absence or presence of protease using dissolution tester. In all the HAMs studied except HAMC, the MTX was released bi-exponentially in the absence of protease; an initial fast release period up to approximately 6h, and thereafter the release rate was very much slower. The fast release of MTX from the HAMs (such as HAMC3F, HAMCF, HAMCF3 and HAMF) at the initial phase in probably due to the release of "physically associated" MTX from the core of the HAMs. The initial rate constants were 7.2, 8.7, 8.5 and 5.9 times greater than the second rate constants for HAMF, HAMCF3, HAMCF and HAMC3F, respectively. MTX release from HAMC was very slow and mono-phasic. It was at most 2.2% of the total entrapped amount by 24 h. The protease accelerated the release of MTX from the HAMs. The percentages of MTX released from HAMs up to 24 h were 100, 89.0, 75.0, 66.0 and 61.0% for HAMF, HAMCF3, HAMCF, HAMC3F and HAMC, respectively in the presence of protease and the corresponding values in the absence of protease were 30.2 19.0, 10.0, 6.5 and 2.2%, respectively. In vitro release of MTX in the presence of protease varied according to the ratios of MTX-HSA conjugates to MTX; the data set from HAMF, HAMCF3 and HAMCF fits better to monophasic first-order profile more adequately than to zero-order profile, that of HAMC3 monophasic first-order, and that of HAMC to bi-phasic zero-order. Above results suggested that zero-order release rate can be achieved by adjusting the ratio of MTX-HSA conjugates to MTX in the preparation of HAMs such as HAMC3F.as HAMC3F.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.233-240
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• 2019

The present research work reports in-vitro anti-cancer activity of biologically synthesized ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) against human carcinoma cells viz SCC-40, SK-MEL-2 and SCC-29B using Sulforhodamine-B (SRB) Assay. ZnO NPs were synthesized by a unique and novel biological route using Temperature-gradient phenomenon where the extract of combination of Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don (C. roseus), Azadirachta indica (A. indica), Ficus religiosa (F. religiosa) and NaOH solution were used as synthesis medium. The morphology of the ZnO NPs was characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). TEM images reveal that particle size of the samples reduces from 76 nm to 53 nm with the increase in reaction temperature and 68 nm to 38 nm with the increase in molar concentration of NaOH respectively. XRD study confirms the presence of elements and reduction in crystallite size with increase in reaction temperature and NaOH concentration. The diffraction peaks show broadening and a slight shift towards lower Bragg angle ($2{\theta}$) which represents the reduction in crystallite size as well as presence of uniform strain. The FTIR spectra of the extract show transmittance peak fingerprint of Zn-O bond and presence of bioactive molecules These NPs exhibit inhibition greater than 50% for SCC-40, SK-MEL-2 and SCC-29B cell lines and more than 50% cell kill for SCC-29B cells at concentrations < $80{\mu}g/ml$. Nanoparticles with smallest size have shown better anti-cancer activity and peculiar cell-selectivity. The combination of extracts of these plants with ZnO NPs can be used in targeted drug delivery as an effective anti-cancer agent, a potential application in cancer treatment.