• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.1207-1213
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• 2020

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus). AFB1 is reported to have high thermal stability and is not decomposed by heat treatment during food processing. Therefore, in this study, knowing that AFB1 is metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP), our aim was to develop a method to detoxify A. flavus-contaminated maize, under normal temperature and pressure, using Escherichia coli expressing human CYP3A4. First, the metabolic activity of AFB1 by recombinant human CYP3A4 was evaluated. As a result, we confirmed that recombinant human CYP3A4 metabolizes 98% of AFB1. Next, we found that aflatoxin Q1, a metabolite of AFB1 was no longer mutagenic. Furthermore, we revealed that about 50% of the AFB1 metabolic activity can be maintained for 3 months when E. coli expressing human CYP3A4 is freeze-dried in the presence of trehalose. Finally, we found that 80% of AFB1 in A. flavus-contaminated maize was metabolized by E. coli expressing human CYP3A4 in the presence of surfactant triton X-405 at a final concentration of 10% (v/v). From these results, we conclude that AFB1 in A. flavus-contaminated maize can be detoxified under normal temperature and pressure by using E. coli expressing human CYP3A4.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.198-205
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• 2010

Background: A crucial limitation of DNA vaccines is its weak immunogenicity, especially in terms of eliciting antibody responses in non-human primates or humans; therefore, it is essential to enhance immune responses to vaccination for the development of successful DNA vaccines for humans. Methods: Here, we approached this issue by evaluating interleukin-7 (IL-7) as a genetic adjuvant in cynomolgus monkeys immunized with multigenic HCV DNA vaccine. Results: Codelivery of human IL-7 (hIL-7)-encoding DNA appeared to increase DNA vaccine-induced antibody responses specific for HCV E2 protein, which plays a critical role in protecting from HCV infection. HCV-specific T cell responses were also significantly enhanced by codelivery of hIL-7 DNA. Interestingly, the augmentation of T cell responses by codelivery of hIL-7 DNA was shown to be due to the enhancement of both the breadth and magnitude of immune responses against dominant and subdominant epitopes. Conclusion: Taken together, these findings suggest that the hIL-7-expressing plasmid serves as a promising vaccine adjuvant capable of eliciting enhanced vaccine-induced antibody and broad T cell responses.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.836-843
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• 2004

Nontypeable H. influenzae (NTHi), a Gram-negative obligate human pathogen, causes pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, and otitis media, and the respiratory epithelium is the first line of defense that copes with the pathogen. In an effort to identify transcriptional responses of human respiratory epithelial cells to infection with NTHi, we examined its differential gene expression using high density cDNA microarrays. BEAS-2B human bronchial epithelial cells were exposed to NTHi for 3 hand 24 h, and the alteration of mRNA expression was analyzed using microarrays consisting of 8,170 human cDNA clones. The results indicated that approximately 2.6% of the genes present on the microarrays increased in expression over 2-fold and 3.8% of the genes decreased during the 24-h infection period. Upregulated genes included cytokines (granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor 2, granulocyte chemotactic protein 2, IL-6, IL-10, IL-8), transcription factors (Kruppel-like factor 7, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein $\beta$, E2F-1, NF-$\kappa$B, cell surface molecules (CD74, ICAM-1, ICAM-2, HLA class I), as well as those involved in signal transduction and cellular transport. Selected genes were further confirmed by reverse-transcription-PCR. These data expand our knowledge of host cellular responses during NTHi infection and should provide a molecular basis for the study of host-NTHi interaction.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.139-146
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• 1998

The actual clothing conditions of male collegian were surveyed to analyse clothing contents and the rate of wearing underwear. Then, clothing microclimate, physiological responses, and subjective sensations were investigated through wearing trials on human body in climatic chamber based on the results from the survey. The results were follows: 1. Male collegian wore T-shirts, jeans, and socks in summer, and total clothing weight per body surface area was $561g/m^2$. The number of clothes for upper body were 1 layer, but the number of clothes for lower body were 2 layers. Subjective sensations have no significant difference with wearing underwear. 2. Most physiological responses including temperature inside clothing, mean skin temperature, skin temperature of chest, abdomen, thigh, and lower leg, and sweat rate, were higher in with-underwear than in without-underwear. But pulse rates were not significantly different between with-and without-underwear.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.53-60
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• 2011

Job stress weakens physical ability causing the diseases related to working condition, decreases a production level, and increases mistakes and accidents. This study examined the relationship between job stress and human error, and focused on the moderating effect of age and maintenance type on the relationship between job stress and human error. The study used a quantitative design based on the 450 questionnaires of maintenance personnel in the Air force. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that physiological and psychological stress responses have positively related with human error. In moderating effect test, age appeared to impact on the relationship between physiological/behavioral stress and human error.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.207-215
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• 2013

Objective: This study aimed to investigate important human factors that should be considered when developing ultra-high definition TVs by reviewing measurement methods and main characteristics of ultra-high definition displays. Background: Although much attention has been paid to high-definition displays, there have been few studies for systematically evaluating human factors. Method: In order to determine human factors to be considered in developing human-friendly displays, we reviewed subjective and objective measurement methods to figure out the current limitations and establish a guideline for developing human-centered ultra-high definition TVs. In doing so, pros and cons of both subjective and objective measurement methods for assessing humans factors were discussed and specific aspects of ultra-high definition displays were also investigated in the literature. Results: Hazardous effects such as visually-induced motion sickness, visual fatigue, and mental fatigue in the brain caused by undesirable TV viewing are induced by not only temporal decay of visual function but also cognitive load in processing sophisticated external information. There has been a growing evidence that individual differences in visual and cognitive ability to process external information can make contrary responses after exposing to the same viewing situation. A wide vision, ultra-high definition TVs provide, can has positive and negative influences on viewers depending on their individual characteristics. Conclusion: Integrated measurement methods capable of considering individual differences in human visual system are required to clearly determine potential effects of super-high vision displays with a wide view on humans. All of brainwaves, autonomic responses, eye functions, and psychological responses should be simultaneously examined and correlated. Application: The results obtained in this review are expected to be a guideline for determining optimized viewing factors of ultra-high definition displays and accelerating successful penetration of the next-generation displays into our daily life.

• Proceedings of the Korean Operations and Management Science Society Conference
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• 1990.04a
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• pp.140-150
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• 1990

Further developments on a dynamic biomechanical model are presented to assess musculoskeletal stresses and human responses. The model being developed is an extension of the Articulated Total Body (ATB) Model, originally developed by Calsapan Corp. for the study of human dynamics during automobile crashes, later adopted to the U.S.Air Force to simulate the reactions of aircrew personnel to such forces typically encountered in various phases of flight operations. Further refinements were introduced by Freivalds and Kaleps(1984) to account for a human neuromusculature. In this study, modelling of active neuromusculature was described and simulations of whole-body human motion were performed using the ATB Model. It indicated the potential of using a muscularized biomechanical model coupled with CAD capabilities to simulate human responses in a variety of industrial settings as well. This will serve as a basis of incorporating computer aided design methods into a muscularized biomechanical models.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.303-306
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• 1997

Antigenic potential of genetically engineered human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (CJ-50001) was assessed in guinea pigs and mice. In active systemic anaphylaxis (ASA) test, although CJ-50001 at 50 $\mu\textrm{g}$ /head induced anaphylactic responses, CJ-50001 5 $\mu\textrm{g}$ /head alone or 50 $\mu\textrm{g}$ / head with adjuvant did not induce anaphylactic responses. In passive systemic anaphylaxis test (PCA) or passive hemagglutination test (PHA), CJ-50001 did not induce positive responses. It is concluded that, in light of the fact that CJ-50001 was antigenic only in ASA but not in PCA or PHA and also that CJ-50001 is a foreign human recombinant protein to guinea pigs, CJ-50001 may not induce systemic allergic react-ion in its clinical use in human.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.23-36
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• 2017

Objective: This paper presents a study to evaluate the WBGT index for assessing the effects of a wide range of outdoor weather conditions on human responses. Background: The Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index was firstly developed for the assessment of hot outdoor conditions. It is a recognised index that is used world-wide. It may be useful over a range of outdoor conditions and not just for hot climates. Method: Four group experiments, involving people performing a light stepping activity, were conducted to determine human responses to outside conditions in the U.K. They were conducted in September 2007 (autumn), December 2007 (winter), March 2008 (spring) and June 2008 (summer). Environmental measurements included WBGT, air temperature, radiant temperature (including solar load), humidity and wind speed all measured at 1.2m above the ground, as well as weather data measured by a standard weather station at 3m to 4m above the ground. Participants' physiological and subjective responses were measured. When the overall results of the four seasons are considered, WBGT provided a strong prediction of physiological responses as well as subjective responses if aural temperature, heart rate and sweat production were measured. Results: WBGT is appropriate to predict thermal strain on a large group of ordinary people in moderate conditions. Consideration should be given to include the WBGT index in warning systems for a wide range of weather conditions. However, the WBGT overestimated physiological responses of subjects. In addition, tenfold Borg's RPE was significantly different with heart rate measured for the four conditions except autumn (p<0.05). Physiological and subjective responses over 60 minutes consistently showed a similar tendency in the relationships with the $WBGT_{head}$ and $WBGT_{abdomen}$. Conclusion: It was found that either $WBGT_{head}$ or $WBGT_{abdomen}$ could be measured if a measurement should be conducted at only one height. The relationship between the WBGT values and weather station data was also investigated. There was a significant relationship between WBGT values at the position of a person and weather station data. For UK daytime weather conditions ranging from an average air temperature of $6^{\circ}C$ to $21^{\circ}C$ with mean radiant temperatures of up to $57^{\circ}C$, the WBGT index could be used as a simple thermal index to indicate the effects of weather on people. Application: The result of evaluation of WBGT might help to develop the smart clothing for workers in industrial sites and improve the work environment in terms of considering workers' wellness.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.281-286
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• 2012

Helminthic infections afflict over 1.5 billion people worldwide, while Mycobacterium tuberculosis infects one third of the world's population, resulting in 2 million deaths per year. Although tuberculosis and helminthic infections coexist in many parts of the world, and it has been demonstrated that the T-helper 2 and T-regulatory cell responses elicited by helminths can affect the ability of the host to control mycobacterial infection, it is still unclear whether helminth infections in fact affect tuberculosis disease. In this review article, current progress in the knowledge about the immunomodulation induced by helminths to diminish the protective immune responses to bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccination is reviewed, and the knowledge about the types of immune responses modulated by helminths and the consequences for tuberculosis are summarized. In addition, recent data supporting the significant reduction of both M. tuberculosis antigen-specific Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and TLR9 expression, and pro-inflammatory cytokine responses to TLR2 and TLR9 ligands in individuals with M. tuberculosis and helminth co-infection were discussed. This examination will allow to improve understanding of the immune responses to mycobacterial infection and also be of great relevance in combating human tuberculosis.