• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.456-465
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• 2023

Cervical tumors represent a prevalent form of cancer affecting women worldwide; current treatment options involve surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Angiogenesis, the process of new blood vessel formation, is a crucial factor in cervical tumor growth. The molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of the liver kinase B1 (LKB1/STK11) tumor suppressor protein on tumor angiogenesis have not been elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the role of LKB1 in cervical tumor angiogenesis both in vitro and in vivo in this study. Our results demonstrated that LKB1 inhibited cervical tumor angiogenesis by suppressing the expression of angiogenesis-related factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia inducible factor-1α. LKB1 directly affected both carcinoma and vascular endothelial cells, resulting in a significant reduction in tumor growth and angiogenesis. Furthermore, LKB1 was found to bind to VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) and target the VEGFR-2-mediated protein kinase B/mechanistic target of rapamycin signaling pathway in endothelial cells, thereby reducing cervical tumor growth and angiogenesis. Our study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic effects of LKB1 in cervical cancer. These findings will help develop new therapeutic strategies for cervical cancer.

• Genes and Genomics
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• v.40 no.11
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• pp.1169-1180
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• 2018

Cave shrimps from the genera Typhlatya, Stygiocaris and Typhlopatsa (TST complex) comprises twenty cave-adapted taxa, which mainly occur in the anchialine environment. Anchialine habitats may undergo drastic environmental fluctuations, including spatial and temporal changes in salinity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen content. Previous studies of crustaceans from anchialine caves suggest that they have possessed morphological, behavioral, and physiological adaptations to cope with the extreme conditions, similar to other cave-dwelling crustaceans. However, the genetic basis has not been thoroughly explored in crustaceans from anchialine habitats, which can experience hypoxic regimes. To test whether the TST shrimp-complex hypoxia adaptations matched adaptive evolution of mitochondrial OXPHOS genes. The 13 OXPHOS genes from mitochondrial genomes of 98 shrimps and 1 outgroup were examined. For each of these genes was investigated and compared to orthologous sequences using both gene (i.e. branch-site and Datamonkey) and protein (i.e. TreeSAAP) level approaches. Positive selection was detected in 11 of the 13 candidate genes, and the radical amino acid changes sites scattered throughout the entire TST complex phylogeny. Additionally, a series of parallel/convergent amino acid substitutions were identified in mitochondrial OXPHOS genes of TST complex shrimps, which reflect functional convergence or similar genetic mechanisms of cave adaptation. The extensive occurrence of positive selection is suggestive of their essential role in adaptation to hypoxic anchialine environment, and further implying that TST complex shrimps might have acquired a finely capacity for energy metabolism. These results provided some new insights into the genetic basis of anchialine hypoxia adaptation.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.7-24
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• 2008

Masan-Jinhae Bay, in Korea, is known for its frequent algal bloom outbreaks. This study was conducted in order to examine the environmental characteristics of the area, with the aim of identifying indicators that could be used to speculate about future algal blooms. The water temperatures and salinities in Haengam Bay, one of the small inner bays within Jinhae, appeared to re relatively higher than those in Masan and Jinhae bays, across most seasons. Furthermore, stratification begins to develop in all three regions from spring to summer as a result of the local heating effects and an increase in the efficient from the surrounding land. As a result, anoxic conditions appear near the bottom layer of the bay, leading to the deterioration of water quality, which has been identified as one of the causes of bloom outbreaks. Compared to Haengam and Jinhae bays, concentrations of DIN and DIP were remarkably higher in Masan Bay. However, the mean ratio of DIN to DIP was 3.3$\sim$13.6 in all three regions throughout the year, suggesting that nitrogen can function as a growth-limiting factor for phytoplankton. The results of mathematical models showed that cumulative organic pollutants may be a trigger for direct algal bloom occurrences, since residual tidal currents appeared to be less than $3\;cm\;\cdot\;s^{-1}$. Furthermore, computed DO concentrations in the four small inner bays of Jinhae during the summer appeared to be $3\;cm\;\cdot\;l^{-1}$ indicating a hypoxic state. Likewise, computed Chl-a concentrations turned out to be more than $0.01\;mg\;\cdot\;l^{-1}$, indicating eutrophication across most seasons. Based on the overall results, Masan-Jinhae Bay appeared to possess a very high potential for algal bloom outbreaks at anytime during the year.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.3 s.104
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• pp.322-335
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• 2003

Nutrient fluxes and sediment oxygen demands (SOD) were measured with intact sediment cores collected from three stations in the downstream of Nagdong River. The sediments were subjected to controlled oxic and hypoxic conditions and temperature gradients (from $10^{\circ}C$ to $30^{\circ}C$) of the overlying waters in laboratory batch system. The effect of temperature and labile layer thickness of the sediment on SOD were examined. $PO_4\;^{3-}$ and $NH_4\;^+$ fluxes were elevated above $20^{\circ}C$ and large mobilities were observed when they were coupled with a hypoxic and high-temperature condition. In the well oxygenated conditions, $PO_4\;^{3-}$ fluxes were negative or negligible but $NH_4\;^+$ fluxes ranged from 1.3 mg N $m^{-2}\;hr^{-1}$ to 2.3 $m^{-2}\;hr^{-1}$. Temperature quotients($Q_{10}$) of $PO_4\;^{3-}$ fluxes were 3.7 ${\sim}$ 7.3 ranges to have the most high values. $PO_4\;^{3-}$ and $NH_4\;^+$ fluxes had the logarithmic increase with temperature, while $NO_3\;^-$ was negatively absorbed to the sediment and linearly correlated with the temperature. $SiO_2$ fluxes showed no difference among oxic and hypoxic conditions and sediment texture. The nutrient fluxes would be closely correlated with pore water chemistry of sediments and activated by the top sediment layer composition such as labile organic matters or algal detritus. The ecological implications of the nutrient fluxes were discussed in terms of sources and sinks of nutrients coupled to algal productions in the Nagdong River.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.130-137
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• 2011

To improve sediment quality in eutrophic coastal areas using benthic microalgae, we examined the effects of temperature and salinity on the growth of benthic microalgae Achnanthes sp., Amphora sp., Navicula sp. and Nitzschia sp. isolated from Sujeong Bay, Korea, using batch cultures. The maximum growth rates were obtained under the combined temperature and salinity conditions of $25^{\circ}C$ and 25 psu for Achnanthes sp. (0.60 /day), $15^{\circ}C$ and 25 psu for Amphora sp. (0.56 /day), $20^{\circ}C$ and 30 psu for Navicula sp. (0.53 /day), $20^{\circ}C$ and 25 psu for Nitzschia sp. (0.48 /day). Considering these results of temperature and salinity conditions required for optimum growth (${\geq}$ 70% of maximum specific growth rate), Amphora sp. Navicula sp. and Nitzschia sp. were characterized as eurythermal and euryhaline species, while Achnanthes sp., which exhibited extremely low survival at low temperature. In conclusion, Amphora sp., Navicula sp. and Nitzschia sp. may be useful species for phytoremediation, to control eutrophication and hypoxic water and thus improve environmental conditions of polluted coastal areas.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.922-930
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• 2021

Objective: Tibetan pigs, predominantly originating from the Tibetan Plateau, have been subjected to long-term natural selection in an extreme environment. To characterize the metabolic adaptations to hypoxic conditions, transcriptomic and proteomic expression patterns in the livers of Tibetan and Yorkshire pigs were compared. Methods: RNA and protein were extracted from liver tissue of Tibetan and Yorkshire pigs (n = 3, each). Differentially expressed genes and proteins were subjected to gene ontology and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes functional enrichment analyses. Results: In the RNA-Seq and isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation analyses, a total of 18,791 genes and 3,390 proteins were detected and compared. Of these, 273 and 257 differentially expressed genes and proteins were identified. Evidence from functional enrichment analysis showed that many genes were involved in metabolic processes. The combined transcriptomic and proteomic analyses revealed that small molecular biosynthesis, metabolic processes, and organic hydroxyl compound metabolic processes were the major processes operating differently in the two breeds. The important genes include retinol dehydrogenase 16, adenine phosphoribosyltransferase, prenylcysteine oxidase 1, sorbin and SH3 domain containing 2, ENSSSCG00000036224, perilipin 2, ladinin 1, kynurenine aminotransferase 1, and dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 1. Conclusion: The findings of this study provide novel insight into the high-altitude metabolic adaptation of Tibetan pigs.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.3 s.91
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• pp.213-221
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• 2000

Seasonal oxygen content and deficit rates were evaluated from 17 sites of Taechung Reservoir during 1993${\sim}$1994. In 1993, river inflows peaked during the monsoon in July${\sim}$August and disrupted thermal stratification and anoxic layers in the headwaters, thereby confining the anoxia to the mid-lake and downlake reach. The volume of anoxic water with < 4 mg/l DO comprised only < 10% of the total lake volume in this period. In contrast, during monsoon 1994, 85% of total lake volume was subject to hypoxic conditions with oxygen concentrations < 30% saturation, resulting in massive fishkills (Hypomesus olidus). Relative areal oxygen deficit (RAOD) was -0.024mg O$_{2}$cm$^{-2}$d$^{-1}$ during monsoon 1993, whereas it rapidly decreased at the rate of 0.080mg O$_{2}$cm$^{-2}$d$^{-1}$ during monsoon 1994. Anoxic factor (AF) showed a same interannual pattern as the RAOD and was greater >50 d in 1994 (76.5 d) than 1993 (21.3 d). Thus, the reservoir showed a river-characteristics (6${\sim}$11 mg/l DO) in 1993 while lacustrine conditions (<4mg/l DO) dominated in 1994. Regression analysis showed that the variation of summer DO was mostly determined (R$^{2}$=0.99, p<0.0001) by inflow. These findings suggest that the primary factor regulating the oxygen content in this system during summer is an intensity of the monsoon rain.