• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.214-223
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• 2024

Metabolic abnormalities in the liver are closely associated with diverse metabolic diseases such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ameliorating effect of robinetin (RBN) on the significant pathogenic features of metabolic failure in the liver and to identify the underlying molecular mechanism. RBN significantly decreased triglyceride (TG) accumulation by downregulating lipogenesis-related transcription factors in AML-12 murine hepatocyte cell line. In addition, mice fed with Western diet (WD) containing 0.025% or 0.05% RBN showed reduced liver mass and lipid droplet size, as well as improved plasma insulin levels and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) values. CD38 was identified as a target of RBN using the BioAssay database, and its expression was increased in OPA-treated AML-12 cells and liver tissues of WD-fed mice. Furthermore, RBN elicited these effects through its anti-histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity. Computational simulation revealed that RBN can dock into the HAT domain pocket of p300, a histone acetyltransferase, which leads to the abrogation of its catalytic activity. Additionally, knock-down of p300 using siRNA reduced CD38 expression. The chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay showed that p300 occupancy on the promoter region of CD38 was significantly decreased, and H3K9 acetylation levels were diminished in lipid-accumulated AML-12 cells treated with RBN. RBN improves the pathogenic features of metabolic failure by suppressing the p300-CD38 axis through its anti-HAT activity, which suggests that RBN can be used as a new phytoceutical candidate for preventing or improving this condition.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.220-227
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• 2013

Objectives : This study aims to investigate the clinical characteristics and neuropsychological profiles of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and their siblings. Methods : Eighteen children (age $8.2{\pm}1.7$ years, 12 boys) with ADHD and their 18 siblings (age $7.8{\pm}1.6$ years, 8 boys) completed Continuous Performance (CPT), Stroop, Children's Trail Making, Rey-Kim Memory, and Kim's Frontal Executive Function tasks. The parents of these subjects underwent the Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale (ARS), 10-item Parent General Behavior Inventory (P-GBI), and the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). Paired t-tests were used. Results : The inattention (p=.020), and hyperactivity-impulsivity (p=.001), scores of the ARS and the P-GBI score (p=.004) were significantly higher in children with ADHD than in their siblings. Deficits in social communication and motivation on SRS were higher in children with ADHD than in their siblings (p=.017 and p=.011, respectively). Z-scores of omission and commission errors as well as response time variability on visual CPT and omission errors on auditory CPT were in clinically significant range, and z-score of omission errors on auditory CPT was in borderline range in siblings. Omission (p=.018) and commission errors on Visual CPT (p=.007) were significantly higher in children with ADHD compared to their siblings. Recognition efficiency on Kim's Frontal Executive Function Task was lower in children with ADHD compared to their siblings, but in normal range in both groups. Stroop interference and figure fluency on Kims Frontal Executive Function Task were in borderline range in ADHD group, and figure fluency was in borderline range in siblings. Conclusion : Our results support a preliminary evidence for mild degree of attention deficit in ADHD siblings. Further studies are needed to examine the cognitive functions of siblings with ADHD in larger samples.

• 환경영향평가
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• 제25권6호
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• pp.532-541
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• 2016

국가환경시료은행(NESB)에서는 환경오염물질의 생태계 영향을 모니터링하기 위한 시료로서 8종의 생물시료를 정기적으로 채취하여 초저온(<$-130^{\circ}C$) 저장을 해 오고 있다. 이 중 2 종의 활엽수(느티나무 및 신갈나무 잎)가 중금속 및 잔류성유기오염물질(POPs)과 같은 대기오염물질 모니터링을 위한 환경시료로서 활용되기 위해 채취되고 있다. 한 지역을 대표하기 위해 군락 내 여러 개체에서 시료를 채취하는 과정에서 개체별 차이 및 오염분포 특성에 따른 이질성이 구성 시료의 대표성에 영향을 미치게 되고 따라서 분석을 통한 측정값을 활용한 연구의 신뢰도에 문제를 초래할 수 있다. 따라서 이러한 시료종은 엄격한 표준운영절차(SOP)에 따라 채취됨으로써 대표성을 확보할 수 있고 이를 근거로 오염물질의 지역간, 연도별 비교가 가능하게 된다. 본 연구에서는 표준운영절차(SOP)에 따라 5 지역의 고정구에서 채취된 신갈나무, 느티나무 잎 시료를 대상으로 지역 간 오염물질의 농도차이를 비교하기 위해 주요원소 및 중금속, 그리고 다환방향족탄화수소(Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs)에 대한 분석을 실시하였다. 그 결과인 측정값을 활용하기에 앞서 이에 대한 신뢰도 수준을 평가하기 위한 방편으로 시료채취단계에서 중복 시료를, 시료분석단계에서 중복분석을 수행하여 분산분석(ANOVA)을 수행하였다. 이로써 시료채취 및 분석의 단계별 불확도를 분리하여 산출한 후 측정불확도로 통합한 결과 측정값의 지역 간 연도별 농도비교에 통계적 신뢰도 수준으로 활용할 수 있었다. 아울러 잎표면 대기침적물질 중 강우에 영향을 받는 중금속 및 PAHs 종류를 파악하기 위해 누적강우량과 오염물질의 축적도간 관계를 분석하였다.

• 환경영향평가
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• 제25권6호
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• pp.442-456
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• 2016

생물다양성협약 사무국(SCBD)은 도시생물다양성지수(CBI)를 지방자치단체에서 도시생물다양성을 평가할 수 있는 도구로 권장하고 있으며, 생물다양성 보전을 위해 해외 여러 도시에 시범적용하고 있다. 본 연구는 생태적 측면에서 도시의 객관적 평가를 위해 도시생물다양성지수를 중심으로 국내 도시 특성을 고려, 도시단위로 구축된 자료를 활용하여 현재의 자료구축 상황에 적합한 지표를 도출하고 시범 적용하였다. 도시의 생태적 건전성 평가지표(CESI)를 생물다양성, 생태계서비스, 행정 및 관리의 3개 영역 12개 지표로 구성하고, 그 계산방식을 제시하였다. 그리고 추후 모든 도시에 적용될 시 용이한 도시간 비교평가가 이루어 질 수 있도록 지목을 활용해 85개 도시의 유형을 분류하고, 도시생태현황지도의 활용이 용이한 18개 도시에 시범적으로 적용해 보았다. 도시의 생태적 건전성 평가지표는 생물다양성과 관련된 데이터를 체계적으로 수집 관리하고, 생물다양성을 증진하는 데 기여할 것이다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권11호
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• pp.6913-6917
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• 2013

Background: Although the PSA test has been used in Korea for over 20 years, the incidence of prostate cancer has risen, and the associated mortality has increased about 13-fold over the 20-year period. Also, several investigators have suggested that Asians in America are more likely to present with more advanced prostate cancer than Caucasians. We compared the characteristics of native Koreans and Americans (Caucasians and African-Americans) undergoing radical prostatectomies in Korea and the US. Materials and Methods: Study subjects comprised patients at Korean and US hospitals from 2004 to 2012 who had undergone radical prostatectomies. We compared the characteristics of the subjects, including age, preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, body mass index (BMI), Gleason score, and pathological T stage. Results: In total, 1,159 males (502 Koreans, 657 Americans) were included. The Korean and American patients had mean ages of $67.1{\pm}6.6$ and $59.2{\pm}6.7$ years, respectively. The mean preoperative PSAs were $15.4{\pm}17.9$ and $6.2{\pm}4.6ng/mL$ (p=0.0001) and the mean BMIs were $23.6{\pm}2.6$ and $28.7{\pm}4.4kg/m^2$ (p=0.0001), respectively. Pathological localized prostate cancer represented 71.7% of cases for Koreans and 77.6% for Americans (p=0.07). According to age, Koreans had higher T stages than Americans in their 50s (p=0.021) and higher Gleason scores than Americans in all age groups. According to PSA, Koreans had higher Gleason scores than Americans for PSA >10 ng/mL (p<0.05). According to prostate size and Gleason scores, Koreans had higher PSA values than Americans (p<0.01). Conclusions: These results show that Korean patients have elevated risk of malignant prostate cancers, as indicated by the significantly higher Gleason scores and PSAs, suggesting a need for novel prostate cancer treatment strategies in Korea.

• 환경영향평가
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• 제21권6호
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• pp.823-839
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• 2012

Environmental Specimen Banks (ESBs) are playing pivotal role in monitoring the effect of environmental pollution on the ecosystem based on the retrospective analysis of the representative samples collected regularly and stored in cryogenic condition. In Korea, National Environmental Specimen Bank (NESB) was established in 2009 and the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for sampling, and cryogenic milling and storage had been prepared during 2007-2010. Since then, the tentative SOPs for the seven kinds of specimens (shoots of Red Pine (Pinus densiflora) and Korean Pine (Pinus koraiensis), leaves of Mongolian Oak (Quercus mongolica) and Zelkova Tree (Zelkova serrata), eggs of Feral Pigeon (Columba livia var. domestica), muscles and organs of Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio), and Freshwater Bivalve (Unio (Nodularia) douglasiae)) have been put to test in the field and laboratory as well against the practicality and feasibility. The SOPs were improved by reflecting the findings from the research and the following discussion regarding the selection of specimen (Feral Pigeon suffering from a control management), sample size (a problem of decreasing number of sampling trees related to increasing sampling time) and period (a problem related to a bud growth), and sampling methods etc.. In addition, barcoding system for the management of the specimen information, and monitoring system of the cryogenic storage to regulate the optimum temperature and the liquid nitrogen level were also developed for the efficient and effective control of the samples. Lastly, the safety guide and emergency protocol were augmented to guarantee a safe work environment with the cryogenic facility. These improvements of the SOPs are expected to contribute to more stable operation of the NESB.

• 환경영향평가
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• 제22권6호
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• pp.745-751
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• 2013

Environmental Specimen Banks (ESBs) have been established widely in the world since 1979 for monitoring long-term bio-accumulation of environmental pollutants. The ESBs perform the retrospective analysis of representative biological samples collected regularly and store them in cryogenic condition. In Korea, National Environmental Specimen Bank (NESB) was established in 2009. Since then, NESB had prepared the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the seven kinds of specimens (Red Pine (Pinus densiflora), Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio), and etc.) for monitoring the effect of environmental pollution on the terrestrial ecosystem and river ecosystem. In 2012, NESB added Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris)'s eggs to the list of the environmental specimen for monitoring marine environmental pollution. In this study, we sampled the eggs of the Black-tailed Gull on two islands (Baekryeongdo of the West Sea and Hongdo of the South Sea). Especially, we selected eggs which remained in the early stages of embryo development for certifying the consistent and stable monitoring for environmental pollutants in egg contents. However, it was not considered to classify an order of eggs per clutch in this study. It is known that the concentration variations of pollutants exist among eggs in one clutch. Therefore, it is needed to consider the positions of eggs in the laying sequences to meet the objective of bioaccumulation monitoring. We collected 30 eggs in each site but the amount may be insufficient to achieve storage target (over 2,000 g). Therefore, we need to consider an optimal sampling size.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• 제39권2호
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• pp.122-133
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was to develop an effective process for fabricating biocompatible calcium phosphate powders (CPPs) using horse bones, and to investigate the characteristics of them. Methods: The characteristics of horse bone powders (HBPs) were investigated according to the different osseous tissue types (compact bone and cancellous bone), bone types (spine and tibia), pretreatment methods (cold water, $H_2O_2$, and hot water), sintering time (4, 8 and 12h), and sintering temperature (600, 900, 1100 and $1300^{\circ}C$). In addition, the grinding methods were compared based on the wet grinding (ball mill) and dry grinding (blade grinder) method to make it as powders. Finally, their cytotoxicity and cell viability were checked. Results: Regardless of the types of osseous tissues and bones, HBPs were well fabricated as biocompatible CPPs. It was also found that the pretreatment methods did not influence on the resultants, showing well-fabricated HBPs. Considering the processing time, the hot water method was the most suitable compared to other pretreatment methods. Further, 12h-sintering time was sufficient to remove residual organic compounds. The sintering temperatures greatly affected the properties of bone powders fabricated. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) peak of horse bone sintered at $600^{\circ}C$ was most closed to that of hydroxyapatite (HA). Our bioactivity study demonstrated that the HBPs fabricated by sintering horse bones at $1300^{\circ}C$ showed the best performance in terms of cell viability whereas the HBPs $1100^{\circ}C$ showed the cytotoxicity. Conclusions: Using various types of horse bone tissues, biocompatible CPPs were successfully developed. We conclude that the HBPs may have a great potential as biomaterials for various biological applications including bone tissue engineering.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.227-234
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• 2014

Purpose: The aim of this research was to develop and evaluate natural hydroxyapatite (HA) ceramics produced from the heat treatment of pig bones. Methods: The properties of natural HA ceramics produced from pig bones were assessed in two parts. Firstly, the raw materials were characterized. A temperature of $1,200^{\circ}C$ was chosen as the calcination temperature. Fine bone powders (BPs) were produced via calcinations and a milling process. Sintered BPs were then characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and a 2-year in vitro degradability test. Secondly, an indirect cytotoxicity test was conducted on human osteoblast-like cells, MG63, treated with the BPs. Results: The average particle size of the BPs was $20{\pm}5{\mu}m$. FE-SEM showed a non-uniform distribution of the particle size. The phase obtained from XRD analysis confirmed the structure of HA. Elemental analysis using XRF detected phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca) with the Ca/P ratio of 1.6. Functional groups examined by FTIR detected phosphate ($PO{_4}^{3-}$), hydroxyl ($OH^-$), and carbonate ($CO{_3}^{2-}$). The EDX, XRF, and FTIR analysis of BPs indicated the absence of organic compounds, which were completely removed after annealing at $1,200^{\circ}C$. The BPs were mostly stable in a simulated body fluid (SBF) solution for 2 years. An indirect cytotoxicity test on natural HA ceramics showed no threat to the cells. Conclusions: In conclusion, the sintering temperature of $1,200^{\circ}C$ affected the microstructure, phase, and biological characteristics of natural HA ceramics consisting of calcium phosphate. The Ca-P-based natural ceramics are bioactive materials with good biocompatibility; our results indicate that the prepared HA ceramics have great potential for agricultural and biological applications.

• 한국물환경학회지
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• 제25권6호
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• pp.951-963
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• 2009

The community structure and ecological characteristics of fish community in Lake Paldang were investigated from May to September 2008. During the survey period, 53 species belonging to 13 families were collected. Dominant species was Squalidus japonicus coreanus representing 81.8% of total number and 25.7% of total biomass of collected fish and subdominant species was Lepomis macrochirus representing 3.3% of total number and 18.9% of total biomass of collected fish. There were 20 Korean endemic species (38% of collected species number) including Cottus koreanus and 4 exotic species (7.5%) including Micropterus salmoides. The similarity analysis of fish communities among water areas of Lake Paldang using UPGMA showed that fish community of North-Han River was similar to that of South-Han River area and was different from that of Gyeongan River area. Long-term variation of fish community from 1972 to present study in Lake Paldang showed decrease of the species numbers after dam construction until 1994, and gradual increase from 1996 to present study indicating the disturbance of lentic system by dam construction in the 1980s. The increase of species number in the late 2000s may results in part from the increase of survey sites of successive studies. L. macrochirus which was designated as a domestic ecosystem-disturbing alien species with wide food niche have shown more than 20% of relative abundance since 1996 indicating the adverse effect on not only fish community but also aquatic ecosystem food web of Lake Paldang.