• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 2005

The Swedish double mutation (KM670/671NL) of amyloid precursor protein (Swe-APP) is associated with early-onset familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) and increases amyloid beta peptide production. Although APP/A/3 mediated neurotoxicity is observed both in vitro and in vivo, the relationship between mutant APP expression, A/3 production, and neuronal death observed in the brains of FAD patients remains to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms of Swe-APP-induced cell death in HEK293 and NGF-differentiated PC 12 cells. We found that the expression of Swe-APP induced cytochrome C relase, activation of caspase 3 in HEK 293 and NGF-differentiated PC 12 cells. We also show that the reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected in Swe-APP expressing HEK 293 cells and NGF-differentiated PC 12 cells and that pretreatment with vitamine E attenuated the cellular death, cytochrome C release induced by Swe-APP expression, indicating the involvement of free radical in these processes. These results suggest one of possible apoptotic mechanisms of Swe-APP which could occur through cytochrome C release from mitochondria and this apoptosis inducing effects could be at least in part, due to ROS generation by Swe-APP expression.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.71-77
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• 1999

Phytoplankton communities were investigated 13 times during the period from November, 1995 to December, 1996 in the coastal area of Kori. A total of 162 taxa (including unidentified species) were observed； 120 diatoms, 3 silicoflagellates, 34 dinoflagellates, 2 euglenoids, 1 chlorophyte and 2 unidentified microflagellates. A diatom species, Skeletonema costatum (Greville) Clove dominated all the year round. The standing stocks of phytoplankton ranged from 94 cells/ml in August to 1059 cells/ml in July. The peaks of standing stocks occurred in February and July. The effects of thermal effluent to the phytoplankton communities changed seasonally and might affect increasing the standing stocks where about 1 ∼ 3 km from the discharge of Kori Nuclear Power Plant in autumn and winter. But the effects of thermal effluent must be negative in summer.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.210-221
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• 2022

This study investigated the mechanisms underlying the anti-cancer effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in human cancer cells in combination with either N-[N-(3, 5-difluorophenacetyl)-L-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester (DAPT), a γ-secretase inhibitor, or MHY2245, a new synthetic sirtuin 1 inhibitor. The results showed both DAPT and MHY2245 as novel chemosensitizers of human colon cancer KM12 and human hepatocellular carcinoma SNU475 cells to NSAIDs involving celecoxib and 2, 5-dimethyl celecoxib. The NSAID-induced cytotoxicity of these cells was significantly increased by DAPT and MHY2245 in a cyclooxygenase-2 independent manner. In addition, DAPT and MHY2245 reduced levels of p62, Notch1 intracellular domain, and multiple cancer stemness (CS)-related markers including Notch1, CD44, CD133, octamer-binding transcription factor 4, mutated p53 and c-Myc. However, the level of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) was enhanced, probably indicating the down-regulation of multiple CS-related markers by DAPT or MHY2245-mediated autophagy induction. Moreover, the NSAID-mediated reduction of p62/nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-like 2 and CS-related marker proteins and the up-regulation of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP)/ATF4 were accelerated by DAPT and MHY2245. As such, the combination of NSAID and either DAPT or MHY2245 resulted in higher cytotoxicity than NSAID alone by accelerating the down-regulation of multiple CS-related markers and PARP activation, indicating that both inhibitors promote NSAID-mediated autophagic cell death, possibly through the CHOP/ATF4 pathway. In conclusion, either combination strategy may be useful for the effective treatment of human cancer cells expressing CS-related markers.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.196-203
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• 2005

Here, we attempted to evaluate the activity of artificially transconjugated multiple plasmids in 'designer biocatalysts' for the bioremediation of cocontaminated sites under nonselective conditions. We observed profound losses in the percent survivals of artificially transconjugated plasmid activity ($66 - 78\%$ loss immediately after freeze-drying, $99.45 - 99.88\%$ loss by the end of 6 months storage) in reconstituted Pseudomonas sp. KM12TC. Such unpredictable high losses of this particular plasmid appeared to clearly be a deleterious effect. However, even after 6 months of storage, the cells remained able to degrade $95\%$ of phenol within 9 days, and the full effiux of$^%${73} As, as compared to that of the non-freeze-dried cells, was successfully achieved 4 to 9 days later. These results indicate that 'stable designer biocatalysts' can remain viable, even after freeze-drying and 6 months of storage.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.185-193
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• 1997

The characteristics of $Na^+$-dependent cycloleucine uptake was investigated in OK cells with regard to substrate specificity and regulation by protein kinase C (PKC). Inhibition studies with different synthetic and natural amino acids showed a broad spectrum affinity to neutral amino acids regardless of their different side chains including branched or aromatic, indicating that the $Na^+$-dependent cycloleucine uptake in OK cells is mediated by System $B^o$ or System $B^o$-like transporter rather than the classical System A or ASC. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate, but not $4{\alpha}-PMA$ elicited a time-dependent biphasic stimulation of $Na^+$-dependent cycloleucine uptake, which produced early transient peak at 30 min and late sustained peak at 180min. Both the early and late stimulations by PMA were due to an increase in Vmax and not due to a change in Km. PKC inhibitors blocked both the early and late stimulation by PMA, while protein synthesis inhibitors blocked the late stimulation only. These results suggest the existence and regulation by PKC of System $B^o$ or System $B^o$-like broad spectrum transport system for neutral amino acids in OK cells.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.141-148
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• 2016

Oriental melon (Cucumis melo L. var. makuwa) is one of six subspecies of melon and is cultivated widely in East Asia, including China, Japan, and Korea. Although oriental melon is economically valuable in Asia and is genetically distinct from other subspecies, few reports of genome-scale research on oriental melon have been published. We generated 30.5 and 36.8 Gb of raw RNA sequence data from the female and male flowers, leaves, roots, and fruit of two oriental melon varieties, Korean landrace (KM) and Breeding line of NongWoo Bio Co. (NW), respectively. From the raw reads, 64,998 transcripts from KM and 100,234 transcripts from NW were de novo assembled. The assembled transcripts were used to identify molecular markers (e.g., single-nucleotide polymorphisms and simple sequence repeats), detect tissue-specific expressed genes, and construct a genetic linkage map. In total, 234 single-nucleotide polymorphisms and 25 simple sequence repeats were screened from 7,871 and 8,052 candidates, respectively, between the KM and NW varieties and used for construction of a genetic map with 94 F2 population specimens. The genetic linkage map consisted of 12 linkage groups, and 248 markers were assigned. These transcriptome and molecular marker data provide information useful for molecular breeding of oriental melon and further comparative studies of the Cucurbitaceae family.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.270-279
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• 2017

Regional assessment of crop productivity using a gridded simulation approach could aid policy making and crop management. Still, little effort has been made to develop the systems that allows gridded simulations of crop growth using ORYZA 2000 model, which has been used for predicting rice yield in Korea. The objectives of this study were to develop a series of data processing modules for creating input data files, running the crop model, and aggregating output files in a region of interest using gridded data files. These modules were implemented using C++ and R to make the best use of the features provided by these programming languages. In a case study, 13000 input files in a plain text format were prepared using daily gridded weather data that had spatial resolution of 1km and 12.5 km for the period of 2001-2010. Using the text files as inputs to ORYZA2000 model, crop yield simulations were performed for each grid cell using a scenario of crop management practices. After output files were created for grid cells that represent a paddy rice field in South Korea, each output file was aggregated into an output file in the netCDF format. It was found that the spatial pattern of crop yield was relatively similar to actual distribution of yields in Korea, although there were biases of crop yield depending on regions. It seemed that those differences resulted from uncertainties incurred in input data, e.g., transplanting date, cultivar in an area, as well as weather data. Our results indicated that a set of tools developed in this study would be useful for gridded simulation of different crop models. In the further study, it would be worthwhile to take into account compatibility to a modeling interface library for integrated simulation of an agricultural ecosystem.

• BMB Reports
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.377-383
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• 1998

Thioltransferase, also known as glutaredoxin, was purified from Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris ssp. napus var. pekinensis) by a combination of ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration. Its purity was confirmed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and its molecular weight was estimated to be about 12,000 which is comparable with those of most known thioltransferases. The enzyme utilizes 2-hydroxyethyl disulfide, S-sulfocysteine, ${\alpha}-chymotrypsin$, insulin, and trypsin as substrates in the presence of reduced glutathione. The enzyme has Km values of 0.03-0.97 mM for these substrates. It appeared to contain dehydroascorbate reductase activity. The pH optimum of the enzyme was 8.5, when 2-hydroxyethyl disulfide was used as a substrate. It was greatly activated by reduced glutathione. Its activity was not significantly lost when stored at high temperature, indicating its thermostable character. It may play an important role in thiol-disulfide exchange in plant cells.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.1403-1411
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• 2008

Wangdol-cho, located 23 km offshore of Hupo in southwest of East Sea, is underwater rock floor, called to Wangdol-Am or Wangdol-Jam and has three tops as Mat-Jam, Middle-Jam and Set-Jam. The composition, abundance, diversity and community structure were investigated in winter and summer in 2002 around Wangdol-cho. The temperature around the Northwest and Southeast part of Wangdol-cho was influenced by the North Korea Cold Current (NKCC) and East Korea Warm Current (EKWC), respectively. Nutrient and chlorophyll-a concentration were higher at the top of Wangdol-cho than other area. A total of 41 genera and 78 species of phytoplankton were identified. The average cell abundance of phytoplankton in winter and summer were $286{\times}10^3\;cells/m^3,\;432{\times}10^3\;cells/m^3$ respectively. The largest community was Bacillariophyta containing 52 taxa. The dominant species were Lauderia anulata and Coscinodiscus spp. which preferred cold water in winter. In contrast, warm water species such as Rhizosolenia stolterfothii and Ceratium spp. were dominant in summer. The average species diversity index of phytoplankton in winter was higher than that in summer. According to dominant species and standing crops, phytoplankton community resulted in a clear separation. One group was western area, which showed low density, and the other was eastern area, which showed the higher density. The abundance and species composition of phytoplankton. were affected by topological characteristics around Wangdol-cho.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.175-182
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• 2000

Spatial interpolation of daily temperature forecasts and observations issued by public weather services is frequently required to make them applicable to agricultural activities and modeling tasks. In contrast to the long term averages like monthly normals, terrain effects are not considered in most spatial interpolations for short term temperatures. This may cause erroneous results in mountainous regions where the observation network hardly covers full features of the complicated terrain. We developed a spatial interpolation model for daily minimum temperature which combines inverse distance squared weighting and elevation difference correction. This model uses a time dependent function for 'mountain slope lapse rate', which can be derived from regression analyses of the station observations with respect to the geographical and topographical features of the surroundings including the station elevation. We applied this model to interpolation of daily minimum temperature over the mountainous Korean Peninsula using 63 standard weather station data. For the first step, a primitive temperature surface was interpolated by inverse distance squared weighting of the 63 point data. Next, a virtual elevation surface was reconstructed by spatially interpolating the 63 station elevation data and subtracted from the elevation surface of a digital elevation model with 1 km grid spacing to obtain the elevation difference at each grid cell. Final estimates of daily minimum temperature at all the grid cells were obtained by applying the calculated daily lapse rate to the elevation difference and adjusting the inverse distance weighted estimates. Independent, measured data sets from 267 automated weather station locations were used to calculate the estimation errors on 12 dates, randomly selected one for each month in 1999. Analysis of 3 terms of estimation errors (mean error, mean absolute error, and root mean squared error) indicates a substantial improvement over the inverse distance squared weighting.