• 대한전기학회논문지:전기물성ㆍ응용부문C
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• 제49권6호
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• pp.328-334
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• 2000

A lithium ion secondary battery using carbon as a negative electrode has been developed. Further improvements to increase the cell capacity are expected by modifying the structure of the carbonaceous material. There are hopes for the development of large capacity lithium ion secondary batteries with long cycle, high energy density, high power density, and high energy efficiency. In the present paper, needle cokes from petroleum were examined as an anode of lithium ion secondary battery. Petroleum cokes, MCL(Molten Caustic Leaching) treated in Korea Institute Energy Research, were carbonized at various temperatures of 0, 500, 700, $19700^{\circ}C$ at heating rate of $2^{\circ}C$/min for lh. The electrolyte was used lM liPF6 EC/DEC (1:1). The voltage range of charge & discharge was 0.0V(0.05V) ~ 2.0V. The treated petroleum coke at $700^{\circ}C$ had an initial capacity over 560mAh.g which beyond the theoretical maximum capacity, 372mAh/g for LiC6. This phenomena suggests that carbon materials with disordered structure had higher cell capacity than that the graphitic carbon materials.

• 한국지하수토양환경학회지:지하수토양환경
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.36-45
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• 2013

We analyzed natural radionuclides in 80 wells in volcanic rock areas and investigated environmental characteristics. Uranium and radon concentrations ranged from ND to $9.70{\mu}g/L$ (median value: 0.21) ${\mu}g/L$, 38~29,222 pCi/L (median value: 579), respectively. In case of gross-${\alpha}$, 26 samples exceeded MDA (minimum detectable activity, < 0.9 pCi/L) value and the activity values ranged from 1.05 to 8.06 pCi/L. The radionuclides concentrations did not exceed USEPA MCL (maximum contaminant level) value of Uranium ($30{\mu}g/L$) and gross-${\alpha}$ (15 pCi/L). But Rn concentrations in 4 samples exceeded USEPA AMCL (Alternative maximum contaminant level, 4,000 pci/L) and one of them showed a significantly higher value (29,222 pCi/L) than the others. The levels of uranium concentrations in volcanic rock aquifer regions were detected in order of andesite, miscellaneous volcanic rocks, rhyolite, basalt aquifer regions. Radon, however, was detected in order of miscellaneous volcanic rocks, rhyolite, andesite, basalt aquifer regions. The correlation coefficient between uranium and radon was r = 0.45, but we found that correlations of radionuclides with in-situ data or major ions were weak or no significant. The correlation coefficient between the depth of wells and uranium concentrations was a slightly higher than that of depth of wells and radons. Radionuclide concentrations in volcanic rock aquifers showed lower levels than those of other rock aquifers such as granite, metamorphic rock aquifers, etc. This result may imply difference of host rock's bearing-radioactive-mineral contents among rock types of aquifers.

• Integrative Medicine Research
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.67-73
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• 2014

Background: The transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3)is constitutively activated in many human cancers. It promotes tumor cell proliferation,inhibits apoptosis, induces angiogenesis and metastasis, and suppresses antitumor hostimmune responses. Therefore, Stat3 has emerged as a promising molecular target for cancertherapies. In this study, we evaluated the Stat3-suppressive activity of 38 herbal medicinestraditionally used in Korea.Methods: Medicinal herb extracts in 70% ethanol were screened for their ability to suppressStat3 in the A549 human lung cancer cell line. A Stat3-responsive reporter assay system wasused to detect intracellular Stat3 activity in extract-treated cells, and Western blot analyseswere performed to measure the expression profiles of Stat3-regulated proteins.Results: Fifty percent of the 38 extracts possessed at least mild Stat3-suppressive activities(i.e., activity less than 75% of the vehicle control). Ethanol extracts of Bupleurum falcatumL., Taraxacum officinale Weber, Solanum nigrum L., Ulmus macrocarpa Hance, Euonymus alatusSieb., Artemisia capillaris Thunb., and Saururus chinensis (Lour.) Baill inhibited up to 75% of thevehicle control Stat3 activity level. A549 cells treated with these extracts also had reducedBcl-xL, Survivin, c-Myc, and Mcl-1 expression.Conclusion: Many medicinal herbs traditionally used in Korea contain Stat3 activity-suppressing substances. Because of the therapeutic impact of Stat3 inhibition, these resultscould be useful when developing novel cancer therapeutics from medicinal herbs.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제41권7호
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• pp.684-694
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• 2018

Upregulation of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression is an important factor in the cellular survival and cancer. Although growing evidence suggests that hTERT inhibits cellular apoptosis by telomere-independent functions, the mechanisms involved are not fully understood. Here, we show that hTERT contains a BH3-like motif, a short peptide sequence found in BCL-2 family proteins, and interacts with anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family proteins MCL-1 and BCL-xL, suggesting a functional link between hTERT and the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. Additionally, we propose that hTERT can be categorized into the atypical BH3-only proteins that promote cellular survival, possibly due to the non-canonical interaction between hTERT and antiapoptotic proteins. Although the detailed mechanisms underlying the hTERT BH3-like motif functions and interactions between hTERT and BCL-2 family proteins have not been elucidated, this work proposes a possible connection between hTERT and BCL-2 family members and reconsiders the role of the BH3-like motif as an interaction motif.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.8-15
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• 2008

목향은 국화과에 속한 다년생 식물인 Saussurea lappa의 뿌리로서 한의학에서는 구토, 설사 및 염증치료 등에 사용되고 있다. 목향 추출물 및 그 성분들은 항균 작용, 항염증 작용, 혈관생성 억제 효능 등을 지니고 있으며 위암과 대장암의 세포증식을 억제하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 그러나 현재까지 전립선암에 대한 목향의 효과는 연구된 바 없다. 본 연구에서는 목향이 전립선 암세포에 미치는 영향을 조사하기 위해 인간의 전립선에서 유래한 암세포인 LNCaP 세포의 증식과 apoptosis에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. 목향 헥산추출물을 LNCaP 세포 배양액에 여러 농도($0{\sim}4$ mg/L)로 첨가하여 세포의 증식에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. 목향 헥산추출물의 농도가 증가할수록 LNCaP 세포의 증식은 현저하게 감소하였고 apoptosis는 증가함을 관찰하였다. 목향 헥산추출물이 LNCaP 세포의 apoptosis 일으키는 기전을 연구하기 위하여 목향 헥산추출물을 첨가하고 세포를 48시간 배양한 후 cell lysate를 얻어 Western blot을 실시하였다. Apoptosis 과정에 작용하는 중요한 단백질 중 하나인 Bcl-2 family 단백질 중 pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 단백질인 Bak와 BH3 only Bcl-2 단백질인 truncated-Bid의 단백질 수준은 목향 헥산 추출물에 의해 유의적으로 증가한 반면 anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 단백질인 Bcl-2, Bcl-xL 및 Mcl-1 단백질 수준은 변하지 않았다. 또한 apoptosis를 집행하는 caspase의 활성 형태인 cleaved caspase-8, -9, -7, -3의 단백질 수준이 목향 헥산추출물의 처리에 의해 증가하였고 caspase-3의 표적 단백질 중 하나인 PARP의 불활성 형태인 cleaved PARP의 단백질 수준도 현저하게 증가하였다. 이 결과들은 목향 헥산 추출물이 LNCaP 세포의 apoptosis를 유도함으로써 전립선 암세포의 증식을 억제함을 보여주는 것이며 목향 헥산추출물에 의한 apoptosis 유도는 caspase 활성 증가와 Bak 및 t-Bid 단백질의 증가에 의한 것임을 제시한다. 따라서 앞으로 항암효과를 나타내는 성분의 동정 및 동물실험을 통하여 좀 더 면밀한 기전 연구가 수행된다면 목향 헥산추출물은 화학적 암예방 물질이나 치료제로 개발될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.201-209
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• 2012

Apoptosis is a physiological programmed cell death process. Tubercle bacilli inhibit apoptosis of alveolar macrophages and phagolysosome fusion. We investigated whether the Bcl-2 family anti-apoptotic member, Bfl-1/A1, plays an important role in the anti-apoptotic process during mycobacterial infection. PMA-treated human monocytoid THP-1 cells were infected with mycobacteria (H37Rv, BCG, and K-strain) at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 10 for 0, 1.5, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 48, or 72 h. In addition, PMA-treated THP-1 cells were pretreated with specific inhibitors for 45 min before stimulation with mycobacteria at an MOI of 10 for 4 h. After the indicated time, the cells were subject to reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, and a Bfl-1/A1-specific Western blot was performed. In PMA-differentiated THP-1 cells, the expression level of Bfl-1/A1 mRNA was increased by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) H37Rv infection. The mRNA level of Bfl-1/A1 peaked 3 h after MTB infection, then declined gradually until 9 h. However, Bfl-1/A1 mRNA induction gradually re-increased from 24 h to 72 h after MTB infection. No difference in Bfl-1/A1 expression was detected following infection with MTB H37Rv, K-strain, or M. bovis BCG. These results were not dependent on mycobacterial virulence. Moreover, mRNA levels of other anti-apoptotic molecules (Mcl-1, Bcl-2, and Bcl-xL) were not increased after MTB H37Rv or K-strain infection. These results suggest that mycobacteria induce the innate immune host defense mechanisms that utilize Bfl-1/A1 molecules at early time points, regardless of virulence.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.376-386
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• 2016

에폽토시스에 의한 세포자멸사는 암세포에 대한 항암제 효능의 핵심적 기전이다. 항암제의 대표적인 두 종류로 알려진 DNA-손상 약제(DNA-damaging agents, DDAs)와 미세소관-손상 약제(microtubule-damaging agents, MDAs)가 암세포에 야기하는 초기 항암신호전달 기전은 다르지만, 최종적으로는 대부분 미토콘드리아 의존-에폽토시스를 통해 암세포를 사멸시킨다. 한편, DDAs에 의한 에폽토시스 유도에는 wild-type 종양억제 단백질 p53의 역할이 매우 중요하다. 그러나 인체 암의 약 50% 이상이 p53유전자의 돌연변이 때문에 종양억제 단백질로서의 p53 기능이 불활성화 되어 있다. 따라서 p53과 무관하게 에폽토시스를 유도할 수 있는 MDAs를 이용한 항암치료는 돌연변이 p53을 지닌 암세포에 대해 유리한 화학요법으로 이해된다. 최근 본 연구진은 인체 급성 백혈병 세포주인 Jurkat T 세포를 모델로 하여, MDAs (nocodazole, 17-α-estradiol, 혹은 2-methoxyestradiol)의 항암작용과 관련된 세포주기 정지 및 에폽토시스 유도 기전을 구명하였다. 그 결과, Jurkat T 세포를 MDAs로 처리할 경우, 유사분열방추사의 결함에 의한 세포주기(전중기, prometaphase) 정지, 장시간에 걸친 Cdk1의 활성화, 활성화된 Cdk1에 의한 에폽토시스 조절인자들(Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Mcl-1 및 Bim)의 인산화, 이에 따른 Bak 활성화, 미토콘드리아막 손상 및 카스파아제 연쇄 활성화에 의해 에폽토시스가 유도됨을 밝혔다. 또한 동일한 MDA 처리 조건하에서 Bcl-2 혹은 Bcl-xL의 과발현시켜 에폽토시스 진행을 차단할 경우, Jurkat T 세포는 약제처리 후에 전중기 정지된 4N 상태에 도달하지만, 이어서 유사분열 불이행(mitotic slippage) 및 내재복제(endoreduplication)가 진행되어 다배수체들(polyploids; 8N, 16N)을 생성하게 됨을 확인하였다. 이러한 결과는 MDAs처리에 따른 다배수체들의 생성을 차단하는 세포 내 기전으로서, 전중기 정지된 4N 세포의 에폽토시스에 의한 제거가 매우 중요함을 보여준다. 특히, 다배수체는 유전적으로 매우 불안정하여 암세포의 항암제 내성 획득 및 암 재발과 직접 연관되는 것으로 알려져 있으므로, 에폽토시스 기전에 결함이 있는 암세포를 대상으로 MDAs를 이용한 항암 화학요법을 시행할 경우에는 다배수체 세포의 생성을 차단하기 위한 새로운 수단이 반드시 병행되어야 할 것으로 사료된다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.43-50
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• 2013

Palmitic acid (PAM), one of the most common saturated fatty acid (SFA) in animals and plants, has been shown to induce apoptosis in exocrine pancreatic AR42J cells. In this study, we investigated cellular mechanisms underlying protective effects of oleic acid (OLA) against the lipotoxic actions of PAM in AR42J cells. Exposure of cells to long-chain SFA induced apoptotic cell death determined by MTT cell viability assay and Hoechst staining. Co-treatment of OLA with PAM markedly protected cells against PAM-induced apoptosis. OLA significantly attenuated the PAM-induced increase in the levels of pro-apoptotic Bak protein, cleaved forms of apoptotic proteins (caspase-3, PARP). On the contrary, OLA restored the decreased levels of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins (Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, and Mcl-1) in PAM-treated cells. OLA also induced up-regulation of the mRNA expression of Dgat2 and Cpt1 genes which are involved in triacylglycerol (TAG) synthesis and mitochondrial ${\beta}$-oxidation, respectively. Intracellular TAG accumulation was increased by OLA supplementation in accordance with enhanced expression of Dgat2 gene. These results indicate that restoration of anti-apoptotic/pro-apop-totic protein balance from apoptosis toward cell survival is involved in the cytoprotective effects of OLA against PAM-induced apoptosis in pancreatic AR42J cells. In addition, OLA-induced increase in TAG accumulation and up-regulation of Dgat2 and Cpt1 gene expressions may be possibly associated in part with the ability of OLA to protect cells from deleterious actions of PAM.

• 지질공학
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.551-574
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• 2014

중생대 경상누층군(Gyeonsang Super Group)의 백악기 퇴적암과 화성암류가 분포하는 경상남북도 지역의 201개 지하수공을 대상으로 자연방사성물질인 우라늄과 라돈의 함량특징과 수리지질학적 관련성을 규명하였다. 이를 위하여 요인분석을 통하여 방사성물질과 주요 수질성분과의 상관성을 해석하였으며, 또한 이들의 함량분포와 지질을 고려하여 자연방사성물질의 함량분포도를 작성하였다. 경상남북도지역의 지하수는 대부분 Ca-Na-$HCO_3$가 우세한 유형을 보여 전형적인 칼슘-나트륨-중탄산형의 수리화학적 특징을 보인다. 우라늄의 함량이 미국 EPA의 MCL $30{\mu}g/L$를 넘는 지점은 1개소, 라돈함량이 미국 EPA의 AMCL 4,000 pCi/L를 넘는 지점은 3개소였으며, 전알파의 함량이 15 pCi/L 또는 라듐함량이 5 pCi/L를 넘는 지점은 없었다. 우라늄의 함량범위는 $0.02{\sim}53.7{\mu}g/L$, 평균 $1.56{\mu}g/L$, 표준편차 $4.3{\mu}g/L$이고, 중앙값은 $0.47{\mu}g/L$로서 매우 낮다. 우라늄의 평균치는 신동층군 > 중생대 화강암 > 하양층군 > 유천층군 > 신생대 제3기 퇴적암의 순으로 높다. 전체지역의 라돈의 함량범위는 2~8,740 pCi/L, 평균 754, 중앙값 510, 표준편차는 907 pCi/L이다. 라돈의 평균치는 중생대 화강암 > 유천층군 > 신생대 제3기퇴적암 > 하양층군 > 신동층군의 순으로 높다. 경상남북도의 주요 지질단위를 구분하여 요인분석을 실시한 결과, 우라늄과 라돈의 상관성은 매우 낮았으나, 우라늄과 라돈은 일부 중요 수질항목과 높은 상관관계를 보인다. 요인분석 결과에 의하면 특정한 요인이 자연방사성원소의 거동특성에 크게 영향을 주지 않으므로 이들은 다소 독립적인 거동특성을 하는 것으로 볼 수 있다. 광역적인 방사상물질 연구에서는 행정구역단위 외에도 주요 지질별로 구분하여 방사성원소의 함유특징을 해석할 필요가 있다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제16권5호
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• pp.321-326
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• 2012

Resveratrol, a natural compound, has been shown to possess anti-cancer, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and neuroprotective activities. In this study, we examined the antiproliferative and cytotoxicity properties of resveratrol in Rat B103 neuroblastoma cells; although it's molecular mechanisms for the biological effects are not fully defined. Here, we examined the cellular cytotoxicity of resveratrol by cell viability assay, antiproliferation by BrdU assay, DNA fragmentation by DNA ladder assay, activation of caspases and Bcl-2 family proteins were detected by western blot analyses. The results of our investigation suggest that resveratrol increased cellular cytotoxicity of Rat B103 neuroblastoma cells in a dose-and time-dependent manner with $IC_{50}$ of 17.86 ${\mu}M$ at 48 h. On the other hand, incubation of neuroblastoma cells with resveratrol resulted in S-phase cell cycle arrests which dose-dependently and significantly reduced BrdU positive cells through the downregulation of cyclin D1 protein. In addition, resveratrol dose-dependently and significantly downregulated the expression of anti-apoptotic protein includes Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and Mcl-1 and also activates cleavage caspase-9 and-3 via the downregulation of procaspase-9 and -3 in a dose-dependent manner which indicates that involvement of intrinsic mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathway. In conclusion, resveratrol increases cellular cytotoxicity and inhibits the proliferation of B103 neuroblastoma cells by inducing mitochondria-mediated intrinsic caspase dependent pathway which suggests this natural compound could be used as therapeutic purposes for neuroblastoma malignancies.