• Membrane Journal
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.72-82
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• 2009

A mathematical model was written for simulating the removal of phenol from wastewater in enzyme-loaded membrane reactor (EMR). The numerical simulation program was developed so as to predict the degradation of phenol through an EMR. Numerical model proves to be effective in searching for optimal operating conditions and creating an optimal microenvironment for the biocatalyst in order to optimize productivity. In this study, several dimensionless parameters such as Thiele Modulus (${\phi}^2$, dimensionless Michaelis-Menten constant ($\xi$), Peclet number (Pe) were introduced to simplify their effects on system efficiency. In particular, the study of phenol conversion at different feed compositions shows that low phenol concentrations and high Thiele Modulus values lead to higher reactant degradation.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.488-494
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• 2003

We have fabricated gelatin-immobilized polyurethane foams (PUFG) by dipping polyurethane foam (PUF) in an aqueous solution containing gelatin and by subsequent reaction with glutaraldehyde after freeze-drying. Gelatin aqueous solutions of different concentrations were used as the dipping solutions to control the amount of immobilized gelatin. The average pore size of PUF decreased with an increase in gelatin concentration. It was found from the hepatocyte adhesion experiment that the amount of hepatocytes seeded on PUFG1, prepared by using a 1% aqueous gelatin solution, was higher than that on other PUFGs. The hepatocytes inoculated in PUFG1, were slightly aggregated as the incubation time increased. The cells inoculated in PUFG1 showed higher ammonia removal ability than those monolayer-cultured on a gelatin-immobilized polystyrene dish (PSG) after 1 and 4 days of incubation time. The inoculated cells exhibited higher albumin secretion relative to monolayer-cultured hepatocytes on PSG. Albumin secretion by hepatocytes seeded on PUFG1 was increased by the presence of serum and was further increased by both the presence of serum and cytokines. The results obtained from a 3-(3,4-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay indicated that PUFG can provide a better microenvironment for hepatocyte culture along with nutrition and metabolite transfer through the high porosity of PUF.

• BMB Reports
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• v.45 no.11
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• pp.623-628
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• 2012

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs; TIMP-1, -2, -3 and -4) are endogenous inhibitor for matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) that are responsible for remodeling the extracellular matrix (ECM) and involved in migration, invasion and metastasis of tumor cells. Unlike under normal conditions, the imbalance between MMPs and TIMPs is associated with various diseased states. Among TIMPs, TIMP-1, a 184-residue protein, is the only N-linked glycoprotein with glycosylation sites at N30 and N78. The structural analysis of the catalytic domain of human stromelysin-1 (MMP-3) and human TIMP-1 suggests new possibilities of the role of TIMP-1 glycan moieties as a tuner for the proteolytic activities by MMPs. Because the TIMP-1 glycosylation participate in the interaction, aberrant glycosylation of TIMP-1 presumably affects the interaction, thereby leading to pathogenic dysfunction in cancer cells. TIMP-1 has not only the cell proliferation activities but also anti-oncogenic properties. Cancer cells appear to utilize these bilateral aspects of TIMP-1 for cancer progression; an elevated TIMP-1 level exerts to cancer development via MMP-independent pathway during the early phase of tumor formation, whereas it is the aberrant glycosylation of TIMP-1 that overcome the high anti-proteolytic burden. The aberrant glycosylation of TIMP-1 can thus be used as staging and/or prognostic biomarker in colon cancer.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.321-329
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• 2001

This study included three experiments to evaluate in-vehicle exposures to PM10 and CO: 1) evaluation of in-passenger car exposures, 2) evaluation of in-public bus exposures, and 3) simultaneous evaluation of in-passenger car and in -university bus exposures. The tests of four factors (transportation mode, passenger-car type, commute period, and commute season were focused. A total of 40 actual passenger car commuters, 20 public bus commuters, and four university buses were recruited or surveyed. The same commuters ware participated in both the summer and winter studied. Two factory such as transportation mode and passenger-car type were found to have little effect on the in-vehicle levels of PM10 and CO. Commute period was found to have little effect on the in-vehicle CO levels. Conversely, the other factor, commuting season was found to influence on the in-vehicle levels of PM10 and CO. The present study also confirmed that under the Korean commute conditions, vehicle interiors are an important microenvironment for exposure to PM10 and CO. This was supported by finding that the in-vehicle Air levels were much higher than ambient air levels reported by several previous studies. The mean in -vehicle PM10 concentrations were 114 and 103$\mu\textrm{g}$/m$^3$for passenger cars and public buses, respectively. For CO, the mean in-vehicle concentrations were 2.9 and 2.6 ppm for passenger cars and public louses, respectively.

• Biomaterials and Biomechanics in Bioengineering
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.141-155
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• 2016

Two-dimensional (2D) cell culture and in vivo cancer model systems have been used to understand cancer biology and develop drug delivery systems for cancer therapy. Although cell culture and in vivo model studies have provided critical contribution about disease mechanism, these models present important problems. 2D tissue culture models lack of three dimensional (3D) structure, while animal models are expensive, time consuming, and inadequate to reflect human tumor biology. Up to the present, scaffolds and 3D matrices have been used for many different clinical applications in regenerative medicine such as heart valves, corneal implants and artificial cartilage. While tissue engineering has focused on clinical applications in regenerative medicine, scaffolds can be used in in vitro tumor models to better understand tumor relapse and metastasis. Because 3D in vitro models can partially mimic the tumor microenvironment as follows. This review focuses on different scaffold production techniques and polymer types for tumor model applications in cancer tissue engineering and reports recent studies about in vitro 3D polymeric tumor models including breast, ewing sarcoma, pancreas, oral, prostate and brain cancers.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7289-7294
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• 2013

We here document discovery of a new and simple model of tumor seeding involving the mouse peritoneum. Irradiated tumor cells administered by i.p. injection provided effective vaccination against peritoneal carcinomatosis and distal metastasis with colorectal carcinomas. In flow cytometric analysis, CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes, macrophages and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), which are easy to obtain in the peritoneal cavity, were revealed to have significant differences between immunized and non-immunized mice and these contributed to antitumor responses. We also observed that both serum and peritoneal lavage fluid harvested from immunized mice showed the presence of CT26-specific autoantibodies. In addition, increase in level of TGF-${\beta}1$ and IL-10 in serum but a decrease of TGF-${\beta}1$ in peritoneum was found. Taken together, these findings may provide a new vaccine strategy for the prevention of peritoneal and even systemic metastasis of carcinomas through induction of an autoimmune response in the peritoneum.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2005

Cancer is still a major global health concern even after an everlasting strive in conquering this dread disease. Emphasis is now given to chemoprevention to reduce the risk of cancer and also to improve the quality of life among cancer afflicted individuals. Recent progress in molecular biology of cancer has identified key components of the cellular signaling network, whose functional abnormality results in undesired alterations in cellular homeostasis, creating a cellular microenvironment that favors premalignant and malignant transformation. Multiple lines of evidence suggest an elevated expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is causally linked to cancer. In response to oxidative/pro-inflammatory stimuli, turning on unusual signaling arrays mediated through diverse classes of kinases and transcription factors results in aberrant expression of COX-2. Population-based as well as laboratory studies have explored a broad spectrum of chemopreventive agents including selective COX-2 inhibitors and a wide variety of anti-inflammatory phytochemicals, which have been shown to target cellular signaling molecules as underlying mechanisms of chemoprevention. Thus, unraveling signaling pathways regulating aberrant COX-2 expression and targeted blocking of one or more components of those signal cascades may be exploited in searching chemopreventive agents in the future.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.359-364
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• 2007

The aim of this study were to assess the personal exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and to estimate the personal exposure using time-weighted average model. Three target VOCs (benzene, toluene, xylene) were analyzed in personal exposure samples and residential indoor, residential outdoor and workplace indoor microenvironments samples in the iron mill 30 workers during working 5 days. Personal exposure to VOCs significantly correlated with workplace concentration p<0.05), suggesting workplace had strong source and major contribution to personal exposure. Personal exposure could be estimated with time activity pattern and time weighted average (TWA) model of residential indoor and workplace concentrations measured. Time weighted mean microenvironments concentrations were close approximately of personal exposure concentrations. Total exposure for participants can be estimated by TWA with microenvironments measurements and time activity pattern.

• BMB Reports
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• v.45 no.12
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• pp.677-685
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• 2012

In the process of tumorigenesis, normal cells are remodeled to cancer cells and protein expression patterns are changed to those of tumor cells. A newly formed tumor microenvironment elicits the immune system and, as a result, a humoral immune response takes place. Although the tumor antigens are undetectable in sera at the early stage of tumorigenesis, the nature of an antibody amplification response to antigens makes tumor-associated autoantibodies as promising early biomarkers in cancer diagnosis. Moreover, the recent development of proteomic techniques that make neo-epitopes of tumor-associated autoantigens discovered concomitantly has opened a new area of 'immuno-proteomics', which presents tumor-associated autoantibody signatures and confers information to redefine the process of tumorigenesis. In this article, the strategies recently used to identify and validate serum autoantibodies are outlined and tumor-associated antigens suggested until now as diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers in various tumor types are reviewed. Also, the meaning of autoantibody signatures and their clinical utility in personalized medicine are discussed.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2007

Natural killer (NK) cells play a crucial role in innate immune system and tumor surveillance. NK cells are derived from $CD34^+$hematopoietic stem cells and undergo differentiation via precursor NK cells in bone marrow (BM) through sequential acquisition of functional surface receptors. During differentiation of NK cells, many factors are involved including cytokines, membrane factors and transcription factors as well as microenvironment of BM. NK cells express their own repertoire of receptors including activating and inhibitory receptors that bind to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I or class I-related molecules. The balance between activating and inhibitory receptors determines the function of NK cells to kill targets. Binding of NK cell inhibitory receptors to their MHC class I-ligand renders the target cells to be protected from NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Thus, NK cells are able to discriminate self from non-self through MHC class I-binding inhibitory receptor. Using intrinsic properties of NK cells, NK cells are emerging to apply as therapeutic agents against many types of cancers. Recently, NK cell alloactivity has also been exploited in killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor mismatched haploidentical stem cell transplantation to reduce the rate of relapse and graft versus host disease. In this review, we discuss the basic mechanisms of NK cell differentiation, diversity of NK cell receptors, and clinical applications of NK cells for anti-cancer immunotherapy.