• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.594-602
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• 2021

The NLRP3 (nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat family pyrin domain containing 3) inflammasome plays an important role in the initiation of inflammatory responses, through the recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns and tumor progression, including tumor growth and metastasis. In this study, we examined the effects of defective NLRP3 on the growth, migration, and invasiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) SK-Hep1 cell. First, HCC SK-Hep1 cells were transfected with human NLRP3 targeting LentiCRISPRv2 vector using the CRISPR-Cas9 system, and NLRP3 deficiency was confirmed by RT-qPCR and western blotting. NLRP3 deficient SK-Hep1 cells showed delayed cell growth and decreased protein expression of PI3K, p-AKT, and pNF-κB when compared to NLRP3 complete SK-Hep1 cells. In addition, NLRP3 deficiency arrested the cell cycle at G1 phase through an increase in p21 and a reduction in CDK6. NLRP3 deficient SK-Hep1 cells also showed significantly delayed cell migration, invasion, and wound healing. The expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition signaling molecules, such as N-cadherin and MMP-9, was found to be dramatically decreased in NLRP3 deficient SK-Hep1 cells compared to NLRP3 complete SK-Hep1 cells.

• BMB Reports
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• v.45 no.11
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• pp.629-634
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• 2012

The human glycoprotein, stanniocalcin 2 (STC2) plays multiple roles in several tumor types, however, its function and clinical significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. In this study, we detected STC2 expression by quantitative real-time PCR and found STC2 was upregulated in HCC tissues, correlated with tumor size and multiplicity of HCC. Ectopic expression of STC2 markedly promoted HCC cell proliferation and colony formation, while silencing of endogenous STC2 resulted in a reduced cell growth by cell cycle delay in G0/G1 phase. Western blot analysis demonstrated that STC2 could regulate the expression of cyclin D1 and activate extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) in a dominant-positive manner. Transwell chamber assay also indicated altered patterns of STC2 expression had an important effect on cell migration. Our findings suggest that STC2 functions as a potential oncoprotein in the development and progression of HCC as well as a promising molecular target for HCC therapy.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.319-331
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• 2013

Recent climate change, which is mostly ascribed to anthropogenic activities, is believed to be a major factor leading to biodiversity decreases and ecosystem service deteriorations. I have reviewed recent studies on climate change effects for many ecological processes involved with plants, in order to improve our understanding of the nature of ecological complexity. Plants in general have better growth and productivity under high levels of $CO_2$, although the long term effects of such $CO_2$ fertilizers are still controversial. Over the last 30 years, the Earth has been greening, particularly at higher latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, perhaps due to a relaxation of climatic constraints. Human appropriation of net primary productivity (NPP), which corresponds up to 1/3 of global NPP, is ultimately responsible for climate change and biodiversity decreases. Climate change causes phenological variations in plants, especially in regards to spring flowering and fall leaf coloring. Many plants migrate polewards and towards higher altitudes to seek more appropriate climates. On the other hand, tree mortality and population declines have recently been reported in many continents. Landscape disturbance not only hinders the plant migration, but also makes it difficult to predict the plants' potential habitats. Plant and animal population declines, as well as local extinctions, are largely due to the disruption of species interactions through temporal mismatching. Temperature and $CO_2$ increase rates in Korea are higher than global means. The degree of landscape disturbances is also relatively high. Furthermore, long-term data on individual species responses and species interactions are lacking or quite limited in Korea. This review emphasizes the complex nature of species responses to climate change at both global and local scales. In order to keep pace with the direction and speed of climate change, it is urgently necessary to observe and analyze the patterns of phenology, migration, and trophic interactions of plants and animals in Korea's landscape.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.494-513
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• 2013

In this study, a transnational social space which emerges in a rural village of the northern Vietnam called 'Korean Village' is analyzed. The immigrant women of whom the spouses are Korean were forming transnational network with family members through which frequent and active communications took place. At the same time materialistic exchanges were occurring by means of remittance. Like most rural areas where up-to-date life patterns co-exist with outdated ones, the studied region was turning into a transnational social space under the influence of indigenous locallity, culture and other economic factors. Women were found to play a virtual role as resonator in practicing the transnational activity of migration. With the migration routes getting more and more solidified, the evolution of the transnational social space and the role of resonator, the form of transnational migration which makes involved young women look like a sacrifice is ceaselessly expanding around a specific region. This is noticeable because a rural village seemingly far away from internationalization is not only becoming the transnational social space but also a stage of its evolution.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.497-502
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• 2014

Microfluidics can provide unique experimental tools to visualize the development of neural structures within a microscale device, which is followed by guidance of neurite growth in the axonal isolation compartment. We utilized microfluidics technology to monitor the differentiation and migration of neural cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). We co-cultured hESCs with PA6 stromal cells, and isolated neural rosette-like structures, which subsequently formed neurospheres in suspension culture. Tuj1-positive neural cells, but not nestin-positive neural precursor cells (NPCs), were able to enter the microfluidics grooves (microchannels), suggesting that neural cell-migratory capacity was dependent upon neuronal differentiation stage. We also showed that bundles of axons formed and extended into the microchannels. Taken together, these results demonstrated that microfluidics technology can provide useful tools to study neurite outgrowth and axon guidance of neural cells, which are derived from human embryonic stem cells.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.594-599
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• 2001

In a sandy shore surf zone of Dolsan Island, diel, tidal and seasonal effects on abundance of Acartia omorii were investigated at three sites, the bottom and surface of 1 m depth and water's edge using a sledge-net. Of these sites, the abundance of A. omorii was the highest in the bottom. Seasonal abundance data showed that A. omorii was more abundant in winter than other seasons. During the study period, the abundance of A. omorii was always higher during ebb tide than flood, The distribution patterns of A. omorii were more influenced by tide than diel change, Strong current during spring tide possiblely affected the diel migration pattern, In winter A. omorii showed a diel vortical migration in neap tide, whereas it showed a reverse vortical diel migration in spring tide. Distribution centers were located at a layer of $50\~100\;cm$ below mean sea level (MSL) during neap tide, and then it moved slightly upward during spring tide.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.76-85
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• 2006

Background: Chemotaxis is one of the cardinal functions of leukocytes, which enables them to be recruited efficiently to the right place at the right time. Analyzing chemotactic activities is important not only for the study on leukocyte migration but also for many other applications including development of new drugs interfering with the chemotactic process. However, there are many technical limitations in the conventional in vitro chemotaxis assays. Here we applied a new optical assay to investigate chemotactic activities induced in differentiated HL-60 cells. Methods: HL-60 cells were stimulated with 0.8% dimethylformamide (DMF) for 4 days. The cells were analyzed for morphology, flow cytometry as well as chemotactic activities by a time-lapse videomicroscopic assay using a chemotactic microchamber bearing a fibronectin-coated cover slip and an etched silicon chip. Results: Videomicroscopic observation of the real cellular motions in a stable concentration gradient of chemokines demonstrated that HL-60 cells showed chemotaxis to inflammatory chemokines (CCL3, CCL5 and CXCL8) and also a homeostatic chemokine (CXCL12) after DFM-induced differentiation to granulocytic cells. The cells moved randomly at a speed of $6.99{\pm}1.24{\mu}m/min$ (n=100) in the absence of chemokine. Chemokine stimulation induced directional migration of differentiated HL-60 cells, while they still wandered very much and significantly increased the moving speeds. Conclusion: The locomotive patterns of DMF-stimulated HL-60 cells can be analyzed in detail throughout the course of chemotaxis by the use of a time-lapse videomicroscopic assay. DMF-stimulated HL-60 cells may provide a convenient in vitro model for chemotactic studies of neutrophils.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.332-340
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• 2019

Background: Studies of morphological variation within and among populations provide an opportunity to understand local adaptation and potential patterns of gene flow. To study the evolutionary divergence patterns of Schlegel's Japanese gecko (Gekko japonicus) across its distribution, we analyzed data for 15 morphological characters of 324 individuals across 11 populations (2 in China, 4 in Japan, and 5 in Korea). Results: Among-population morphological variation was smaller than within-population variation, which was primarily explained by variation in axilla-groin length, number of infralabials, number of scansors on toe IV, and head-related variables such as head height and width. The population discrimination power was 32.4% and in cluster analysis, populations from the three countries tended to intermix in two major groups. Conclusion: Our results indicate that morphological differentiation among the studied populations is scarce, suggesting short history for some populations after their establishment, frequent migration of individuals among the populations, and/or local morphological differentiation in similar urban habitats. Nevertheless, we detected interesting phenetic patterns that may predict consistent linkage of particular populations that are independent of national borders. Additional sampling across the range and inclusion of genetic data could give further clue for the historical relationship among Chinese, Japanese, and Korean populations of G. japonicus.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.1177-1189
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• 1994

This paper aims to develop the numerical model for prediction of the channel migration by analyzing of sediment and flow characteristics with patterns of channel in alluvial rivers. Flow in rivers constitutes to be the meandering or the braided form and rarely straight channel through morphologically stable patterns with mutual actions between the flowing water and bed materials. In order to develop the model for simulation of the channel migration, the channels are divided into two types with positive or negative sign by the direction of curvature radius of the centerline channel ($r_c$). That is, the single bend-channel consists of only one curvature of positive or negative sign and the multi-bend channel consists of two more curvatures of positive or negative sign, respectively. The model analyzes the sediment and flow characteristics under the influence of superelevation, spiral motion, irregularity in bed topography and depth-averaged velocity of channels. For reliability of this model, the single bend-channel and the multi bend channel are compared with experiment data in other models and the measured field data in the Keum-River, respectively. As a result, the both com parisians turn out to be excellent.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.879-891
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to evaluate seasonal patterns and diel variations of fish movements in the Juksan Weir which was constructed in 2010 at the down-stream of Yeongsan-River watershed. For this study, we monitored day-and-night movement(24 Hr cycle) and seasonal fish migration(June ~ August) patterns in 2011 along with species compositions and abundances depending on the locations of the traps within the fishway. Total number of species sampled was 14 and the total number of individuals was 1,263 with only the size-fractions(as total length) of the fish < 20 cm during the study. Seasonal analysis of fish movement in the fish way showed that highest frequency in the movement occurred in June - July, which is closely associated with a spawning peak season. The most dominant species using the fishway was Squalidus chankaensis tsuchigae, and this species turned out to be 26.9% of the total in the use rate of fishway. Daily monitoring of fish movements showed that most frequent movements occurred between 18:00 PM and 21:00 PM when the fish have a feeding time generally. The migratory fish were not found in the fishway during the study. Mean current velocity during the study $0.42{\pm}0.02ms^{-1}$(n = 42), and there were no significant statistical differences(p > 0.05) among the daily and monthly velocities in the fishway. The use rate of fish passage, in terms of fish species, was 48%, compared with total sampling of fish species(29 species) at the down-river regions during the same period, indicating a low use rate. Further continuous long-term monitoring should be conducted to evaluate the impacts of the weir construction in the river.