• Toxicological Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.201-206
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• 2008

Exposure to formaldehyde(FA) is closely associated with adverse health effects such as irritation, inflammation, and squamous cell carcinomas of the nasal cavities. Owing to its rapid metabolism and elimination, exposure to FA does not always result in an increased concentration in blood or urine of animals and humans. Therefore, the development of biomarkers for FA exposure is necessary for risk assessment. In the present study, the effects of FA were investigated on the expression of genes involved in the MAPK pathway in vitro and results confirmed in rats exposed to FA by inhalation. Treatment of Hs 680.Tr human tracheal epithelial cells with FA induced gene expression for PDGFA, TNFSF11, SHC1, and HRAS. HRAS expression was also increased in tracheas of rats exposed to FA. In addition, FA exposure induced the expression of RASSF4, a member of the Rasassociation domain family of Ras effectors, in rat tracheas. In conclusion, data showed FA-inducible expression of genes involved in the MAPK pathway occurred and increased expression of HRAS and RASSF4 was noted in rat tracheas subchronically exposed to FA by inhalation. These genes may serve as molecular targets of FA toxicity facilitating the understanding of the toxic mechanism.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.379-387
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• 2010

Sediments of Little Scioto (LS) River in Ohio was contaminated by poor disposal of creosote from Baker Wood Creosoting Facility. Among the primary compounds of creosote, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are the most common ingredient PAHs are known for toxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic compounds. There are many difficulties to remove the PAHs in nature environment because their characteristics are having a less water-solubility, volatile and low mobility properties as increasing the molecular weight. The generation of hydroxyl radicals (${\cdot}OH$) and hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) forms as well as high temperature (5000 K) and pressure (1000 atm) by a physico-chemical effects of ultrasound during a cavitation collapse can promote the degradation and desorption of PAHs in sediment And it can also produces shock wave and microjets which are able to change the size and surface of particle in solid-liquid system as one of physical effects. Therefore, we explored to understand the role of particle size, the effect of elimination for PAHs concentration by ultrasound and optimize the conditions for ultrasonic treatment. The condition of various size of particles (> $150{\mu}m$, < $150{\mu}m$) and solid-liquid ratio (12.5g/L, 25g/L) for the treatment was considered and ultrasonic power (430 W/L) with liquid - hexane extraction and microwave extraction method were applied after ultrasound treatment.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.8963-8967
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• 2014

Background: Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Apoptosis is a necessary physiological process for cell elimination which is very important both cellular homeostasis and cell proliferation and differantiation. Dysregulation can lead to uncontrolled cell growth and tumor development. Survivin, a member of the IAP family, plays a key role in promotion of cell proliferation as well as inhibition of apoptosis in cancer cells. The aim of this study was to investigate whether specific genetic polymorphisms of survivin could be associated with colon cancer development and progression in a Turkish population. Our study is the first to our knowledge to investigate the relationship between colon cancer risk and survivin gene polymorphisms. Materials and Methods: The relation between colon cancer and survivin -31 G/C (rs9904341), -241 C/T (rs17878467) and -625 C/G (rs8073069) polymorphism in promotor site of survivin gene associated with apoptosis was investigated using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Results: Individuals with -31C allele and CC genotype were found to have a higher risk of developing colon cancer (OR=13.4, p=0.01). The -241 CT genotype considerably increased the risk of colon cancer (OR=12.0, p=0.0001). However, there was no significant varaition of the survivin -625 C/G polymorphism among colon cancer patients and controls in our study. Conclusions: This study provides the first evidence that survivin -31 G/C and -241 C/T SNP significantly contribute to the risk of colon cancer in the Turkish population.

• BMB Reports
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.322-327
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• 2013

The ATP-binding cassette transporters ABCG5 and ABCG8 form heterodimers that limit absorption of dietary sterols in the intestine and promote cholesterol elimination from the body through hepatobiliary secretion. To identify cis-regulatory elements of the two genes, we have cloned and analyzed twenty-three evolutionary conserved region (ECR) fragments using the CMV-luciferase reporter system in HepG2 cells. Two ECRs were found to be responsive to the Liver-X-Receptor (LXR). Through elaborate deletion studies, regions containing putative LXREs were identified and the binding of $LXR{\alpha}$ was demonstrated by EMSA and ChIP assay. When the LXREs were inserted upstream of the intergenic promoter, synergistic activation by $LXR{\alpha}/RXR{\alpha}$ in combination with GATA4, $HNF4{\alpha}$, and LRH-1, which had been shown to bind to the intergenic region, was observed. In conclusion, we have identified two LXREs in ABCG5/ABCG8 genes for the first time and propose that these LXREs, especially in the ECR20, play major roles in regulating these genes.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.225-234
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• 2015

In this study, we proposed to synthesize thermally stable, soluble and conjugated Schiff base polymer (SbP). For this reason, a specific molecule namely 4,4'-thiodiphenol which has sulfur and oxygen bridge in its structure was used to synthesize bi-functional monomers. Bi-functional amino and carbonyl monomers namely 4,4'-[thio-bis(4,1-phenyleneoxy)] dianiline (DIA) and 4,4'-[thiobis(4,1-phenyleneoxy)]dibenzaldehyde (DIB) were prepared from the elimination reaction of 4,4'-thiodiphenol with 4-iodonitrobenzene and 4-iodobenzaldehyde, respectively. The structures of products were confirmed by elemental analysis, FTIR, $^1H$ NMR and $^{13}C$ NMR techniques. The molecular weight distribution parameters of SbP were determined by size exclusion chromatography (SEC). The synthesized SbP was characterized by solubility tests, TG-DTA and DSC. Also, conductivity values of SbP and SbP-iodine complex were determined from their solid conductivity measurements. The conductivity measurements of doped and undoped SbP were carried out by Keithley 2400 electrometer at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, which were calculated via four-point probe technique. When iodine was used as a doping agent, the conductivity of SbP was observed to be increased. Optical band gap ($E_g$) of SbP was also calculated by using UV-Vis spectroscopy. It should be stressed that SbP was a semiconductor which had a potential in electronic and optoelectronic applications, with fairly low band gap. SbP was found to be thermally stable up to $300^{\circ}C$. The char of SbP was observed 29.86% at $1000^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.159-166
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• 2000

Kunitz-type soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI) and chondroitin sulfate (A, and C type) were conjugated using sodium periodate method. And the physicochemical, pharmacokinetic properties and immunogenecity of the conjugates (Chon-A-SBTI or Chon-C-SBTI) were characterized. We expected the conjugation using chondroitin sulfate to reduce the immunogenecity and to improve the pharmacological effect. As the results, the mean molecular weight of the conjugate highly increased. After I.V. injection of the radiolabeled conjugates or native SBTI into mice, it was found that native SBTI showed rapid elimination from plasma, whereas Chon-A-SBTI and Chon-C-SBTI were slowly eliminated. Organ distribution of the two agents at 30 min after I.V. injection was different : Chon-A-SBTI or Chon-C-SBTI accumulated to a large extent in the liver (13% in Chon-A-SBTI and 16% in Chon-C-SBTI), whereas native SBTI was taken up more rapidly by the kidney (107% dose/g of tissue) and excreated into the urine (26%). In addition we evaluated the therapeutic value of the conjugates by using the sublethal septic shock model caused by pseudomonal elastase and tested the immunogenecity by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis shock (PCA). The conjugates were more effective than native SBTI against pseudomonal elastase induced septic shock in guinea pig. In case of the conjugates, the pharmacological and therapeutic effect lasted over 3 hours long. In immunogenecity test, both of the conjugates showed the reduction of their immunogenecity, especially Chon-A-SBTI looked most effective.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 2013

We present a multi-dimensional reduction method of the surveyed cube database obtained using a single- dish radio telescope in Taeduk Radio Astronomy Observatory (TRAO). The multibeam receiver system installed at the 14 m telescope in TRAO was not optimized at the initial stage, though it became more stabilized in the following season. We conducted a Galactic Plane survey using the multibeam receiver system. We show that the noise level of the first part of the survey was higher than expected, and a special reduction process seemed to be definitely required. Along with a brief review of classical methods, a multi-dimensional method of reduction is introduced; It is found that the 'background' task within IRAF (Image Reduction and Analysis Facility) can be applied to all three directions of the cube database. Various statistics of reduction results is tested using several IRAF tasks. The rms value of raw survey data is 0.241 K, and after primitive baseline subtraction and elimination of bad channel sections, the rms value turned out to be 0.210 K. After the one-dimensional reduction using 'background' task, the rms value is estimated to be 0.176 K. The average rms of the final reduced image is 0.137 K. Thus, the image quality is found to be improved about 43% using the new reduction method.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.71-75
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• 1981

Vacuum ultraviolet photolysis of ethyl bromide was studied at 104.8-106.7 nm (11.4-11.6 eV) in the pressure range of 0.2-18.6 torr at $25^{\circ}$ using an argon resonance lamp with and without additives, i.e., NO and He. Since the ionization potential of $CH_3CH_2Br$ is lower than the photon energy, the competitive processes between the photoionization and the photodecomposition were also investigated. The observations indicated that 50% of absorbed light leads to the former process and the rest to the latter one. In the absence of NO the principal reaction products for the latter process were found to be $CH_4, C_2H_2, C_2H_4, C_2H_6, and C_3H_8$. The product quantum yields of these reaction products showed two strikingly different phenomena with an increase in reactant pressure. The major products, $C_2H_4$ and $C_2H_6$, showed positive effects with pressure whereas the effects on minor products were negative in both cases, i.e., He and reactant pressures. Addition of NO completely suppresses the formation of all products except $C_2H_4$ and reduces the $C_2H_4$ quantum yield. These observations are interpreted in view of existence of two different electronically excited states. The initial formation of short-lived Rydberg transition state undergoes HBr molecular elimination and this state can across over by collisional induction to a second excited state which decomposes exclusively by carbon-bromine bond fission. The estimated lifetime of the initial excited state was ${\sim}4{\times}10^{-10}$ sec. The extinction coefficient for $CH_3CH_2Br$ at 104.8-106.7 nm and $25{\circ}$ was determined to be ${varepsilon} = (1/PL)ln(I_0/I_t) = 2061{\pm}160atm^{-1}cm6{-1}$ with 95% confidence level.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.391-395
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• 1990

The kinetics of thermnal cis-trans isomerization reaction of 1-bromopropene(1-BP) was studied at temperatures from 620.8 to 753.15 K over the pressure range 0.17-50.3 Torr. Both the inhibition effect by cyclohexene or propene and the catalytic effect by HBr showed a radical process as the main mechanism of the isomerization. In the suppression of the radical process by the inhibitors, the molecular process also contributed to overall reaction rate. The reactions demonstrated the first order kinetics under both uninhibited and inhibited conditions and could be represented by the expressions (R = 1.987 cal/mol/K) $k_{un}/s^{-1} = (3.45{\pm}1.50){\times}10^{11}$exp$[(- 48100{\pm}2000)/RT]\;k_{ink}/s^{-1} = (2.98{\pm}1.40){\times}10^{12}$exp$[(- 55800{\pm}1800)/RT]$> where $k_{un}$ is the observed rate constant of cis-1-bromopropene(1-B$P_c$) to trans-1-bromopropene(1-B$P_t$) under uninhibited condition at initial pressure of 50 Torr and $k_{ink}$ is the rate constant under maximal inhibition by cyclohexene. The ratio of rate constants for bromine atom elimination from the allylic hydrogen of reactant(1-BP) and from the inhibitors, propene and cyclohexene, were measured from the observed rates of the uninhibited and inhibited reactions. The inhibition efficiencies of cyclohexene and propene were compared kinetically from the rate constants and shown to give good agreement with the previous results reported from other alkyl bromide pyrolyses.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.233-242
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• 2019

Detailed description of malaria in low transmission areas is crucial for elimination. The current study aimed to provide a comprehensive description for malaria transmission in Jazan, a low transmission district, southwestern Saudi Arabia. Patients at a tertiary care hospital were recruited in our study between August 2016 and September 2018. Malaria diagnosis was performed through a species-specific nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR), microscopy and Paramax-$3^{TM}$ rapid detection test (RDT). Malaria was detected in 30 patients by the PCR, with point prevalence of 10.9%. Of these malaria infections, 80% was imported, 26.6% was asymptomatic and 23.3% was sub-microscopic. Malaria was reported throughout the year, with February/March and September/October peaks. Infection was significantly more in males than in females (P=0.01). Likewise, infections were detected more in febrile than in non-febrile patients (P=0.01). Adult aged 15-24 years, fever and travel were identified as high-risk factors. Malaria was primarily attributed to Plasmodium falciparum mono-infections, followed by P. vivax mono-infections and lastly to falciparum/vivax mixed infections accounting 76.6%, 16.6%, and 6.6% of PCR-confirmed malaria cases, respectively. The nested PCR was superior to the smear microscopy (sensitivity 76.6%; specificity 100%) and the RDT (sensitivity 83.3%, specificity 94.2%). The overall percent agreement between microscopy and the RDT was 92.7% (kappa=0.63). High proportion of imported malaria including sub-microscopic and sub-patent cases were described. We suggest that incorporation of molecular tool into the conventional malaria diagnosis is beneficial in Jazan district.