• BMB Reports
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• 제57권4호
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• pp.167-175
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• 2024

Cancer progression is driven by genetic mutations, environmental factors, and intricate interactions within the tumor microenvironment (TME). The TME comprises of diverse cell types, such as cancer cells, immune cells, stromal cells, and neuronal cells. These cells mutually influence each other through various factors, including cytokines, vascular perfusion, and matrix stiffness. In the initial or developmental stage of cancer, neurotrophic factors such as nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor are associated with poor prognosis of various cancers by communicating with cancer cells, immune cells, and peripheral nerves within the TME. Over the past decade, research has been conducted to prevent cancer growth by controlling the activation of neurotrophic factors within tumors, exhibiting a novel attemt in cancer treatment with promising results. More recently, research focusing on controlling cancer growth through regulation of the autonomic nervous system, including the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, has gained significant attention. Sympathetic signaling predominantly promotes tumor progression, while the role of parasympathetic signaling varies among different cancer types. Neurotransmitters released from these signalings can directly or indirectly affect tumor cells or immune cells within the TME. Additionally, sensory nerve significantly promotes cancer progression. In the advanced stage of cancer, cancer-associated cachexia occurs, characterized by tissue wasting and reduced quality of life. This process involves the pathways via brainstem growth and differentiation factor 15-glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor receptor alpha-like signaling and hypothalamic proopiomelanocortin neurons. Our review highlights the critical role of neurotrophic factors as well as central nervous system on the progression of cancer, offering promising avenues for targeted therapeutic strategies.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제51권1호
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• pp.25-41
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• 2024

The measurement of pile bearing capacity is crucial for the design of pile foundations, where in-situ tests could be costly and time needed. The primary objective of this research was to investigate the potential use of fuzzy-based techniques to anticipate the maximum weight that concrete driven piles might bear. Despite the existence of several suggested designs, there is a scarcity of specialized studies on the exploration of adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems (ANFIS) for the estimation of pile bearing capacity. This paper presents the introduction and validation of a novel technique that integrates the fire hawk optimizer (FHO) and equilibrium optimizer (EO) with the ANFIS, referred to as ANFIS_FHO and ANFIS_EO, respectively. A comprehensive compilation of 472 static load test results for driven piles was located within the database. The recommended framework was built, validated, and tested using the training set (70%), validation set (15%), and testing set (15%) of the dataset, accordingly. Moreover, the sensitivity analysis is performed in order to determine the impact of each input on the output. The results show that ANFIS_FHO and ANFIS_EO both have amazing potential for precisely calculating pile bearing capacity. The R² values obtained for ANFIS_FHO were 0.9817, 0.9753, and 0.9823 for the training, validating, and testing phases. The findings of the examination of uncertainty showed that the ANFIS_FHO system had less uncertainty than the ANFIS_EO model. The research found that the ANFIS_FHO model provides a more satisfactory estimation of the bearing capacity of concrete driven piles when considering various performance evaluations and comparing it with existing literature.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제20권8호
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• pp.1281-1286
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• 2010

고셔병은 세포내의 글루코세레브로시데이즈의 결핍으로 인하여 리소좀 내의 글루코세레브로사이드가 분해되지 못하고 축적되는 질환으로 알려져 있으며, 유형의 종류에 따라 신경퇴행성 질환으로 나타나는 것으로 보고되어 있으나 아직까지 정확한 기전이 밝혀져 있지 않다. 본 논문에서는 항산화 효과 및 신경보호 효과가 있는 것으로 알려진 레스베라트롤을 고셔병 환자의 fibroblast 세포에 투여하여 세포 생존율 변화 여부 및 세포주기 조절에 관하여 분자 생물학적 기전을 알아보고자 하였다. 고셔병 세포의 p21의 mRNA 발현 수준과 단백질 발현 양상을 확인한 결과 mRNA 상의 정량적 차이는 관찰되지 않았으나 단백질 발현수준은 레스베라트롤의 농도가 높아짐에 따라 증가 되는 것을 확인하였다. 또한 세포사멸의 표지 인자 단백질로 알려진 PARP의 변화양상을 확인한 결과 레스베라트롤의 농도가 높아짐에 따라 감소하는 것을 확인 할 수 있었다. 이를 통해 폴리페놀계 천연물인 레스베라트롤이 고셔병에서 세포 손상을 치유하며, 궁극적으로 세포사멸을 억제하는 효과를 가져올 것으로 생각할 수 있으며, 본 질환에서 병증을 완화 시킬 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.247-252
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• 2004

Human embryonic stem (ES) cells are derived from the inner cell mass of the preimplantation embryo. Human ES cells have the capacity to differentiate into various types of cells in the body. Human ES cells are indefinite source of cells for cell therapy in various degenerative disorders including neuronal disorders. Directed differentiation of human ES cells is a prerequisite for their clinical application. The objective of this study is to develop the culture condition for the derivation of neural precursor cells from human ES cells. Neural precursor cells were derived from human ES cells in a stepwise culture condition. Neural precursor cells in the form of neural rosette structures developed into neurospheres when cultured in suspension. Suspension culture of neurospheres has been maintained over 4 months. Expressions of nestin, soxl, sox2, pax3 and pax6 transcripts were upregulated during differentiation into neural precursor cells by RT-PCR analysis. In contrast, expression of oct4 was dramatically downregulated in neural precursor cells. Immunocytochemical analyses of neural precursor cells demonstrated expression of nestin and SOX1. When induced to differentiate on an adhesive substrate, neuro-spheres were able to differentiate into three lineages of neural systems, including neurons, astrocytes and oligo-dendrocytes. Transcripts of sox1 and pax6 were downregulated during differentiation of neural precursor cells into neurons. In contrast, expression of map2ab was elevated in the differentiated cells, relative to those in neural precursor cells. Neurons derived from neural precursor cells expressed NCAM, Tuj1, MAP2ab, NeuN and NF200 in immunocytochemical analyses. Presence of astrocytes was confirmed by expression of GFAP immuno-cytochemically. Oligodendrocytes were also observed by positive immuno-reactivities against oligodendrocyte marker O1. Results of this study demonstrate that a stepwise culture condition is developed for the derivation of neural precursor cells from human ES cells.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.401-411
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• 2018

Longevity in medicine can be defined as a long life without mental or physical deficits. This can be prevented by Alzheimer's disease (AD). Current conventional AD treatments only alleviate the symptoms without reversing AD progression. Recent studies demonstrated that Panax ginseng extract improves AD symptoms in patients with AD, and the two main components of ginseng might contribute to AD amelioration. Ginsenosides show various AD-related neuroprotective effects. Gintonin is a newly identified ginseng constituent that contains lysophosphatidic acids and attenuates AD-related brain neuropathies. Ginsenosides decrease amyloid ${\beta}$-protein ($A{\beta}$) formation by inhibiting ${\beta}$- and ${\gamma}$-secretase activity or by activating the nonamyloidogenic pathway, inhibit acetylcholinesterase activity and $A{\beta}$-induced neurotoxicity, and decrease $A{\beta}$-induced production of reactive oxygen species and neuro-inflammatory reactions. Oral administration of ginsenosides increases the expression levels of enzymes involved in acetylcholine synthesis in the brain and alleviates $A{\beta}$-induced cholinergic deficits in AD models. Similarly, gintonin inhibits $A{\beta}$-induced neurotoxicity and activates the nonamyloidogenic pathway to reduce $A{\beta}$ formation and to increase acetylcholine and choline acetyltransferase expression in the brain through lysophosphatidic acid receptors. Oral administration of gintonin attenuates brain amyloid plaque deposits, boosting hippocampal cholinergic systems and neurogenesis, thereby ameliorating learning and memory impairments. It also improves cognitive functions in patients with AD. Ginsenosides and gintonin attenuate AD-related neuropathology through multiple routes. This review focuses research demonstrating that ginseng constituents could be a candidate as an adjuvant for AD treatment. However, clinical investigations including efficacy and tolerability analyses may be necessary for the clinical acceptance of ginseng components in combination with conventional AD drugs.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.154-158
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• 1999

목적 : 1.5T와 3.0T에서의 FLASH (fast low-angle shot) 기법를 이용한 운동중추영역의 뇌기능 자기공명영상에서 TE 값 변화에 대한 $T_2^{*}$ weighting 효과를 관찰하고 TE 값의 변화에 따른 BOLD (blood oxygen level dependent) 효과를 서로 비교하고자 한다. 그리고 활성화 영역에서 활성화상태와 휴식상태의 정량적인 값인 $T_2^{*}$에 의한 차이값을 영상화 하고자 한다. 대상 및 방법 : 24세에서 35세까지의 오른손잡이 10명의 건강한 남녀 (남:8명, 여:2명)를 대상으로 가능한 2Hz의 속도로 오른손에서 finger-tapping task (엄지 손가락과 나머지 네 손가락을 차례로 서로 마주치게 하는 운동)를 시행하였다. 운동자극은 처음에 한벤의 휴식상태 (3영상)를 가진 후2번의 활성화상태 (6영상)와 휴식상태 (6영상)를 반복하였다. FLASH (TR/flip angle: $l00ms/20^{\circ}$, FOV: 230mm) 방법를 이용하여1.5T'에서는 26, 36, 46, 56, 66 ms 의 TE를 사용하였고 3.0T에서는 16. 26, 36, 46, 56 ms의 TE를 사용하였다. 영승L을 얻은 후 PC에서 상관계수방법을 이용하여 자체 개발한 프로그램과 상관계수 0.45를 사용하여 분석 하였다. 기능적 영상에서 활성화된 영역에서 l.5T와 3.0T에서 각각의 TE에셔 활성화 상태와 휴식상태 의 차이값을 사용하여 fitting을 하여 적절한 TE값을 찾고 기능적 $T_2^{*}$영상을 구하였다. 결과 : FLASH기법을 사용하여 뇌 기능영상을 얻기에 최적의 TE 값은 1.5T에서는 $61.89{\pm}2 2.68{\;}ms,{\;}3.0T에서는{\;}47.64{\pm}13.34였다$. 뇌 활성화 영역에서 자화율 변화에 따른최대 선호 강도변화는 1.5T에서는 TE, 66ms에서 3.36%. 3.0T에서는 TE. 46ms에서 10.05%로 3.0T가 1.5T에 비해 약 3배 정도 변화가 큰 것을 알 수 있었다. 산출된 최적의 TE 값은 각각의 TE 값에서 얻은 활성화 상태와 휴식상태의 차이값의 최대의 TE 값와 일치하였다. 결론 : 뇌 기능영상에서 3.0T MRl는 1.5T에 비해 deoxyhemoglobin에 의한 자화율의 변화를 약 3배정도 잘 반영하므로 뇌 기능영상 측정시 보다 유용성이 있는 것으로 사료된다.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.167-190
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• 2010

The research conducted here focuses on the effect of factors that affect the behavior of UCC (User Created Content) website users, other than user's rational recognition of how useful a UCC website can be. Most discussions in the existing literature on information systems have focused on users' evaluation how a UCC website can help to attain the users' own goals. However, there are other factors and this research pays attention to an individual's 'personality,' which is stable and biological in nature. Specifically, I have noted here that 'extroversion' and 'neuroticism,' the two common personality factors presented in Eysenck's most representative 'EPQ Model' and 'Big Five Model,' are the two personality factors that affect a site's 'usefulness,' by this I mean how useful does the user consider the website and its content. How useful a site is considered by the user is the other factor that has been regarded as the antecedent factor that influences the adoption of information systems in the existing MIS (Management Information System) research. Secondly, as using or creating a UCC website does not guarantee the user's or the creator's extrinsic motivation, unlike when using the information system within an organization, there is a greater likelihood that the increase in user's activities in relation to a UCC website is motivated by emotional factors rather than rational factors. Thus, I have decided to include the relationship between an individual's personality and what they find pleasurable in the research model. Thirdly, when based on the S-O-R Paradigm of Mehrabian and Russell, the two cognitive factors and emotional factors are finally affected by stimulus, and thus these factors ultimately have an effect on an individual's respondent behavior. Therefore, this research has presented an assumption that the recognition of how useful the site and content is and what emotional pleasure it provides will finally affect the behavior of the UCC website users. Finally, the relationship between the recognition of how useful a site is and how pleasurable it is to useand UCC usage may differ depending on certain situational conditions. In other words, the relationship between the three factors may vary according to how much users are involved in the creation of the website content. Creation thus emerges as the keyword of UCC. I analyzed the above relationships through the moderating variable of the user's involvement in the creation of the site. The research result shows the following: When it comes to the relationship between an individual's personality and what they find pleasurable it is extroverted users who have a greater likelihood to feel pleasure when using a UCC website, as was expected in this research. This in turn leads to a more active usage of the UCC web site because a person who is an extrovert likes to spend time on activities with other people, is sensitive to new experiences and stimuli and thus actively responds to these. An extroverted person accepts new UCC activities as part of his/her social life, rather than getting away from this new UCC environment. This is represented by the term 'Foxonomy' where the users meet a variety of users from all over the world and contact new types of content created by these users. However, neuroticism creates the opposite situation to that created by extroversion. The representative symptoms of neuroticism are instability, stress, and tension. These dispositions are more closely related to stress caused by a new environment rather than this creatingcuriosity or pleasure. Thus, neurotic persons have an uneasy feeling and will eventually avoid the situation where their own or others' daily lives are frequently exposed to the open web environment, this eventually makes them have a negative attitude towards the web environment. When it comes to an individual's personality and how useful site is, the two personality factors of extroversion and neuroticism both have a positive relationship with the recognition of how useful the site and its content is. The positive, curious, and social dispositions of extroverted persons tend to make them consider the future usefulness and possibilities of a new type of information system, or website, based on their positive attitude, which has a significant influence on the recognition of how useful these UCC sites are. Neuroticism also favorably affects how useful a UCC website can be through a different mechanism from that of extroversion. As the neurotic persons tend to feel uneasy and have much doubt about a new type of information system, they actively explore its usefulness in order to relieve their uncomfortable feelings. In other words, neurotic persons seek out how useful a site can be in order to secure their own stable feelings. Meanwhile, extroverted persons explore how useful a site can be because of their positive attitude and curiosity. As a lot of MIS research has revealed that the recognition of how useful a site can be and how pleasurable it can be to use have been proven to have a significant effect on UCC activity. However, the relationship between these factors reveals different aspects based on the user's involvement in creation. This factor of creationgauges the interest of users in the creation of UCC contents. Involvement is a variable that shows the level of an individual's mental effort in creating UCC contents. When a user is highly involved in the creation process and makes an enormous effort to create UCC content (classed a part of a high-involvement group), their own pleasure and recognition of how useful the site is have a significantly higher effect on the future usage of the UCC contents, more significantly than the users who sit back and just retrieve the UCC content created by others. The cognitive and emotional response of those in the low-involvement group is unlikely to last long,even if they recognize the contents of a UCC website is pleasurable and useful to them. However, the high-involvement group tends to participate in the creation and the usage of UCC more favorably, connecting the experience with their own goals. In this respect, this research presents an answer to the question; why so many people are participating in the usage of UCC, the representative form of the Web 2.0 that has drastically involved more and more people in the creation of UCC, even if they cannot gain any monetary or social compensation. Neither information system nor a website can succeed unless it secures a certain level of user base. Moreover, it cannot be further developed when the reasons, or problems, for people's participation are not suitably explored, even if it has a certain user base. Thus, what is significant in this research is that it has studied users' respondent behavior based on an individual's innate personality, emotion, and cognitive interaction, unlike the existing research that has focused on 'compensation' to explain users' participation with the UCC website. There are also limitations in this research. Firstly, I divided an individual's personality into extroversion and neuroticism; however, there are many other personal factors such as neuro-psychiatricism, which also needs to be analyzed for its influence on UCC activities. Secondly, as a UCC website comes in many types such as multimedia, Wikis, and podcasting, these types need to be included as a sub-category of the UCC websites and their relationship with personality, emotion, cognition, and behavior also needs to be analyzed.