• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.61-68
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• 2017

Gibberellic Acid-Stimulated Arabidopsis (GASA) genes are involved in plant hormone signaling, cell division and elongation, as well as in responses to stress conditions in plants. In this study, we isolated a GASA gene from hybrid poplar (Populus alba ${\times}$ P. glandulosa) and analyzed its physiological phenotype and molecular functions in poplar. PagGASA cDNA encodes a putative protein composed of 95 amino acids containing an N-terminal signal peptide and a conservative cysteine-rich C-terminal domain. Southern blot analysis revealed that one or two copies of the PagGASA are present in the poplar genome. The PagGASA transcripts were highly detected in flowers and roots. Moreover, the expression of PagGASA was induced by growth hormone (gibberellic acid) and stress hormones (abscisic acid, jasmonic acid, and salicylic acid). By using transgenic analysis, we showed that the upregulation of PagGASA in poplar provides high tolerance to drought stress. Therefore, our results suggest that PagGASA plays an important role in drought stress tolerance via stress-related plant hormone signaling in poplar.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.1431-1438
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• 2008

The marine algae, Padina arborescens, have been used traditionally for treatment of various brain diseases. However, the molecular studies on the effect of Padina arborescens have not been carried out. In the present study, the protective effect of the water extract of Padina arborescens (PAWE) was researched in $H_2O_2$-treated human vascular endothelial cells, ECV304. ECV304 cells were pre-incubated with PAWE (0, 400, 800, 1,200 and $1,600{\mu}g/m{\ell}$) for 12 h and treated with 500 uM $H_2O_2$ for 12 h, and then the protective effects of PAWE were determined. PAWE recovered the $H_2O_2$-induced cell damage and decreased ROS production in ECV304 cells. Moreover, PAWE increased ERK expression and inhibited p38 and JNK expression. Furthermore, PAWE dosedependently increased the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and the HO-1 expression was reduced by ERK inhibitor treatment in $H_2O_2$-treated EVC304 cells. These results suggested that protective effect of PAWE on $H_2O_2$-induced oxidative stress in ECV304 cells might be associated with the production of HO-1 through the ERK signal pathway.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.81-90
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• 1998

Electromagnetic waves may induce various effects on nervous tissues either by thermal or non-thermal mechanisms. This paper intoduces a method to evalute the non-thermal effect to central nervous system by measuring the EEGs of the rabbits treated by nimodipine before exposed to weak microwave field. 20 rabbits were divided into 2 groups and their EEGs were measured after their head section were exposed to 2,450 MHz microwave with the power density of 10 dBm and 20 dBm respectively for 10 minutes and compared with those of the 3rd group of 10 rabbits which were not exposed. The 4th group of 10 rabbits were intravenously given with nimodipine before exposed to 20 dBm field to determine whether this drug would reverse the EEGs changes induced by weak microwave irradiation. As field poser exceeded 20 dBm although no significant physiological changes were observed, total induced EEGs power was remarkably decreased suggesting the presence of CNS activation. Using Fourier analysis on the EEGs signal it was found that remarkable decrease in delta band and increase in the alpha and beta bands in a significant manner(P<0.05) compared to control group. The changes were, however, not reversed by nimodipine-treatment. The effects may be pure thermal in nature because no significant change has been observed in nimodipine treated rabbits.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.1393-1403
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• 2003

The genetic effects of restraint stress challenge on HPA axis and the therapeutic effect of Boshimgeonbi-Tang on the stress were studied with cDNA microarray analyses on hypothalamus using an immobilization-stress mouse as stress model. Male CD-1 mice were restrained in a tightly fitted and ventilated vinyl holder for 2hours once a day, and this challenge was repeated for seven consecutive days. The body weights of the immobilization-stress mice were diminished about 25 percent degree as compared to normal ones. Seven days later, total RNA was extracted from the organs of the mouse, body-labeled with CyDye/sup TM/ fluorescence dyes (Amersham Bioscience Co., NJ), and then hybridized to cDNA microarray chip. Scanning and analyzing the array slides were carried out using GenePix 4000 series scanner and GenePix Pro/sup TM/ analyzing program, respectively. The expression profiles of 109 genes out of 6000 genes on the chip were significantly modulated in hypothalamus by the immobilization stress. Energy metabolism-, lipid metabolism-, apoptosis- and signal transduction-related genes were transcriptionally activated whereas DNA repair-, protein biosynthesis-, and structure integrity-related genes were down-regulated in hypothalamus. The 58 genes were up-regulated by the mRNA expression folds of 1.5 to 7.9. and the 51 genes were down-regulated by 1.5 - 3.5 fold. The 20 genes among them were selected to confirm the expression profiles by RT-PCR. The mRNA expression levels of Tnfrsf1a (apoptosis), Calm2 (cell cycle), Bag3 (apoptosis), Hspe1 (protein folding), Aatk (apoptosis), Dffa (apoptosis), Itgb1 (cell adhesion), Vcam1 (cell adhesion), Fkbp5 (protein folding), BDNF (neuron survival) were restored to the normal one by the treatment of Boshimgeonbi-Tang.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1041-1054
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• 2004

Electroacupuncture (EA) has been reported to increase pain threshold, and to enhance the NK cell activity by up-regulation of IFN-γ and endogenous β-endolphin. For the purpose of understanding the molecular mechanism of EA stimulation, we analyzed the gene expression profile of rat hypothalamus, treated on Zusanli (ST36) with EA, in comparison with control group by oligonucleotide chip microarray (Affymetrix GeneChip Rat Neurobiology U34 Array) and real-time RT-PCR. Sprague-Dawley (S-D) male rats were stimulated at the Zusanli (ST36) acupoint in restriction holder. Simultaneously the control group was given only holder stress without EA stimulation. In order to prove the appropriateness of EA treatment, we measured spleen NK cell activity with standard 51Cr release assay. NK cell activity of EA group was significantly increased comparing to control group. The microarray and PCR results show that EA treatment up-regulates expression of genes associated with 1) nerve growth such as NGF induced factor A and VGF, 2) signal transduction such as 5HT3 receptor subunit, AMPA receptor binding protein and Na-dependent neurotransmitter transporter, and 3) anti-oxidation such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione S-transferase. In addition, the activity of the anti-oxidative enzyme, SOD of hypothalamus, liver and RBC was enhanced compared to that of control. The list of differentially expressed genes may implicate further insight on the mechanism of acupuncture effects.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 2013

Cisplatin is a anti-neoplastic agent which is commonly used for the treatment of solid tumor. Cisplatin activates multiple signal transduction pathways involved in the stress-induced apoptosis in a variety of cell types. Previous study reported that cisplatin induces apoptosis through activation of ERK, p38 and JNK in rat mesangial cells, but apoptotic pathway remain known. The present study investigated the apoptotic pathway for cisplatin-indcued apoptosis in rat mesangial cells. cisplatin-induced apoptosis was associated with activation of caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9. Caspase-8 inhibition prevented the activation of both caspase-3 and caspase-9. In addition, cisplatin-induced apoptosis increased the expression of Bax, but not the level of Bcl-2. These change of Bax/bcl-2 ratio caused the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into cytosol. In previous study, the ethanol extract of Bojungbangam-tang (EBJT) inhibited cisplatin-induced apoptosis in rat mesangial cells through inhibition of ERK and JNK activation. However, EBJT did not increase cell proliferation, because it did not prevent cisplatin-induced G2/M phase arrest. These effect of EBJT may be related to p38 activation. Cisplatin-induced G2/M phase arrest are inhibited by treatment with p38 inhibitor and EBJT in rat mesangial cells. Also, p38 inhibition and EBJT treatment on cisplatin-induced G2/M phase arrest are markedly increased the G0/G1 phase and reduced the sub-G1. In conclusion, anti-apoptotic effet of EBJT did not increases cell proliferation, because EBJT did not reduce p38 activation related to cisplatin-induced G2/M phase arrest.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.135-145
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• 2018

Due to the critical location and physiological activities of the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell, it is constantly subjected to contact with various infectious agents and inflammatory mediators. However, little is known about the signaling events in RPE involved in Toxoplasma gondii infection and development. The aim of the study is to screen the host mRNA transcriptional change of 3 inflammation-related gene categories, PI3K/Akt pathway regulatory components, blood vessel development factors and ROS regulators, to prove that PI3K/Akt or mTOR signaling pathway play an essential role in regulating the selected inflammation-related genes. The selected genes include PH domain and leucine- rich-repeat protein phosphatases (PHLPP), casein kinase2 (CK2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1). Using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), we found that T. gondii up-regulates PHLPP2, $CK2{\beta}$, VEGF, GCL, GST and NQO1 gene expression levels, but down-regulates PHLPP1 and PEDF mRNA transcription levels. PI3K inhibition and mTOR inhibition by specific inhibitors showed that most of these host gene expression patterns were due to activation of PI3K/Akt or mTOR pathways with some exceptional cases. Taken together, our results reveal a new molecular mechanism of these gene expression change dependent on PI3K/Akt or mTOR pathways and highlight more systematical insight of how an intracellular T. gondii can manipulate host genes to avoid host defense.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.311-320
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• 2011

To quantitatively analyze the effects of color stimulation which is one of the major affecting factors on human emotion, we studied the relationship between color preference and the Electroencephalography (EEG) to 3 color stimuli; bright yellow red (BYR), deep green yellow (DGY), and vivid blue (VB). Physiological signal measured by EEG on the color stimulation was closely related with their well-known colorful images. The brain become more activated with decreasing the color temperature (BYR${\geq}$DGY>VB), and the right brain is more sensitive than the left. On the whole, the EEG values of the frequency bands are in order to beta ${\geq}$ theta and alpha > gamma. As decreasing the color temperature, beta wave increased (BYR${\geq}$DGY>VB), and alpha, beta and gamma waves increased with increasing the color temperature (BYR${\geq}$DGY>VB). The relationship between the color preference and EEG values showed EEG gets more activated at some frequency bands when the color preference becomes higher. In conclusion, the specific frequency band could be activating by a color stimuli which had showed higher the preference. It means that these color stimuli can apply for various industries such as beauty industry, interior design, fashion design, color therapy, and etc.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.140-140
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• 2017

Nutritious and functional foods from crop have received great attention in recent years. Colored-grain wheat contains high phenolic compound and a large number of flavonoid. The anthocyanin and polyphenolic synthesis and accumulation is generally stimulated in response to biotic or abiotic stresses. Here, we analyzed genome wide transcripts in seedling of colored-grain wheat response to ABA and PEG treatment. About 900 and 1500 transcripts (p-value < 0.05) from ABA and PEG treatment were aligned to IWGSC1+popseq DB which is composed of over 110,000 transcripts including 100,934 coding genes. NR protein sequences of Poaceae from NCBI and protein sequence of transcription factors originated from 83 species in plant transcription factor database v3.0 were used for annotation of putative transcripts. Gene ontology analysis were conducted and KEGG mapping was performed to show expression pattern of biosynthesis genes related in flavonoid, isoflavonoid, flavons and anthocyanin biopathway. DroughtDB (http://pgsb.helmholtz-muenchen.de/droughtdb/) was used for detection of DEGs to explain that physiological and molecular drought avoidance by drought tolerance mechanisms. Drought response pathway, such as ABA signaling, water and ion channels, detoxification signaling, enzymes of osmolyte biosynthesis, phospholipid metabolism, signal transduction, and transcription factors related DEGs were selected to explain response mechanism under water deficit condition. Anthocyanin, phenol compound, and DPPH radical scavenging activity were measured and antioxidant activity enzyme assays were conducted to show biochemical adaptation under water deficit condition. Several MYB and bHLH transcription factors were up-regulated in both ABA and PEG treated condition, which means highly expressed MYB and bHLH transcription factors enhanced the expression of genes related in the biosynthesis pathways of flavonoids, such as anthocyanin and dihydroflavonols in colored wheat seedlings. Subsequently, the accumulation of total anthocyanin and phenol contents were observed in colored wheat seedlings, and antioxidant capacity was promoted by upregulation of genes involved in maintaining redox state and activation of antioxidant scavengers, such as CAT, APX, POD, and SOD in colored wheat seedlings under water deficit condition. This work may provide valuable and basic information for further investigation of the molecular responses of colored-grain wheat to water deficit stress and for further gene-based studies.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.1587-1595
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• 2016

P wave is cardiac parameters that represent the electrical and physiological characteristics, it is very important to diagnose atrial arrhythmia. However, It is very difficult to detect because of the small size compared to R wave and the various morphology. Several methods for detecting P wave has been proposed, such as frequency analysis and non-linear approach. However, in the case of conduction abnormality such as AV block or atrial arrhythmia, detection accuracy is at the lower level. We propose P wave detection algorithm through adaptive threshold and QRS peak variability. For this purpose, we detected Q, R, S wave from noise-free ECG signal through the preprocessing method. And then we classified three pattern of P wave by peak variability and detected adaptive window and threshold. The performance of P wave detection is evaluated by using 48 record of MIT-BIH arrhythmia database. The achieved scores indicate the average detection rate of 92.60%.