• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1479-1485
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• 2017

Muscle atrophy due to aging, starvation, and various chronic diseases leads to a decrease in muscle fiber area and density due to reduced muscle protein synthesis and increased protein breakdown. This study investigated the effect of dexamethasone and hydrogen peroxide on the induction of muscle atrophy and expression of atrophy-related genes in differentiated C2C12 myotubes. C2C12 myoblasts were differentiated into myotubes in differentiation medium. During myoblast differentiation, muscle-specific transcription factors, such as myogenin, and MyoD expression increased. Differentiated C2C12 myotubes exposed to noncytotoxic levels of dexamethasone and hydrogen peroxide showed a decrease in myotube diameter, which was associated with up-regulation of muscle-specific ubiquitin ligases, such as muscle atrophy F-box (MAFbx)/atrogin-1 and muscle RING finger-1 (MuRF1), and down-regulation of myogenin and MyoD. These results demonstrated that dexamethasone and hydrogen peroxide induced atrophy through regulation of muscle-specific ubiquitin ligases and muscle-specific transcription factors in C2C12 myotubes. In this study, we confirmed the process of differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts into myotubes in in vitro experiments in the presence of atrophy. This muscle atrophy model of C2C12 cells induced by dexamethasone or hydrogen peroxide seems suited to studies of the mechanism of muscle atrophy suppression and to exploit the experiment for excavating new muscle atrophy.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1452-1461
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• 2017

Melanin production by melanocytes in human hair follicles decreases with time and leads to the graying process, which is a phenotype of human aging and an index of aging. The reduction in melanin production is the result of decreased tyrosinase activity in hair follicles and an accumulation of active oxygen species, such as hydrogen peroxide. This study investigated antioxidant effects and melanin-promoting effects in B16F1 cells treated with black sesame ethanolic nonpolar-soluble extract (SBEEO) and black sesame ethanolic polar-soluble extract (SBEEP). In antioxidation experiments, both SBEEP and SBEEO did not eliminate 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, but SBEEO at $64{\mu}g/ml$ showed low reducing power. SBEEP exerted cytotoxic effects at concentrations greater than $8{\mu}g/ml$, whereas SBEEO showed cytotoxic effects at concentrations greater than $4{\mu}g/ml$. SBEEP and SBEEO induced melanin synthesis, tyrosinase activity, and DOPA oxidase activity in vitro. In live cells, melanin synthesis was greater in the SBEEP treatment group as compared with that in the SBEEO treatment group. SBEEP stimulated melanin synthesis by modulating the expression of tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP-2), which is an important enzyme in melanin synthesis. These results imply that SBEEP obtained from black sesame ethanolic extract may have the potential to improve melanin synthesis.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.137-154
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• 2012

Approximation' is one of central conceptions in calculus. A basic conception for explaining 'approximation' is 'tangent', and 'tangent' is a 'line' with special condition. In this study, we will study pedagogically these mathematical knowledge on the ground of a viewpoint on the teaching of secondary geometry, and in connection with these we will suggest the teaching program and the chief end for the probable teaching. For this, we will examine point, line, circle, straight line, tangent line, approximation, and drive meaningfully mathematical knowledge for algebraic operation through the process translating from the above into analytic geometry. And we will construct the stream line of mathematical knowledge for approximation from a view of modern mathematics. This study help mathematics teachers to promote the pedagogical content knowledge, and to provide the basis for development of teaching model guiding the mathematical knowledge. Moreover, this study help students to recognize that mathematics is a systematic discipline and school mathematics are activities constructed under a fixed purpose.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.11
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• pp.785-794
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• 2014

Mitophagy, a cellular process that selectively targets dysfunctional mitochondria for degradation, is currently a hot topic in research into the pathogenesis and treatment of many human diseases. Considering that hypoxia causes mitochondrial dysfunction, which results in cell death, we speculated that selective activation of mitophagy might promote cell survival under hypoxic conditions. In the present study, we introduced the Regulator of calcineurin 1-1L (Rcan1-1L) to initiate the mitophagy pathway and aimed to evaluate the effect of Rcan1-1L-induced mitophagy on cell survival under hypoxic conditions. Recombinant adenovirus vectors carrying Rcan1-1L were transfected into human umbilical vein endothelial cells and human adult cardiac myocytes. Using the 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide MTT assay and Trypan blue exclusion assay, Rcan1-1L overexpression was found to markedly reverse cell growth inhibition induced by hypoxia. Additionally, Rcan1-1L overexpression inhibited cell apoptosis under hypoxic conditions, as detected by annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)/propidium iodide (PI) apoptosis assay. Meanwhile, the mitochondria-mediated cell apoptotic pathway was inhibited by Rcan1-1L. In contrast, knockdown of Rcan1-1L accelerated hypoxia-induced cell apoptosis. Moreover, Rcan1-1L overexpression significantly reduced mitochondrial mass, decreased depolarized mitochondria, and downregulated ATP and reactive oxygen species production. We further delineated that the loss of mitochondrial mass was due to the activation of mitophagy induced by Rcan1-1L. Rcan1-1L overexpression activated autophagy flux and promoted translocation of the specific mitophagy receptor Parkin into mitochondria from the cytosol, whereas inhibition of autophagy flux resulted in the accumulation of Parkin-loaded mitochondria. Finally, we demonstrated that mitochondrial 1permeability transition pore opening was significantly increased by Rcan1-1L overexpression, which suggested that Rcan1-1L might evoke mitophagy through regulating mitochondrial permeability transition pores. Taken together, we provide evidence that Rcan1-1L overexpression induces mitophagy, which in turn contributes to cell survival under hypoxic conditions, revealing for the first time that Rcan1-1L-induced mitophagy may be used for cardioprotection.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.222-229
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• 2017

Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) were previously considered to have an anti-inflammatory effect, and Interleukin-$1{\beta}$ ($IL-1{\beta}$) was found to be a pro-inflammatory factor in chondrocytes, but the mechanism underlying ADSCs and $IL-1{\beta}$ is unclear. In this study, we investigate whether P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) signalling, regulated by microRNA 373 (miR-373), was involved in the ADSCs and $IL-1{\beta}$ mediated inflammation in osteoarthritis (OA). Chondrocytes were collected from 20 OA patients and 20 control participants, and ADSCs were collected from patients who had undergone abdominal surgery. The typical surface molecules of ASDCs were detected by flow cytometry. The level of nitric oxide (NO) was determined by Griess reagent. Concentrations of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), interleukin 6 (IL-6), matrix metallopeptidase 3 (MMP-3) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expressions of IL-6, MMP-3, miR-373 and P2X7R were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of P2X7R. The typical potential characters of ADSCs were verified. In chondrocytes or OA tissues, the miR-373 expression level was decreased, but the P2X7R expression was increased. $IL-1{\beta}$ stimulation increased the level of inflammatory factors in OA chondrocytes, and ADSCs co-cultured with $IL-1{\beta}$-stimulated chondrocytes decreased the inflammation. OA chondrocytes transfected with the miR-373 inhibitor increased the inflammation level. The miR-373 mimic suppressed the inflammation by targeting P2X7R and regulated its expression, while its effect was reversed by overexpression of P2X7R. $IL-1{\beta}$ induced inflammation in OA chondrocytes, while ADSCs seemed to inhibit the expression of P2X7R that was regulated by miR-373 and involved in the anti-inflammatory process in OA.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.155-165
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• 2005

Arthritis is one of the most common chronic degenerative joint disease in elderly. Osteoarthritis is a widespread, slowly developing disease, with a high prevalence increasing with age in women. The large joints mostly involved by the disease are the knees. But there are no treatments available that cure the underlying process of osteoarthritis diseases. Physical exercise helps in increasing cartilage nutrition and remodeling, increases the synovial blood flow, decrease swelling, and improves muscle strength. Thus, exercise has been suggested as an important nursing strategy in osteoarthritis. Purpose: The purpose of this study were to compare muscle strength between Tai-Chi exercise and aquatic exercise for women with knee osteoarthritis. Methods: A quasi-experimental study with pretest and posttest measures was used. The study subjects were those who had been enrolled in a community health center, and agreed to participate in the study for eight weeks, signed the consent form, and obtained the physicians approval. The study dropout rates were 13.2% with the final study subjects of 17 on Tai-Chi exercise, 16 on aquatic exercise program. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS for Window (version 12.0). Independent sample t-test and paired t-test was performed to compare of muscle strength for women with osteoarthritis after 8-week Tai-Chi exercise and aquatic Exercise. Results: The homogeneity tests of demographic characteristics and study variables at the pretest data revealed no significant differences between two groups. After 8-week Tai-Chi and aquatic exercise, there was significant result in pre-post test comparison on muscle strength on Tai-Chi group, but no significant in aquatic group. There were no significant differences of knee extensor (p=.078), and hand grip(p=.118) in group comparisons on muscle strengths. But there were significant differences of knee flexor(p=.024). Conclusion: Tai-chi exercise was effective in improving knee flexor. So, it seems that Tai-chi exercise may be more suitable for aquatic exercise in osteoarthritis exercise programs. Further studies with other comparisons in physical and psycho social outcomes are necessary to confirm the more effects of exercise.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.166-176
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• 1996

This is a study through survey with the purpose of analysing of treatment cost for arthritis. Treatment cost can be devided Into two characteristics, one is the direct cost and the other is the indirect cost. Direct cost contains fees of medical treatment Including cost of self treatment & purchsing price of herb durg. On the other hand indirect cost means the using money of tansportation, lodging charge & labor-losing-time cost. For the succession of medical treatment of chronic diseases patients have to control themselves to go shopping around for the cure remeadies. And also it is important that the cost for unefficient or probably hamful folk remeadies should be reduced in order to distribute appropriatively the limited financial resources. As the result of this study, the fees for self treatment & herb drug are two times as much as those of regural medical treatment. Within the direct cost, there are the mean cost of regural medical treatment 59,630 won/mon., self-treatment 42,790 won/mon., and herb drug 78,380won/mon. therefore total mean direct cost is 180,800won per month. Moreover patients intermittently pay the cost of prostheses If folk remedies, these are added to the direct cost as above mentioned. Attributes of folk remedies are various from cure & analgesics to nutrients and their virtues as medicine are not clear in view of scientific knowledge. But 56% of arthritis patients have ever been experienced folk remedies. the cost for these remedies has wide ranges from 40,000 won to 1,000,000won. Total mean indirect cost including the transfortation fee, lodging charge & labor-losing-time cost has the range from 82,825won/month to 106,150won/month. Among these cost, labor-losing-time cost has a mojority because the waiting times are too long for seeing a doctor. In conclusion those patients having arthritis have a large burden against the treatment cost for continuous care. Therefore health professional should make effort to guide the patient to determine themselves informed choice about the treatment process.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.209-216
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• 2004

To investigate physico-chemical changes of mashed red repper and red pepper powder during frozen storage, we analyzed the quality of samples after mashing, mashing and blanching, mashing and addition of vitamin C, mashing and addition of NaCl. The most important quality factor of red pepper is red color. $\alpha$ value of red pepper powder of Pochungchun was 31.51. These results showed that those processing methods were effective to preserve red color. Capsanthin contents of mashed red pepper treated with vitamin C were decreased 1.8% after 180 days of frozen storage. This decrease was the least, showing that addition of vitamin C helped retaining capsanthin contents. Capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin contents in Pochungchun powder ore decreased 11.9 and 18.3% during frozen storage respectively. These results showed that capsaicin was more stable than dihycrocapsaicin during frozen storage. Generally capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin in the Pochungchun red pepper frozen-stored after mashing were less decreased than red pepper powder, and addition of vitamin C to the mashed red pepper was the most effective to retain capsicin and dihydrocapsaicin than others. The content of vitamin C in the red pepper frozen-stored after masking and blanching was 12.0 mg/100g, compared with 44.0 mg/100g in the sample stored after only mashing. This suggested that blanching process destroyed vitamin C in the mashed red pepper. Addition of salt in the mashed red pepper showed the same inclination. But, addition of vitamin C to the mashed red pepper was decreased 32.9% compared with 69.0% in the mashed red repper during frozen storage. Theser results indicated that addition of vitamin C could retain vitamin C in the mashed red lopper.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.103-108
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• 1989

Effects of different processes or texture of cucumber pickles fermented in 7% NaCl solution were studied. Cucumbers were treated with different processes: control; preheating in 7% NaCl, 0.04M $CaCl_2$ solution ($60^{\circ}C$, 1hr); combination of preheating and post microwave heating (5 min, midium high level, 2450 Mhz); preheating in the solution which was adjusted to pH 8.5. In each process the pH and total acidity of brine solution, total pectin contents in alcohol insoluble solids (AIS), hot water soluble pectin (HWSP) contents and firmness of cucumber pickles were determined at 0, 5, 10, 15 and 25 days of storage periods. Total pectin contents and the firmness of pickles were decreased during 25 days of storage. Control group showed the lowest value and post microwave heating group marked the highest value in total pectin contents and firmness retention of cucumber pickles. The results of this study indicated that total pectin content seems to correlate with the firmness of cucumber pickles. However, HWSP content did not show any correlation with firmness of cucumber pickles. Post microwave heating method could be used to retain firmness of fermented cucumber pickles.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 2011

Climate change could have a pronounced impact on natural and agricultural ecosystems. To assess the impact of climate change, projected climate data have been used as inputs to models. Because such studies are conducted occasionally, it would be useful to employ Cloud computing, which provides multiple instances of operating systems in a virtual environment to do processing on demand without building or maintaining physical computing resources. Furthermore, it would be advantageous to use open source geospatial applications in order to avoid the limitations of proprietary software when Cloud computing is used. As a pilot study, Amazon Web Service ? Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) was used to calculate the number of days with rain in a given month. Daily sets of climate projection data, which were about 70 gigabytes in total, were processed using virtual machines with a customized database transaction application. The application was linked against open source libraries for the climate data and database access. In this approach, it took about 32 hours to process 17 billion rows of record in order to calculate the rain day on a global scale over the next 100 years using ten clients and one server instances. Here I demonstrate that Cloud computing could provide the high level of performance for impact assessment studies of climate change that require considerable amount of data.