• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제22권5호
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• pp.636-642
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• 2009

The corpus luteum (CL) is a transient endocrine gland that produces progesterone, a product required for the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. In the absence of pregnancy, the production of progesterone in the CL decreases and the structure itself regresses in size. The life span and function of the CL are regulated by complex interactions between stimulatory (luteotrophic) and inhibitory (luteolytic) mediators. When an ovum is released from a mature follicle, angiogenesis and rapid growth of follicular cells form the CL. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether steroidogenesis, proliferation, and hypoxiarelated proteins are expressed in caprine CL. The expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and hypoxia-inducible factor $1{\alpha}$ (HIF-$1{\alpha}$) were determined in caprine CL during the estrous cycle. Cytochrome P450 side chain cleavage protein did not vary significantly during the estrous cycle; however, there was an increased expression of $3{\beta}$ -hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in the early and middle stages, which rapidly decreased in the late stage. The same observations were made with respect to steroidogenic acute regulatory protein. Variations in progesterone content and expression of PCNA, HIF-$1{\alpha}$, and VEGF were consistent with this result. Thus, the steroidogenic proteins, PCNA, HIF-$1{\alpha}$, and VEGF in caprine CL are dependent on the stage of the estrous cycle.

• 대한원격탐사학회지
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.459-466
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• 2012

위성영상 운영은 주문접수, 촬영계획, 영상처리, 영상 배포의 과정으로 구분하며 촬영계획은 주문 접수 과정에서 전달된 신규 주문과 이미 진행 중인 주문을 바탕으로 한정된 위성자원을 최대한 활용하여 사용자의 촬영요청을 가능한 적절한 시기에 반영할 수 있도록 위성의 촬영계획을 수립하는 과정으로 위성 자원의 효율적인 활용이라는 취지와 가장 밀접한 관계를 갖는 과정에 해당한다. 촬영계획은 동시에 많은 변수를 고려해야 하기 때문에 연산량도 많은 편이며, 스케줄링을 수행할 때마다 동일한 과정을 반복적으로 수행해야 한다. 본 논문에서는 촬영계획의 효율성을 높이기 위해 촬영계획의 최적화 연구를 수행하였다. 먼저 촬영계획 수행과정과 제약조건을 정리하여 가능한 많이 촬영할 수 있도록 촬영계획 모형을 수립하고 그 모형을 해결하기 위해 휴리스틱 알고리즘을 제안하였다.

• BMB Reports
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.379-384
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• 1999

Taxol, a natural product with significant anti-tumor activity, stabilizes microtubules and arrests cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle. It has been reported that taxol has additional effects on the cell such as an increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins and activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase. This phosphorylated kinase translocates into the nucleus and phosphorylates its substrate c-jun, c-fos, ATF2, and ATF3. The MAP kinase family is comprised of key regulatory proteins that control the cellular response to both proliferation and stress signals. First examination was cytotoxicity and apoptosis-induced concentration with paclitaxel in HeLa cell. A half-maximal inhibition of cell proliferation ($IC_{50}$) occurred at 13 nM paclitaxel. When DNA fragmentation was analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis, a nucleosomal ladder became evident 24 h after a taxol (50 nM) addition to the cells. In addition, an apoptotic body was detected by electron microscopy. Taxol-treated cells were arrested at the S phase at 10 nM. Treatment of 50 nM taxol activated the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK1), and a fraction of the activated MAP kinases entered the nucleus. It was also discovered that nucleus substrates c-jun was phosphorylated and activated in the cell. The activated ERK1 could subsequently translocate into the nucleus and phosphorylate its substrate c-jun as well. This study suggests that taxol-induced apoptosis might be related with signal transduction via MAP kinases.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.192-200
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• 2013

As part of the research for the natural products about prostate-related disease, this study screened 159 plant species from 46 families, which included a total of 213 different kinds of local native plants and these plants were tested for the ability to inhibit LNCaP proliferation, an androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cell line, and DU145 proliferation, which is a more aggressive androgen-insensitive prostate cancer cell line. The results indicated that nineteen of 213 types of plants exhibited antiproliferative activity (cell viability < 30%, $500{\mu}g/mL$) on the growth of androgen-sensitive LNCaP cell lines, and five of them exhibited DU145 cell antiproliferative activity (cell viability < 30%, $500{\mu}g/mL$). The methanol extracts of Eurya emarginata (stems), Gleditsia japonica var. koraiensis (leaves), Photinia glabra (leaves) and Elaeagnus macrophylla (leaves) showed antiproliferative activity on both the androgen-sensitive LNCaP cells (cell viability < 30%) and androgen-insensitive DU145 cells (cell viability > 100%). The study also found that the methanol extracts of Styrax japonica (fruits), Aralia continentalis (leaves), Fagus crenata var. multinervis (stems), Thuja orientalis (stems) and Poncirus trifoliate (branches) presented the strongest activity and demonstrated potent antiproliferative activity on both cell lines (LNCaP and DU145 cell viability < 30%).

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• 제40권6호
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• pp.265-270
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• 2010

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the immunomodulatory effects of canine periodontal ligament stem cells on allogenic and xenogenic immune cells in vitro. Methods: Mixed cell cultures consisting of canine stem cells (periodontal ligament stem cells and bone marrow stem cells) and allogenic canine/xenogenic human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were established following the addition of phytohemagglutinin. The proliferation of PBMCs was evaluated using the MTS assay. The cell division of PBMCs was analyzed using the CFSE assay. The apoptosis of PBMCs was assessed using the trypan blue uptake method. Results: Periodontal ligament stem cells and bone marrow stem cells inhibited the proliferation of allogenic and xenogenic PBMCs. Both periodontal ligament stem cells and bone marrow stem cells suppressed the cell division of PBMCs despite the existence of a mitogen. No significant differences in the percentages of apoptotic PBMCs were found among the groups. Conclusions: Canine periodontal ligament stem cells have an immunomodulatory effect on allogenic and xenogenic PBMCs. This effect is not a product of apoptosis of PBMCs but is caused by the inhibition of cell division of PBMCs.

• BMB Reports
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• 제48권8호
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• pp.461-466
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• 2015

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and curcumin are well known to naturally-occurring anticancer agents. The aim of this study was to verify the combined beneficial anticancer effects of curcumin and EGCG on PC3 prostate cancer cells, which are resistant to chemotherapy drugs and apoptosis inducers. EGCG showed weaker inhibitory effect on PC3 cell proliferation than two other prostate cancer cell lines, LNCaP and DU145. Co-treatment of curcumin improved antiproliferative effect of EGCG on PC3 cells. The protein expressions of p21 were significantly increased by the co-treatment of EGCG and curcumin, whereas it was not changed by the treatment with each individual compound. Moreover, treatments of EGCG and curcumin arrested both S and G2/M phases of PC3 cells. These results suggest that the enhanced inhibitory effect of EGCG on PC3 cell proliferation by curcumin was mediated by the synergic up-regulation of p21-induced growth arrest and followed cell growth arrest. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(8): 461-466]

• 생약학회지
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• 제33권2호통권129호
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• pp.130-136
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• 2002

Melanogenesis is a physiological process resulting in the synthesis of melanin pigments, which play a crucial protective role against skin photocarcinogenesis. The heart wood of Caesalpinia sappan L.(C. sappan) has long been commonly used in Oriental folk medicines to promote blood circulation, and as an emmenagogue, analgesic or anti-inflammatory agent as well as a remedy for thrombosis. From the heartwood, many constituents have been purified and among them, brazilin and hematoxylin are two of the most abundant. This present study was designed to investigate the inhibitory effect of butanol extract from C. sappan on proliferation and melanogenesis in Melan-a cells. After 48 h treatment of these cells with various concentrations of butanol extract, the cells showed a dose-dependent inhibition in their proliferation without apoptotic cell death. Therefore, the growth retardation by the extract may be due to the cell arrest or cell differentiation. We also estimated total melanin content as a final product and activity of tyrosinase, a key enzyme, of melanogenesis in Melan-a cells. The melanin content and tyrosinase activity were deσeased in extract-treated cells in a dose dependent manner compared to control group. The butanol extract also resulted in a decrease of melanin content in ${\alpha}-melanocyte-stimulating$ hormone (MSH)-induced melanogenesis, indicating that butanol extract of C. sappan could be developed as skin whitening components of cosmetics.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제9권4호
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• pp.291-298
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• 2003

Anti-diabetic effect of various fractions of Cordyceps militaris (CM), CCCA (crude cordycepin containing adenosine), CMESS (ethanol soluble supernatant), and cordycepin were evaluated in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic mice, CMESS showed potent inhibitory activity of 34.7% in starch-loaded mice (2 g/kg) while acarbose as a positive standard exhibited 37.8% of inhibition rate. After 3 days administration (50 mg/kg), cordycepin (0.2 mg/kg), and acarbose (10 mg/kg) dramatically reduced blood glucose level (inhibition ratio: 46.9%, 48.4% and 37.5% respectively). CCCA that has high contents of cordycepin (0.656 mg/4 mg) did not influence on reducing blood glucose level. The proliferation of splenocytes and peritoneal macrophages derived from STZ-induced diabetic mice administered samples were evaluated out by addition of mitogens to see the stability of the usage of these herbal medicines. Proliferation of T-lymphocyte was significantly decreased; while NO production was increased more than two fold to STZ control in the cordycepin-administered group. Changes of serum enzyme levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) were also evaluated. Cordycepin administered group was appeared to acarbose. We conclude that CMESS and cordycepin may be useful tools in the control of blood glucose level in diabetes and promising new drug as an anti-hyperglycemic agent without defects of immune responses and other side effects.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권13호
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• pp.5273-5278
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• 2015

Background: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a stem cell disorder characterized by the fusion of two oncogenes namely BCR and ABL with their aberrant expression. Autophosphorylation of BCR-ABL oncogenes results in proliferation of CML. The study deals with estimation of rate constant involved in each step of the cellular autophosphorylation process, which are consequently playing important roles in the proliferation of cancerous cells. Materials and Methods: A mathematical model was proposed for autophosphorylation of BCR-ABL oncogenes utilizing ordinary differential equations to enumerate the rate of change of each responsible system component. The major difficulty to model this process is the lack of experimental data, which are needed to estimate unknown model parameters. Initial concentration data of each substrate and product for BCR-ABL systems were collected from the reported literature. All parameters were optimized through time interval simulation using the fminsearch algorithm. Results: The rate of change versus time was estimated to indicate the role of each state variable that are crucial for the systems. The time wise change in concentration of substrate shows the convergence of each parameter in autophosphorylation process. Conclusions: The role of each constituent parameter and their relative time dependent variations in autophosphorylation process could be inferred.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.40-49
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• 2015

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the ability to self-renew and differentiate into multi-lineage cells, thus highlighting the feasibility of using umbilical cord blood-derived MSCs (UCB-MSCs) for cell-therapy and tissueengineering. However, the low numbers of UCB-MSC derived from clinical samples requires that an ex vivo expansion step be implemented. As most stem cells reside in low oxygen tension environments (i.e., hypoxia), we cultured the UCBMSCs under 3% $O_2$ or 21% $O_2$ and the following parameters were examined: proliferation, senescence, differentiation and stem cell specific gene expression. UCB-MSCs cultured under hypoxic conditions expanded to significantly higher levels and showed less senescence compared to UCB-MSCs cultured under normoxic conditions. In regards to differentiation potential, UCB-MSCs cultured under hypoxic and normoxic conditions both underwent similar levels of osteogenesis as determined by ALP and von Kossa assay. Furthermore, UCB-MSCs cultured under hypoxic conditions exhibited higher expression of OCT4, NANOG and SOX2 genes. Moreover, cells expanded under hypoxia maintained a stem cell immnunophenotype as determined by flow cytometry. These results demonstrate that the expansion of human UCB-MSCs under a low oxygen tension microenvironment significantly improved cell proliferation and differentiation. These results demonstrate that hypoxic culture can be rapidly and easily implemented into the clinical-scale expansion process in order to maximize UCB-MSCs yield for application in clinical settings and at the same time reduce culture time while maintaining cell product quality.